HP 631673-B21 P421 SAS 6GBPS 2 Ports PCI-E 3.0 X8 Smart Array Raid Controller FBWC

Overview of the HP 631673-B21 Controller

Brand and Product Identification

• Manufacturer: HP
• Part Number: 631673-B21
• Product Type: PCI Express (PCI-E)
• Product Name: Controller

Technical Specifications

• Interface Types: Serial ATA/600, Serial Attached SCSI (SAS)

Bus and Data Transfer

• Bus Type: PCI Express 3.0 x8
• Data Transfer Rate: 600 MB/s

RAID Configuration

• RAID Supported: Yes
• RAID Levels: RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5, RAID 10, RAID 50

Drive and Platform Compatibility

• Drives Supported: Up to 64 logical drives, Up to 200 drives
• Supported Platform: PC

Data Backup and Memory

• Backup Type: Flash-Backed Cache
• Standard Memory: 1 GB DDR3 SDRAM
• Maximum Memory: 2 GB DDR3 SDRAM

Ports and Form Factor

• Ports: 2 x 6Gb/s SAS – Mini-SAS External
• Form Factor: Low-Profile Plug-In Card

Interface: PCI-E 3.0 X8

The HP P421 Raid Controller is equipped with a powerful PCI-E 3.0 X8 interface, which offers exceptional speed, performance, and compatibility. This interface allows for high-speed data transfer between the controller and the connected devices, ensuring smooth and efficient operations. The PCI-E 3.0 X8 interface provides double the bandwidth compared to its predecessor, enabling faster data processing and reducing latency.

Enhanced Performance

The PCI-E 3.0 X8 interface significantly enhances the performance of the HP P421 Raid Controller. With its increased bandwidth capacity, it enables the controller to handle larger amounts of data at higher speeds. This is particularly beneficial for users who deal with resource-intensive applications, such as data analysis, virtualization, and database management.

Whether you are running a demanding database server or managing a virtualized environment with multiple virtual machines, the PCI-E 3.0 X8 interface ensures that your system operates at peak performance levels. It minimizes bottlenecks and allows for smooth and efficient data transfers, resulting in improved productivity and reduced response times.

Increased Scalability

The PCI-E 3.0 X8 interface offers increased scalability options for your storage infrastructure. It allows you to connect multiple devices to the HP P421 Raid Controller simultaneously without compromising performance. Whether you need to expand your storage capacity or connect additional drives for redundancy, this interface provides the necessary bandwidth to handle the increased workload.

By leveraging the enhanced scalability of the PCI-E 3.0 X8 interface, you can future-proof your storage solution and accommodate growing data demands. This ensures that your system remains flexible and adaptable to evolving business requirements without sacrificing performance or efficiency.

Compatibility

The PCI-E 3.0 X8 interface is widely supported across various server platforms and operating systems. This ensures seamless integration with your existing infrastructure and eliminates compatibility issues. Whether you are using HP servers or other compatible hardware, the HP P421 Raid Controller's PCI-E 3.0 X8 interface guarantees optimal functionality and performance.

With its universal compatibility, the HP P421 Raid Controller can be easily integrated into both new and existing server environments. This allows for hassle-free upgrades or replacements, as you can simply connect the controller to the available PCI-E slot and start benefiting from its advanced features.

Ports: 2

The HP P421 Raid Controller features two ports, providing versatile connectivity options for your storage devices. These ports enable you to connect multiple drives, expand your storage capacity, and configure RAID arrays to meet your specific requirements.

Flexible Drive Configuration

With two ports at your disposal, the HP P421 Raid Controller allows for flexible drive configuration options. You can connect a variety of hard disk drives (HDDs) and solid-state drives (SSDs) to create a customized storage solution that suits your needs.

Whether you need high-capacity HDDs for data archiving or high-performance SSDs for demanding applications, the two ports offer the flexibility to mix and match drive types according to your workload requirements. This allows you to optimize storage performance, reliability, and cost-effectiveness based on the specific demands of your applications.

