Supermicro X6DA8-G, User Manual

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Appendix B: Software Installation Instructions
B-3
The Adaptec Embedded Serial ATA with HostRAID
Controller Driver
Adaptec's Embedded Serial ATA RAID with HostRAID controller adds RAID
functionality to the Serial ATA I/O controller by supporting RAID 0 (Striping)
or RAID 1 (Mirroring) to enhance the industry's pioneer PCI-to-e host con-
troller products. RAID striping (RAID 0) can greatly improve hard disk I/O
performance because of its capability in striping data across multiple drives.
RAID mirroring (RAID 1) allows the data to be simultaneously written to two
drives, so critical data is always available even if a single hard disk fails.
Due to the built-in functionality, the X6DA8-G/X6DAE-G/X6DA8-G2/X6DAE-
G2 is specially designed to keep pace with the increasing performance
demands of computer systems by improving disk I/O throughput and provid-
ing data accessibility regardless of a single disk failure. By incorporating
t h e A d a p t e c E m b e d d e d S e r i a l A T A i n t o t h e m o t h e r b o a r d d e s i g n ,
Supermicro's X6DA8-G/X6DAE-G/X6DA8-G2/X6DAE-G2 offers the user with
the benefits of SATARAID without the high costs associated with hardware
RAID applications.
(*Note: For Adaptec's RAID Driver Installation Instructions, please refer to
the Adaptec RAID Controller User's Guide: "Emb_SA_RAID_UG.pdf" in the
CD that came with this motherboard. You can also download a copy of
Adaptec's User's Guide from our web site at www.supermicro.com.)
Using the Adaptec RAID Configuration Utility (ARC)
The Adaptec RAID Configuration Utility is an embedded BIOS Utility, includ-
ing:
*Array Configuration Utility: Use this utility when you want to create, config-
ure and manage arrays.
* Disk Utilities: Use this option to format or verify disks.
To run the Adaptec RAID Configuration Utility, you will need to enable the
RAID function in the system BIOS (refer to Chapter 4 for System BIOS
Configurations), and then, press the <Ctrl> and <A> keys simultaneously
when prompted to do so during the system startup. (Refer to the previous
page for detailed instructions.)
(*Note: To select an option, use the arrow keys to highlight the item and
then press the <Enter> key to select it. To return to the previous menu,
press the <ESC> key.)
A. Using the Array Configuration Utility (ACU)
The Array Configuration Utility (ACU) enables you to create, manage, and
delete arrays from the controller’s BIOS, add and delete spare drives, and
initialize drives. During the system startup, press <Ctrl> and <A> key simulta-
neously, and the main menu will appear.