Expand Your Storage Capabilities with a PCIe x4 SAS Interface Card
If your data archival requirements extend beyond a couple of hard drives, then a SAS controller card and an open PCI Express slot may be the solution you’re seeking. These computer components can control a large number of hard drives as well as help maximize redundancy and read/write speeds. Opting for a PCI Express connector can help ensure that you reach your bandwidth potential.
What’s a SAS internal interface card?
SCSI is an acronym for "Small Computer Systems Interface," and it defines a standard through which computer systems communicate with their storage devices in an optimal way. SAS is an acronym for "Serial Attached SCSI," and it defines a physical means through which SCSI is realized. It provides performance and consistency improvements over older parallel technologies and is compatible with SATA. "Internal interface cards" means that they connect to a slot on a motherboard. These particular cards require a PCI Express or PCIe connector and are made by various brands including:
- LSI
- IBM
- Intel
- Adaptec
- Highpoint Technologies
Are there different speeds available?
Yes. There are four primary versions of SAS controller cards. Each version is a refinement on the version it succeeded and is able to achieve higher theoretical speeds. Use of PCIe slots became more prevalent as speeds beyond SAS-2 were achieved. Note that these controllers are backward-compatible in general, so if your system is limited to SAS-3 for whatever reason, your SAS-4 PCI Express controller could still support it. The speed/versions available are:
- SAS-1: 3 Gbit/s
- SAS-2: 6 Gbit/s
- SAS-3: 12 Gbit/s
- SAS-4: 22.5 Gbit/s
What’s PCI Express x4, and why does it matter?
PCI Express, which is officially abbreviated PCIe or PCI-e, is a high-speed expansion bus. PCI Express serves as the host bus adapter for these PCIe controller cards and is generally accessed as an open slot on a motherboard. The x4 indicates that a slot has four data lanes assigned to it and that a SAS component requires four data lines. PCIe x4 cards can fit into and function with PCI Express x8 and x16 as well, but if x4 is available, it is recommended to use it so that the additional data lanes remain open for other PCIe connections.
Do these cards require RAID or work with independent drives?
RAID is a type of disk array through which multiple physical drives are combined into a singular logical unit for performance gains, redundancy, or both. SAS inherently supports RAID but can also support independent drives if the card features passthrough and many products do.
How do you ensure a card is compatible with a system?
Check your motherboard to determine if you have an open and appropriate PCIe slot. Then, note operating system compatibility for any SAS controller you’re considering. That compatibility will ensure that the necessary drivers are available in order for this component to facilitate communication between your system and its drives.