Intel SASWT4I Installation manual

Intel®RAID Controller SASWT4I Hardware
User’s Guide
Intel Order Number: E53872-002

ii Intel® RAID Controller SASWT4I Hardware User’s Guide
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Intel® RAID Controller SASWT4I Hardware User’s Guide iii
Preface
This is the primary reference and user’s guide for the Intel®RAID Controller SASWT4I,
which can be used to manage SAS and SATA II disk drives. It contains installation
instructions and specifications.
For details on how to configure the storage adapters, and for an overview of the software
drivers, see the Intel®IT/IR RAID Software User’s Guide on the Resource CD.
Audience
This document assumes that you have some familiarity with storage disk controllers,
RAID technology, and related support devices. The people who benefit from this book
are:
•Engineers who are designing an Intel®RAID Controller SASWT4I for a system.
•Anyone installing an Intel®RAID Controller SASWT4I in a RAID system.
Organization
This document includes the following chapters and appendixes:
•Chapter 1 provides a general overview of the Intel®RAID Controller SASWT4I.
•Chapter 2 describes the procedures for installing the Intel®RAID Controller
SASWT4I.
•Chapter 3 provides the characteristics and technical specifications for the Intel®
RAID Controller.
•Appendix A lists and explains the terms and abbreviations used in this manual.
Related Publication
The Intel®IT/IR RAID Software User’s Guide on the Resource CD that is included with
the RAID controller.

iv Intel® RAID Controller SASWT4I Hardware User’s Guide

Intel® RAID Controller SASWT4I Hardware User’s Guide v
Table of Contents
Preface ........................................................................................................................iii
Audience ............................................................................................................................... iii
Organization ......................................................................................................................... iii
Related Publication ............................................................................................................... iii
Chapter 1: Overview ................................................................................................... 1
Summary of SAS RAID Controller Features ..........................................................................1
Usability .........................................................................................................................2
Redundancy and Error Handling ...................................................................................2
SAS and SATA Features ...............................................................................................3
Operating System Support ............................................................................................3
Benefits of Serial-Attached SCSI (SAS) ................................................................................4
Chapter 2: Intel®RAID Controller SASWT4I Hardware Installation ....................... 5
Requirements ........................................................................................................................5
Installing the RAID Controller ................................................................................................6
Connecting the Cables ..........................................................................................................9
Configuring the Storage Adapter ...........................................................................................9
Replacing a Controller .........................................................................................................10
Chapter 3: Intel®RAID Controller SASWT4I Characteristics ............................... 11
Technical Specifications ......................................................................................................12
LEDs ..........................................................................................................................12
Array Performance Features .......................................................................................13
Fault Tolerance ............................................................................................................13
Electrical Characteristics .............................................................................................13
Thermal and Atmospheric Characteristics ...................................................................14
Safety Characteristics ..................................................................................................14
Appendix A: Glossary of Terms and Abbreviations ............................................. 15

vi Intel® RAID Controller SASWT4I Hardware User’s Guide

Intel® RAID Controller SASWT4I Hardware User’s Guide vii
List of Figures
Figure 1. Inserting the Intel®RAID Controller SASWT4I into a PCI Express* Slot ................... 6
Figure 2. Attaching cables to the Intel®RAID Controller SASWT4I.......................................... 7
Figure 3. SAS and SATA Plugs and SAS Backplane Connector .............................................. 9
Figure 4. Card Layouts............................................................................................................ 11

viii Intel® RAID Controller SASWT4I Hardware User’s Guide

Intel® RAID Controller SASWT4I Hardware User’s Guide ix
List of Tables
Table 1. Jumper Descriptions ..................................................................................................11
Table 2. Specifications ............................................................................................................12
Table 3. Array Performance Features .....................................................................................13
Table 4. Fault Tolerance Features ..........................................................................................13
Table 5. Electrical Characteristics ...........................................................................................13

