HPE 749680-B21 Smart Array P244br 12GBPS 2-Ports Int SAS Raid Controller

Overview of the HPE 749680-B21 Smart Array Controller

Manufacturer Details

Manufacturer: Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE)

Part Number / SKU: 749680-B21

Product Description

Type: Storage Controller

Name: Smart Array Controller

Technical Specifications

PCI-E Controller Card Features

Storage Interfaces

• Interface Type: SAS-SATA
• Disk Drive Compatibility: 12GBPS SAS (Serial Attached SCSI)
• Transfer Rate Support: 6GBPS SATA (Serial ATA)

Connection Details

• SAS Connectors: Two Internal Ports

Performance Metrics

• Cache Memory Speed: DDR3-MHz with a 72-bit Bus, Up to 4.2GB/s Maximum Bandwidth
• Server Interface: PCI-E 3.0 x8 with 8GB/s Maximum Bandwidth
• SAS Speed: x8 12G SAS Offering 9.6GB/s Maximum Bandwidth

Cache Memory

• Cache Size: 1GB ECC Protected Cache with 72-bit Width

Logical Drives and Volume Capacity

• Logical Drives Supported: Up to 64 Volumes
• Maximum Volume Capacity: 2.4TB (Internal, with 2x 1.2TB SAS/SATA 2.5” HDDs)

Memory and RAID Support

• Memory Addressing: 64-bit, Supporting Server Memory Space Exceeding 4 GB
• RAID Support: RAID 1, RAID 10 (Drive Mirroring), RAID 0 (Striping)

Key Benefits

• Enhanced Data Protection with ECC Cache
• High-Speed Data Transfer Capabilities
• Flexible Storage Options with Extensive RAID Support

Interface: SAS

The HPE Smart Array P244br Raid Controller is equipped with a SAS (Serial Attached SCSI) interface, which offers users a wide range of benefits and plays a crucial role in enhancing the performance and reliability of their storage systems.

Improved Data Transfer Speed

One of the primary advantages of the SAS interface is its ability to deliver high data transfer speeds. With a maximum data transfer rate of 12Gbps, the P244br Raid Controller ensures that users can quickly and efficiently access and retrieve their critical data. This enhanced speed is especially beneficial for businesses that handle large volumes of data regularly, such as those in the financial, scientific, or media industries.

Reduced Latency

In addition to faster data transfer speeds, SAS also minimizes latency, which refers to the delay in data transmission. By reducing latency, the P244br Raid Controller optimizes system responsiveness and ensures that users can access their data without any noticeable delays. This is particularly advantageous in scenarios where real-time data processing or rapid decision-making is required.

Enhanced Scalability

The SAS interface supports daisy-chaining, allowing users to connect multiple drives or devices in a series. This feature enables seamless scalability and makes it easier for businesses to expand their storage capacity as their needs grow. Whether it's adding more hard drives or connecting additional storage enclosures, the SAS interface offers flexibility and ensures that users can adapt their storage infrastructure to meet evolving requirements.

Greater Compatibility

Another significant benefit of the SAS interface is its compatibility with both SAS and SATA (Serial ATA) drives. This versatility allows users to choose from a wider range of storage options, depending on their specific needs and budget. Whether it's high-performance SAS drives for critical applications or cost-effective SATA drives for less demanding workloads, the P244br Raid Controller's SAS interface ensures seamless integration with various drive types.

Improved Fault Tolerance

The SAS interface also supports advanced RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks) configurations, which enhance data protection and fault tolerance. By implementing RAID levels such as RAID 1 (mirroring) or RAID 5 (striping with distributed parity), users can safeguard their data against drive failures or other hardware issues. The P244br Raid Controller's SAS interface, combined with RAID functionality, offers users peace of mind and ensures that their critical data remains safe and accessible.

Efficient Cable Management

SAS cables are known for their robustness and flexibility, making them easier to manage within server environments. The P244br Raid Controller's SAS interface minimizes cable clutter and simplifies cable routing, resulting in improved airflow and better overall system performance. Additionally, the smaller form factor of SAS connectors allows for denser storage configurations, maximizing storage density within limited server space.

Ports: 2

The HPE Smart Array P244br Raid Controller boasts two ports, providing users with increased connectivity options and flexibility when it comes to configuring their storage infrastructure.

Expanded Storage Capacity

Having two ports enables users to connect multiple drives or storage enclosures simultaneously. This expanded connectivity allows for greater storage capacity, accommodating larger datasets or supporting multiple applications or workloads. With the P244br Raid Controller's two ports, businesses can effectively manage their growing storage needs without compromising on performance or reliability.

Improved Redundancy

By having multiple ports, the P244br Raid Controller offers increased redundancy for critical systems. Users can redundantly configure their storage setup, ensuring that if one port fails or becomes unavailable, the other port can seamlessly take over the data transfer operations. This redundancy minimizes the risk of data loss or system downtime and enhances the overall reliability of the storage infrastructure.

Enhanced Performance

The presence of two ports also enables load balancing and improves performance in storage-intensive environments. Users can distribute data across multiple drives or enclosures, leveraging the combined bandwidth of both ports. This load-balancing capability ensures efficient utilization of available resources and prevents bottlenecks, resulting in faster data access and improved system responsiveness.

Flexible Configuration Options

The two ports on the P244br Raid Controller allow for flexible configuration options, enabling users to tailor their storage setup to their specific requirements. Whether it's configuring a RAID array with different drive types or implementing a tiered storage architecture, the dual-port design provides the flexibility needed to optimize storage performance and efficiency.

