Lenovo ThinkServer RD240 Software User's Manual page 26

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SAS technology brings a wealth of options and flexibility with the use of
SAS devices, Serial ATA (SATA) II devices, and SSD devices within the
same storage infrastructure. These devices bring individual
characteristics that make each one a more suitable choice depending on
your storage needs. MegaRAID gives you the flexibility to combine these
two similar technologies on the same controller, within the same
enclosure, and in the same virtual drive.
Note: It is recommended that you carefully assess any decision to
mix SAS drives and SATA drives within the same virtual
drives. Although you can mix drives, Lenovo strongly
discourages the practice. This recommendation applies to
both HDDs and SSDs.
The MegaRAID SAS RAID controllers are based on the first-to-market
SAS IC technology and proven MegaRAID technology.
As second-generation PCI Express RAID controllers, the MegaRAID
SAS RAID controllers address the growing demand for increased data
throughput and scalability requirements across midrange and enterprise-
class server platforms. Lenovo offers a family of MegaRAID SAS RAID
controllers addressing the needs for both internal and external solutions.
The SAS controllers support the ANSI Serial Attached SCSI standard,
version 1.1. In addition, the controller supports the SATA II protocol
defined by the Serial ATA specification, version 1.0a. Supporting both the
SAS and SATA II interfaces, the SAS controller is a versatile controller
that provides the backbone of both server environments and high-end
workstation environments.
Each port on the SAS RAID controller supports SAS devices, SATA II
devices, or SSD devices using the following protocols:
•
SAS Serial SCSI Protocol (SSP), which enables communication with
other SAS devices
•
SATA II, which enables communication with other SATA II devices
•
Serial Management Protocol (SMP), which communicates
topology management information directly with an attached SAS
expander device
•
Serial Tunneling Protocol (STP), which enables communication with
a SATA II device through an attached expander
Overview