xIntel® RAID Controller SASWT4I Hardware User’s Guide

Intel® RAID Controller SASWT4I Hardware User’s Guide 1
1Overview
This chapter provides a general overview of the Intel®RAID Controller SASWT4I. It
consists of the following sections:
•Summary of SAS RAID Controller Features
•Benefits of Serial-Attached SCSI (SAS)
The Intel®RAID Controller SASWT4I is a PCI Express* SAS RAID controller. It
provides reliable and fault-tolerant disk subsystem management. This is an ideal RAID
solution for the internal storage needs of mid to low-end servers and workstations for use
by workgroups and departmental-sized organizations or individuals. The Intel®RAID
Controller SASWT4I offers a cost-effective way to implement RAID in a server for
internal storage.
The SAS controller allows you to use SATA II and SAS hard disk drives in the same
system, so you can take advantage of the benefits of each type of drive; however, Intel
does not recommend mixing SAS and SATA II drives in the same enclosure.. The
controller supports up to 14 physical devices in IR mode and up to 122 devices, including
expander devices, in IT (non-RAID) mode. See the ANSI SAS Standard Specification,
Ve r s i o n 1 . 0 for more information about the use of expanders.
As the second generation PCI Express* storage adapter, the Intel®RAID Controller
SASWT4I addresses the growing demand for increased data throughput and scalability
requirements across mid to low-end servers and workstations. Simplified cabling between
drives is an additional benefit.
Summary of SAS RAID Controller Features
Note: In this document, the term low-profile refers to the height, not the length, of a PCI add-in
card.
The Intel®RAID Controller SASWT4I is a low-profile SAS RAID adapter with:
•An LSI* 1064E SAS (including SATA) controller.
•Four independent internal ports.
•Support for both enterprise-class SAS devices and enterprise-class SATA II drives.
•Support for up to 14 SAS or SATA II drives and 2 logical drives in IR mode.
•PCI Express* connector that fits into a x4 PCI Express* (or larger) slot capable of
2.5 Gbps per lane over PCI Express* x1 or x4.
•3.0 Gbps point-to-point transfer rate.
•Both a standard and a low-profile bracket.

2Intel® RAID Controller SASWT4I Hardware User’s Guide
The SAS controller supports the ANSI Serial-attached SCSI (SAS) Standard, Version 1.0.
In addition, the controller supports the Serial ATA (SATA) protocol defined by the Serial
ATA Specification, Version 1.0a. The SAS controller is a versatile controller that supports
both the SAS and SATA interfaces and provides the backbone of both server and
workstation environments.
Protocols supported include:
•Serial SCSI Protocol (SSP): Communication with other SAS devices.
•SATA II Protocol: Communication with SATA II devices.
•Serial Management Protocol (SMP): Topology management information sharing
with expanders.
•Serial Tunneling Protocol (STP): Support for SATA II through expander interfaces.
Usability
•Smaller, thinner cabling with serial point-to-point 3.0 Gbps data transfer rates.
•Allows mixed connections to SAS or SATA II targets.
•Support for non-disk devices and mixed capacity drives.
•Support for RAID levels 0, 1, 1E and 10E.
•Hot spare with auto rebuild if an array drive fails.
•Fixed RAID stripe size of 64 KB.
•Advanced array configuration and management utilities that provide drive roaming.
•An upgradeable Flash ROM interface.
•Allows for staggered spin-up, hot plug, and lower power consumption.
Redundancy and Error Handling
•In-band SES enclosure management support, including fault LEDs (Expander
backplane must be used in order to support fault LED. No fault LED option is
possible or expected in direct HDD connect mode).
•Activity and fault indicators per drive, port selector (dual-port drives).
•Auto-detection of failed drives with transparent rebuild.
•Commands are retried up to four times.
•SMART technology predicts failures of drives and electronic components for drives
in IR mode.
•Firmware provides best effort to recognize an error and recover from it if possible.
•Failures are logged from controller and drive firmware.
•Failures are logged in Intel®RAID Web Console 2, CIM, and LEDs.
•Multiple cache options provide choice of speed and redundancy:

