Exsys EX-3516 - User Manual

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Overview

Function Description
Important Technical Specifications
Usage Features
Maintenance Features

The EX-3516 is a 4-Port SATA3 RAID/HyperDuo PCIe(x2) Card designed to expand storage capabilities and enhance data performance and protection in computer systems.

Function Description:

This PCIe card provides four internal SATA3 ports, allowing users to connect up to four SATA3 SSDs or hard drives. Its primary function is to enable various RAID configurations (RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 0+1) and HyperDuo modes (Safe or Capacity) for these connected drives. The card is designed to work with both Solid State Drives (SSDs) and traditional Hard Disk Drives (HDDs), offering flexibility in storage solutions. It supports a high data transfer rate of up to 6.0Gbps (600Mbytes/sec) for SATA3 devices. The card also includes a BIOS Setup Utility for configuring RAID and HyperDuo modes, and a Windows-based RAID GUI (Marvell Storage Utility, MSU) for managing disk arrays within the operating system.

Important Technical Specifications:

Ports: 4 Internal SATA3 Ports.
PCIe Interface: 1-lane 5.0Gb/s PCI Express Gen.2.
Data Transfer Rate: Up to 6.0Gbps (600Mbytes/sec) for SATA3.
RAID Modes Supported: RAID 0 (Striping), RAID 1 (Mirroring), RAID 0+1 (Striping/Mirroring, also known as RAID 10).
HyperDuo Modes Supported: Safe Mode and Capacity Mode.
Operating System Support: Windows 2003, 2008, XP, Vista, and Win 7.
RAID Management: BIOS Setup Utility for initial configuration, Windows-based Marvell Storage Utility (MSU) for in-OS management.
BIOS Enable/Disable: A jumper (JP1) allows enabling or disabling the card's BIOS. The default setting is "ENA" (Enabled).
SATA3 Port Mapping:
- J1 (SATA3 Ports): UP for Port 1, Down for Port 0.
- J3 (SATA3 Ports): UP for Port 3, Down for Port 2.
LED Connector: J2 is provided for LED indicators.

Usage Features:

Easy Installation: The card is installed into an unused PCI Express bus slot (2, 4, 8, or 16 lane). Physical installation involves securing the card in the slot and connecting SATA cables to the drives.
Flexible Storage Configurations:
- Non-RAID Mode (Single Disk Mode): Each disk drive is treated as an independent volume.
- Striping (RAID 0): Interleaves data across multiple drives for improved read/write performance. Requires at least two drives. Data capacity is the sum of the smallest member's capacity multiplied by the number of drives. If one drive fails, the entire array is affected.
- Mirroring (RAID 1): Writes duplicate data to a pair of drives for data protection. Reads are performed in parallel, with the controller optimizing read requests by selecting the drive closest to the data or an idle drive. If one mirrored drive fails, the remaining drive continues to function. Requires at least two drives. Data capacity is equal to the capacity of one drive.
- Striping/Mirroring (RAID 0+1 or RAID 10): Combines RAID 0 and RAID 1 for both performance and data protection. Data is striped across two pairs of drives, and each pair mirrors the data on the other. Requires at least four drives. Half of the total capacity is dedicated to redundancy.
- HyperDuo Modes: Designed for combining an SSD and an HDD to achieve SSD-like performance with HDD capacity at a lower cost.
  - HyperDuo Safe Mode: Provides optimal data protection by mirroring "hot" data from the SSD to the hard disk.
  - HyperDuo Capacity Mode: Augments SSD and HDD capacity by combining them, migrating "hot" files to the SSD and keeping "cold" files on the HDD.
BIOS Setup Utility: Accessible by pressing <Ctrl>+<M> during POST, allowing users to configure RAID levels (RAID 0, RAID 1), Stripe Size (32 KB, 64 KB), Gigabyte Rounding (None, 1G, 10G) for RAID 1 rebuilds, Quick Init for erasing old data, and VD Name for the array.
Windows-based GUI (MSU): The Marvell Storage Utility provides a graphical interface within Windows for setting up disk arrays and monitoring their status.
Driver Installation: Drivers are provided on a CD, with specific folders for 64-bit (amd64) and 32-bit (i386) Windows platforms. The MSU installer is also located on the CD.

Maintenance Features:

RAID 1 Rebuild: The card supports RAID 1 rebuilds using the BIOS Setup Utility. If a drive in a RAID 1 array fails, it can be replaced with a new one, and the array will rebuild automatically.
Troubleshooting Tips:
- Data Backup: Emphasizes the critical importance of backing up all important data before attempting to fix a broken disk array, especially for RAID 0 where all data is lost if the array breaks.
- Connection Check: Suggests checking cable connections (SATA and power) between the RAID card and drives as a first step for a broken array. Replacing cables is also recommended.
- Drive Replacement: For RAID 1 or HyperDuo Safe mode, if connection checks fail, replacing a defective drive with a good one will allow the RAID card to detect the new drive and rebuild the array. RAID 0 cannot be rebuilt.
BIOS Enable/Disable Jumper (JP1): While the default is "ENA" (Enabled), the option to disable the BIOS exists for "some critical applications," although it's generally recommended to leave it enabled.

The EX-3516 card is presented as an ideal solution for users looking to upgrade their system's storage with new SATA3 SSDs and hard drives, offering enhanced performance, capacity, and data protection through its various RAID and HyperDuo functionalities.

Exsys EX-3516 Specifications

General

Brand	Exsys
Model	EX-3516
Category	PCI Card
Language	English