Intel enters RAID arena

In the past, developers faced a difficult problem when they wanted to offer RAID options for mid-range and entry-level servers and workstations. Intelligent RAID controllers have traditionally been expensive in relation to the cost of entry and mid-range servers resulting in low attach rates and unrealised revenue potential. Kirsty Burrows, enterprise product manager at Intel distributor AXiZ, discusses Intel`s new integrated RAID development kit and its implications for systems builder.

"With the growing Internet economy and proliferation of Web-based e-Business and e-Commerce applications, servers at every price point demand 24x7 data availability, fault tolerance and scalability," says Burrows. "As they connect their servers, today`s small and mid-size businesses need the same advanced Intelligent RAID (redundant array of independent disks) protection that large corporations rely on to protect their mission-critical data."

However, recent research suggests that fewer than half of entry-level and midrange servers costing R48 000 or less feature a RAID system (source: The Aberdeen Group, 1999). One of the primary barriers to implementation has been the relatively high cost of Intelligent RAID controllers. Intel is now overcoming the price barrier by providing the flexible, competitive price/performance integration options needed to add affordable high-performance RAID protection to Intel Architecture servers in every segment-including entry-level and midrange SHV servers.

For the highest data availability at minimum cost, Intel offers a wide new choice of powerful yet affordable Intelligent RAID integration options. Intel`s full RAID product line includes Intel Integrated RAID software and RAID controller reference designs and RAID controllers based on high-performance Intel i960(R) I/O processors.

"Now even entry-level servers can support RAID levels 0, 1, 5, and 10, so users can select the optimum balance of fault tolerance and performance," she adds. "Intel`s Integrated RAID family also supports high-end RAID features including online capacity expansion, online drive roaming and online RAID level migration-all without rebooting or powering-down the system."

For added data availability, Intel Integrated RAID solutions support hot-plug drives, hot spares and automatic rebuild capability. This means users can hot-plug a new disk, perform a bus scan and have the new disk available for an array expansion while their system stays up and running.

Intel Integrated RAID products are supported by Intel validation, technical support and manufacturing capacity. Intel`s technology leadership delivers powerful RAID capabilities at an affordable price, while the world-famous Intel quality commitment helps reduce system support requirements. Intel is also committed to providing a growing family of RAID solutions ready to keep pace with the latest advances in Intel Architecture server technology. For data availability, reliability and performance at an affordable price, every connected server should be equipped with an affordable Intel Integrated RAID solution.

"The best RAID hardware performs even better with feature-rich, easy to use software. Intel Integrated RAID software combines the ease of use of a Web browser with advanced capabilities that help keep today`s mission-critical servers up and running," says Burrows. "Online capacity expansion and RAID reconfiguration, for example, can be accomplished without rebooting the system."

Intel Integrated RAID solutions provide high-performance capabilities traditionally available only in high-end RAID subsystems:

• On-line capacity expansion
• Automatic rebuild
• Global hot spares
• Event notification
• Robust disk drive hot swap support
• Driver support for Windows NT* Server 4.0, Novell NetWare* 4.2 & 5.x, SCO UnixWare* 7.1

"In addition, the easy-to-use HTML Web browser-based management console provides a consistent cross-platform user environment that helps to minimize operator retraining and also supports remote configuration and monitoring over a network," says Burrows. "Intel Integrated RAID software includes a CD-ROM installation disk and documentation."

The Intel RAID products are available through AXiZ.