Intel® RAID Controller SASWT4I Hardware User’s Guide 3
— Disk Write Cache: The data written / (done) signal is returned when data is
written to the drive or only to the drive’s cache.
✧On (default): Write-back mode enabled. Faster, because it does not wait for
the disk, but data will be lost if power is lost.
✧Off: Write-through mode enabled. Slower, but ensures data is on the disk.
•Redundancy through:
— Configuration stored in non-volatile RAM and on the drives (COD).
— Hot-swap support.
SAS and SATA Features
•Provides four independent PHYs, each supporting 3.0 Gbps and 1.5 Gbps SAS and
SATA data transfers.
•Scalable interface that supports up to 14 physical devices and 2 logical devices in IR
mode, or up to 122 physical devices in IT mode.
•Transfers data using SCSI information units.
•Supports SSP to enable communication with other SAS devices.
•Supports SMP to communicate topology management information.
•Allows addressing of multiple SATA targets through an expander if using SATA 2.0-
compliant hard disk drives.
Operating System Support
The Intel®RAID Controller SASWT4I supports major operating systems, including:
•Microsoft Windows Server 2008*, Microsoft Windows Server 2003*, and Microsoft
Windows XP*
•Red Hat* Enterprise Linux 4.0 and 5.0
•SuSE* Linux Enterprise Server 9 and 10
Note: The operating systems supported by this controller may not be supported by your server
board. See the Tested Operating System List for your server board at
http://support.intel.com/support/motherboards/server/. See also the Tested Hardware and
Operating System List for the Intel®RAID Controller SASWT4I to make sure the
operating system you are using with the controller is supported.

4Intel® RAID Controller SASWT4I Hardware User’s Guide
Benefits of Serial-Attached SCSI (SAS)
SAS is a serial, point-to-point, enterprise-level device interface that leverages the proven
SCSI protocol set. SAS is a convergence of the advantages of SATA, SCSI, and FC, and is
the future mainstay of the enterprise and high-end workstation storage markets. SAS
offers a higher bandwidth per pin than parallel SCSI, and improves signal and data
integrity.
The SAS interface uses the proven SCSI command set to ensure reliable data transfers,
while providing the connectivity and flexibility of point-to-point serial data transfers. The
serial transmission of SCSI commands eliminates clock skew challenges. The SAS
interface provides improved performance, simplified cabling, smaller connectors, lower
pin count, and lower power requirements when compared to parallel SCSI.
SAS controllers leverage a common electrical and physical connection interface that is
compatible with Serial ATA technology. The SAS and SATA protocols use a thin, 7-wire
connector instead of the 68-wire SCSI cable or 40-wire ATA cable. The SAS/SATA
connector and cable are easier to manipulate, allow connections to smaller devices, and do
not inhibit airflow. The point-to-point SATA architecture eliminates inherent difficulties
created by the legacy ATA master-slave architecture, while maintaining compatibility with
existing ATA firmware.

Intel® RAID Controller SASWT4I Hardware User’s Guide 5
2Intel®RAID Controller SASWT4I
Hardware Installation
This chapter describes the procedures used to install the Intel®RAID Controller
SASWT4I with internal connectors.
Requirements
The following items are required to install a Intel®RAID Controller SASWT4I:
•An Intel®RAID Controller SASWT4I.
•A host system with an available x4 bi-directional PCI Express* slot.
•The Resource CD, which contains drivers and documentation.
•Cables that are compatible with the RAID controller.
•SAS or SATA II hard disk drives.
Note: Intel Corporation strongly recommends using an uninterruptible power supply (UPS).

