Storage

Internal RAID Controllers

Real internal RAID controllers are monted in the system and use internal and/or external harddisks. So called Zero-Channel controllers also belong to these controllers, they offer real RAID function for normal controllers which are installed on the motherboard.

There are also simple controllers which offer RAID functions using driver software, e.g. Adaptec calls this Host-RAID. These controllers have no processor and no cache and mostly offer only RAID 0 and 1.

SATA

SATA is the serial enhancemant of ATA (IDE) with transfer rates of 150MB/s (SATA), 300MB/s (SATA II) or 600MB/s (SATA III).
Adaptec and LSI Logic offer a wide range of SATA controllers with up to 16 channels, also as kits with hot swap carriers (see picture).

SCSI

SCSI will not get enhanced in future, but at this time there is no other way to get real high end applications running without SCSI. Adaptec and LSI Logic got lots of experience in the area of SCSI RAID, especially by acquisition of several in RAID specialized manufacturers (Adaptec: ICP and DPT, LSI Logic: Mylex and the RAID division of AMI).

SAS

Serial-Attached-SCSI is the successor of SCSI, it uses serial cables like SATA. You may connect to SAS controllers SAS as well as SATA drives.

RAID Solutions internal

Internal RAID solutions are mounted directly into the host system, they have a SCSI, ATA or SATA host connection and mostly ATA or SATA hard drives. Depending on the quantity of drives they offer RAID level 0, 1, 0+1 and 5.


Like real external RAID systems these systems are OS independant and need no special software or drivers.

RAID Solutions external

There are splitted solutions - internal RAID controller and drives mounted in a subsystem. These are available for SCSI, Fibre Channel and SAS. We supply appropriate enclosures by N-Tec and other manufacturers.

And on the other hand there are complete external RAID systems which have their own controller build-in. Theses systems are connected to the server via SCSI, Fibre Channel, iSCSI, Ethernet, USB or Firewire. They use SCSI, Fibre Channel oder SATA drives.
External RAID systems are software independant, this means you do not need special software or drivers to run the RAID.

If using Fibre Channel, iSCSI or Ethernet these systems are SAN or NAS.

Systems with SCSI, SAS, USB or Firewire interface are dricetly connected to a single system - of cause it is possible to connect SAN or NAS systems to one system directly, too.
External systems are available as 5-bay solution with USB/Firewire for smaller applications
or as professional 19" solutions with 8 or more drives.

NAS system fit very good for disk based backup solutions with programs like ShadowProtect.