Owners Manual

Controller Modules

Topics:

• RAID Controller Modules

• RAID Controller Module Connectors And Features

• RAID Controller Module—Additional Features

• Cache Functions and Features

RAID Controller Modules

The RAID controller modules provide high-performance, advanced virtual disk configuration, and fault-tolerant disk subsystem

management. Each RAID controller module contains 4GB or 8GB of mirrored cache for high availability and a battery-powered

cache offload mechanism.

NOTE: The 8GB mirrored cache is an optional feature.

RAID controller modules provide the following data path and enclosure management functions:

● Monitoring and controlling enclosure environment elements (temperature, fans, power supplies, and enclosure LEDs)

● Controlling access to the physical disks

● Communicating enclosure attributes and states to the host server and management station

Each RAID controller module has multiple iSCSI IN ports for host access. The ports provide redundant host connections and

support a high availability storage environment. Various configurations can be utilized, in both single controller (simplex) and

dual controller (duplex) modes, to connect the storage enclosure to hosts depending on specific redundancy needs.

For information on cabling, see the MD3800i and MD3820i Series Storage Arrays Deployment Guide, at dell.com/

powervaultmanuals.

RAID Controller Module Connectors And Features

Figure 7. MD3800i and MD3820i Series iSCSI RAID Controller Module

Table 4. RAID Controller Module Connectors And Features

Item Component Function

1 10 Gbps iSCSI IN port (2)

Provides host-to-controller iSCSI 10 Gbps Ethernet connection.

Controller Modules 11