6Intel® RAID Controller SASWT4I Hardware User’s Guide
Installing the RAID Controller
To install the RAID Controller, follow these steps:
1. Power off the computer, all drives, enclosures, and system components. Remove
the power cord from the computer.
2. Remove the chassis cover and access the PCI Express* add-in card slots. For
instructions, see your server chassis documentation.
3. Align the controller’s connector with a x4 PCI Express* slot on the server board.
4. Press down gently but firmly to ensure that the card is properly seated in the slot, as
shown in Figure 1. Secure the bracket to the computer chassis.
Figure 1. Inserting the Intel®RAID Controller SASWT4I into a PCI Express*
Slot
5. Connect the SAS/SATA cables from the backplane (or hard drives) to the RAID
Controller (see Figure 2). Make sure the cables are properly connected to the
controller.

Intel® RAID Controller SASWT4I Hardware User’s Guide 7
Figure 2. Attaching cables to the Intel®RAID Controller SASWT4I
Note: System throughput problems can occur if non-standard SAS cables are used.
To minimize the potential for problems:
✧Use cables no longer than ten meters for SAS and one meter for SATA. It is
better to use the shortest possible cables. The cable length should be reduced
by about one foot (.33 meters) if using a backplane.
✧You may connect one device per SATA/SAS cable either as a device or as an
expander.
✧Route SAS cables carefully.
✧Use only “straight” SAS cables, not “cross-over” SAS cables.
6. Replace components you needed to remove to access the PCI Express* add-in card
slot. For instructions, see your server chassis documentation.
7. Reinstall the chassis cover and reconnect the power cord(s). For instructions, see
your server chassis documentation for instructions.
8. Reconnect any peripheral items you needed to disconnect.
9. Turn the power on to the server and hard drives. As the server powers up, listen to
be sure that the SAS and SATA devices are powered up before or at the same time
as the computer boots.

8Intel® RAID Controller SASWT4I Hardware User’s Guide
10. Watch the boot process until you see a BIOS message informing you of the key
combination tthat you need to press in order to enter the LSI Corporation MPT SAS
BIOS Configuration Utility*. A message similar to the following appears:
Press <CTRL> + <C> to start the LSI SAS Configuration Utility
This message times out after several seconds. If you miss it, you will pass the
option to get into the LSI Corporation MPT SAS BIOS Configuration Utility*.
The firmware takes several seconds to initialize and then displays the Intel®RAID
Controller SASWT4I number and firmware version. The numbering of the
controllers follows the PCI slot scanning order used by the server board.

Intel® RAID Controller SASWT4I Hardware User’s Guide 9
Connecting the Cables
This section describes the cables used on the SAS controller and provides instructions for
connecting SAS and SATA hard disk drives to the SAS RAID controller.
Note: Use only “straight” SAS cables, not “cross-over” SAS cables.
A SATA connector consists of a signal connector and a power connector. The SAS
connector adds a bridge (primary physical link) between the signal connector and the
power connector. This means SAS backplane connectors can accept either drive type, but
SATA backplane connectors can ONLY accept SATA drives. Figure 3 shows these
connectors.
Figure 3. SAS and SATA Plugs and SAS Backplane Connector
Configuring the Storage Adapter
After performing the Intel®RAID Controller SASWT4I installation, you must configure
the storage adapter and install the operating system driver. The Intel®IT/IR RAID
Software User’s Guide provides configuration options and instructions for the Intel®
RAID Controller SASWT4I, as well as detailed installation instructions for operating
system drivers.

10 Intel® RAID Controller SASWT4I Hardware User’s Guide
Replacing a Controller
To replace a failed controller, follow these steps:
1. Power off the computer, all drives, enclosures, and system components. Remove
the power cord.
2. Remove the chassis cover and access the PCI Express* add-in card slots. For
instructions, see your server documentation.
3. Disconnect the cable(s) from the RAID controller.
4. Remove the failed controller from the system.
5. Insert the replacement controller into the system. For instructions, see “Installing
the RAID Controller”.