Expandable Storage Capacity

The two ports on the HP P421 Raid Controller provide expandable storage capacity for your server or workstation. By connecting additional drives through these ports, you can easily increase the total storage capacity available to your system.

This is particularly useful when dealing with growing data volumes or when you need to accommodate the storage needs of multiple users or applications. The ability to expand your storage capacity with the HP P421 Raid Controller ensures that your system can handle increasing data requirements without compromising performance or reliability.

Redundancy and Data Protection

The two ports on the HP P421 Raid Controller allow for the configuration of redundant RAID arrays, which provide enhanced data protection and fault tolerance. By connecting drives to both ports and leveraging RAID technology, you can ensure that your data remains safe in the event of a drive failure.

With redundant RAID arrays, the HP P421 Raid Controller can automatically replicate data across multiple drives, allowing for seamless recovery in case of drive failure. This redundancy ensures that your critical business data is protected and minimizes the risk of data loss or system downtime.

Speed: 6GBPS

The HP P421 Raid Controller offers impressive speed capabilities with its 6Gbps (gigabits per second) data transfer rate. This high-speed connectivity allows for swift and efficient handling of large volumes of data, making it ideal for demanding applications and workloads.

Fast Data Transfer

The 6Gbps speed provided by the HP P421 Raid Controller enables rapid data transfer between the controller and the connected storage devices. This high-speed connectivity ensures that data-intensive tasks, such as file transfers, backups, and data synchronization, are completed quickly and efficiently.

With faster data transfer rates, you can minimize wait times and maximize productivity. Whether you are working with large files, running resource-intensive applications, or performing complex calculations, the high-speed capabilities of the HP P421 Raid Controller ensure that your system operates at peak performance levels.

Improved Responsiveness

The 6Gbps speed of the HP P421 Raid Controller translates into improved system responsiveness, reducing latency and improving overall user experience. Applications load faster, and data access becomes almost instantaneous, allowing for smoother and more efficient operations.

Whether you are accessing files from your storage solution or running applications that rely heavily on data retrieval, the high-speed capabilities of the HP P421 Raid Controller ensure that you experience minimal delays. This results in improved productivity and a more seamless computing experience.

Scalability and Future-Proofing

The 6Gbps speed of the HP P421 Raid Controller provides scalability options for your storage infrastructure. It allows you to handle increasing data volumes and accommodate future growth without compromising performance or efficiency.

By leveraging the high-speed capabilities of the HP P421 Raid Controller, you can future-proof your storage solution and ensure that it remains capable of meeting your evolving needs. Whether you are expanding your business, implementing new technologies, or adopting data-heavy applications, the 6Gbps speed ensures that your system can handle the increased workload.

Feature: Smart Array

The HP P421 Raid Controller is equipped with the Smart Array feature, which offers advanced RAID capabilities and intelligent management functionalities. The Smart Array technology ensures reliable data protection, efficient storage utilization, and simplified management of your storage infrastructure.

Advanced RAID Capabilities

The Smart Array feature of the HP P421 Raid Controller provides advanced RAID capabilities for data protection and fault tolerance. With support for various RAID levels, including RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5, RAID 6, and RAID 10, you can choose the level of data redundancy that best suits your needs.

By configuring a RAID array with the Smart Array technology, you can ensure that your data is protected even in the event of a drive failure. The Smart Array feature allows for automatic data replication across multiple drives, ensuring that your critical data is safe and accessible at all times.

Efficient Storage Utilization

The Smart Array feature of the HP P421 Raid Controller enables efficient storage utilization through its advanced data management capabilities. By implementing features such as data striping, mirroring, and parity, the Smart Array technology optimizes storage capacity and improves overall system performance.

The ability to efficiently utilize your storage resources allows you to maximize the available capacity while maintaining data integrity and performance. This ensures that you can store more data without compromising reliability or experiencing degradation in system responsiveness.

