- 3 -
ServeRAID M5210 SAS/SATA Controller for IBM System x User’s Guide
July 2014
Chapter 1: Overview
ServeRAID M5210 Controller Description
Chapter 1: Overview
1.1
ServeRAID M5210 Controller Description
The ServeRAID M5210 SAS/SATA controller is a PCI-Express 3.0, half-size, half-height RAID controller based on the
LSISAS3108 PCI Express-SAS/SATA I/O Processor chip.
The controller controls eight internal SAS/SATA ports through two SFF-8643 4i internal mini-SAS HD connectors. The
controller integrates eight high-performance SAS/SATA PHYs and a PCI Express bus master DMA core. Each of the
eight PHYs is capable of 12.0 Gb/s SAS link rates and 6.0 Gb/s SATA III link rates.
The controller brings 12.0 Gb/s SAS and 6.0 Gb/s SATA performance to host controller, workstation, and server designs.
The controller supports internal storage devices, which allows you to use a system that supports enterprise-class SAS
drives, and desktop-class SATA drives. The controller can connect to drives directly. Simplified cabling between
devices is an additional benefit.
The LSISAS3108 ROC device increases system performance and provides fault-tolerant data storage. The LSISAS3108
supports data striping across multiple disks, which reduces disk access time because multiple disks simultaneously
read or write data. In addition, the LSISAS3108 ROC device backs up data with either data mirroring or a parity block.
Either backup method enables you to recover lost data in the event of a disk failure. You can select the data backup
method that best suits your needs. A hardware RAID assist exclusive-OR (XOR) engine speeds parity generation and
checking and reduces system-access times.
The controller supports the SAS protocol as described in the Serial Attached SCSI Standard, version 3.0, and the SATA
III protocol defined by the Serial ATA Revision 3.0 Specification.
Each port on the controller supports SAS devices and/or SATA devices using the following:
SAS Serial SCSI Protocol (SSP), which enables communication with other SAS devices
SATA, which enables communication with other SATA 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 device through an attached expander
1.1.1
Controller Guidelines
before you install the controller, read the following guidelines:
You can connect only one device per SAS PHY unless you use an expander
Cables have to meet the SAS specification
You cannot mix SAS drives and SATA drives in the same virtual drive
You cannot mix SAS Solid State Drives (SSDs) or SATA SSDs and existing mechanical drives (SAS or SATA) in the
same virtual drive
You cannot mix Solid State SAS drives and Solid State SATA drives in the same virtual drive
See
Section 3.2.4, “Power Supply Requirements for the ServeRAID M5210 SAS/SATA Controller”
for information about
the power requirements, and
Section 3.2.5, “Operating and Non-operating Conditions”
for information about the
minimum and the maximum temperature ranges.
NOTE
You cannot mix SAS drives and SATA drives within the same virtual drive.