Speed: 12Gbps

The HPE Smart Array P244br Raid Controller offers an impressive speed of 12Gbps, ensuring that users can access their data with exceptional speed and efficiency.

Optimized Workload Performance

The 12Gbps speed of the P244br Raid Controller ensures that workloads with high data throughput requirements, such as data analytics or video editing, can be processed efficiently. Users can experience faster data transfers, reduced processing times, and improved overall workload performance. This speed advantage empowers businesses to meet demanding deadlines, gain valuable insights from data analysis, or deliver high-quality media content more effectively.

Accelerated Data Processing

With a blazing-fast data transfer rate of 12Gbps, the P244br Raid Controller significantly reduces data access times. This acceleration is particularly beneficial for applications that require real-time data processing, such as transactional databases or high-performance computing. By minimizing data retrieval delays, the P244br Raid Controller enables businesses to enhance their operational efficiency and deliver superior user experiences.

Seamless Multi-Tasking

The high speed offered by the P244br Raid Controller allows for seamless multi-tasking and concurrent data operations. Users can perform multiple read and write operations simultaneously without experiencing performance degradation or bottlenecks. This capability is especially advantageous in scenarios where multiple users or applications are accessing the storage system concurrently, ensuring smooth and uninterrupted workflow.

Future-Proof Technology

The 12Gbps speed offered by the P244br Raid Controller represents the latest advancement in storage technology. By investing in a controller with such high-speed capabilities, users can future-proof their storage infrastructure and ensure compatibility with upcoming storage devices and technologies. This forward compatibility minimizes the need for frequent equipment upgrades and provides a solid foundation for future expansion and scalability.

Cache: 1GB FBWC

The HPE Smart Array P244br Raid Controller is equipped with a 1GB Flash-Backed Write Cache (FBWC), a critical component that enhances both performance and data protection.

Improved Write Performance

The presence of a 1GB FBWC allows the P244br Raid Controller to accelerate write operations by temporarily storing data in the cache before writing it to the disk drives. This caching mechanism significantly improves write performance, as the controller can quickly acknowledge write requests to the host system while simultaneously committing the data to non-volatile storage. The result is faster application response times and enhanced overall system performance.

Data Loss Prevention

The FBWC feature provides an added layer of protection against potential data loss in the event of power outages or system failures. By temporarily storing write data in the cache, the P244br Raid Controller ensures that critical information is not lost before it can be permanently written to the disk drives. In case of an unexpected power interruption, the data stored in the cache can be safely flushed to the drives when power is restored, preventing any data corruption or loss.

Enhanced RAID Performance

The 1GB FBWC also contributes to improved RAID performance. By utilizing the cache for RAID operations, such as parity calculations or data striping, the P244br Raid Controller can offload these tasks from the host system's resources. This offloading reduces the burden on the host CPU and memory, allowing for better overall system performance and enabling users to allocate more resources to other critical tasks.

Flexible Configuration Options

The 1GB FBWC feature of the P244br Raid Controller provides users with flexibility when configuring their storage setup. Users can adjust the cache settings based on their specific requirements, such as increasing cache size for write-intensive workloads or optimizing cache utilization for specific applications. This flexibility ensures that users can tailor their storage infrastructure to their unique needs and achieve optimal performance and efficiency.

Part Number: 749680-B21

The part number of a product is a crucial identifier that allows users to accurately locate and procure the specific hardware they require. The HPE Smart Array P244br Raid Controller has a part number of 749680-B21, which holds several benefits and importance for users.

Accurate Product Identification

The part number, 749680-B21, uniquely identifies the HPE Smart Array P244br Raid Controller among various other products in the market. It ensures that users can accurately locate and select the exact model they need, eliminating any confusion or ambiguity. This accurate identification simplifies the procurement process, saving time and ensuring that users receive the correct hardware for their storage infrastructure.

Compatibility Assurance

The part number also serves as a compatibility assurance, especially when purchasing additional components or expanding existing storage setups. By using the part number, users can ensure that the components they are considering or already own are compatible with the P244br Raid Controller. This compatibility assurance minimizes the risk of purchasing incompatible hardware, preventing installation issues and potential system failures.

Warranty and Support

The part number plays a crucial role in warranty and support services. When registering the P244br Raid Controller for warranty purposes or seeking technical support, users will be required to provide the part number. This allows HPE or authorized service providers to easily identify the product, verify its eligibility for warranty coverage, and provide appropriate support or replacement services if needed.

Documentation and Resources

The part number, 749680-B21, serves as a key reference point for accessing product documentation, user manuals, firmware updates, and other valuable resources provided by HPE. By using the part number, users can quickly locate and access the relevant information they need to effectively install, configure, and manage their P244br Raid Controller. These resources ensure a smooth deployment process and enable users to make the most of their investment.

In conclusion, the HPE Smart Array P244br Raid Controller offers users a multitude of benefits through its SAS interface, 2 ports, 12Gbps speed, 1GB FBWC cache, and part number 749680-B21. The SAS interface provides improved data transfer speed, reduced latency, enhanced scalability, greater compatibility, and improved fault tolerance. The two ports offer expanded storage capacity, improved redundancy, enhanced performance, and flexible configuration options. The 12Gbps speed accelerates data processing, enables seamless multitasking, optimizes workload performance, and ensures future-proof technology. The 1GB FBWC cache enhances write performance, prevents data loss, improves RAID performance, and offers flexible configuration options. The part number facilitates accurate product identification, compatibility assurance, warranty and support services, and easy access to documentation and resources. Overall, the HPE Smart Array P244br Raid Controller delivers exceptional performance, reliability, and flexibility for users' storage needs.