Simplified Management

The Smart Array feature simplifies the management of your storage infrastructure by providing intuitive management tools and a user-friendly interface. With the Smart Array technology, you can easily configure RAID arrays, monitor drive health, and perform diagnostics and troubleshooting tasks.

By streamlining storage management processes, the Smart Array feature reduces administrative overhead and allows for more efficient utilization of IT resources. Whether you are an IT professional responsible for managing a complex storage environment or a system administrator overseeing a small business server, the Smart Array technology simplifies storage management and saves valuable time and effort.

Cache: FBWC

The HP P421 Raid Controller is equipped with Flash-Backed Write Cache (FBWC), a caching technology that provides enhanced performance and data protection. The FBWC feature improves read and write speeds, reduces latency, and ensures data integrity in case of power failures or unexpected system shutdowns.

Enhanced Performance

The FBWC feature of the HP P421 Raid Controller significantly enhances performance by caching frequently accessed data in high-speed memory. By storing this data in cache memory, the controller can quickly retrieve it when needed, reducing disk I/O and improving overall system responsiveness.

With improved performance, you can experience faster application load times, quicker data access, and more efficient data processing. Whether you are running resource-intensive applications or performing data-intensive tasks, the FBWC feature ensures that your system operates at peak performance levels.

Data Protection

The FBWC feature provides additional data protection by ensuring that data in cache memory is preserved in case of power failures or unexpected system shutdowns. With the Flash-Backed Write Cache technology, the HP P421 Raid Controller can save cached data to non-volatile memory, preventing data loss during critical events.

In the event of a power failure or system crash, the FBWC feature allows the controller to quickly recover cached data from non-volatile memory, ensuring that no data is lost or corrupted. This provides an added layer of protection for your critical business data and minimizes the risk of data loss or system downtime.

Improved Reliability

The FBWC feature improves overall reliability by reducing disk I/O and minimizing wear on storage drives. By caching frequently accessed data in high-speed memory, the HP P421 Raid Controller reduces the need for frequent disk access, which can contribute to drive wear and reduce their lifespan.

The reduced disk I/O achieved through caching helps prolong the lifespan of your storage drives and ensures their reliable operation over an extended period. This not only saves on maintenance and replacement costs but also minimizes the risk of unexpected drive failures and data loss.

Part Number: 631673-B21

The HP P421 Raid Controller carries the part number 631673-B21, a unique identifier that distinguishes it from other products in the market. This part number is essential for identifying, ordering, and ensuring compatibility with your server or workstation.

Identification and Ordering

The part number 631673-B21 allows for easy identification and ordering of the HP P421 Raid Controller. By referencing this part number, you can ensure that you are purchasing the correct product and avoid confusion or compatibility issues.

When ordering replacement parts or upgrading your storage solution, having the correct part number is crucial. It provides a clear reference point for vendors and ensures that you receive the exact product you need, minimizing delays and potential compatibility problems.

Compatibility Assurance

The part number 631673-B21 serves as a compatibility assurance, guaranteeing that the HP P421 Raid Controller is designed to work seamlessly with specific server models and configurations. It ensures that the controller is fully compatible with your existing hardware and software environment.

By using the correct part number when selecting the HP P421 Raid Controller, you can be confident that it will integrate seamlessly into your server or workstation. This compatibility assurance eliminates potential issues related to hardware conflicts, driver compatibility, or firmware mismatches.

Support and Documentation

The part number 631673-B21 is also essential for accessing support resources and documentation related to the HP P421 Raid Controller. When seeking assistance or looking for specific information regarding the controller's installation, configuration, or troubleshooting, referencing the part number ensures accurate and relevant results.

Having access to comprehensive documentation and support resources allows you to make the most of your investment in the HP P421 Raid Controller. It enables you to set up and manage the controller effectively, resolve any issues that may arise, and maximize its performance and reliability.