RAID controller Areca ARC-1226-8I

The Areca ARC-1226-8I RAID controller provides a 12Gb/s SAS host interface compatible with 6Gb/s and 3Gb/s SAS/SATA drives. It supports 12Gb/s SAS disk drives for data-intensive applications and 6Gb/s SATA drives for cost-effective bulk storage. The ARC-1226-8I is a direct-attach controller for up to eight SAS/SATA drives and does not support expansion enclosures. The controller model in the ARC-12x6 series comes with 1 GB of onboard DDR3-1600 SDRAM and includes a dual-core 1200 MHz processor for RAID processing.

Advantages

The ARC-1226-8I delivers high transfer rates with backward compatibility to older SAS/SATA devices, allowing mixed-drive deployments. Its support for multiple RAID levels (including 0, 1, 5 and 10) and a dedicated dual-core RAID processor improves data throughput and offloads RAID calculations from the host CPU. Low typical power consumption and standard 12V operation simplify integration into server and workstation environments.

Suitable for

• Small to medium server storage arrays requiring direct-attach RAID for up to eight drives
• Workstations or servers needing mixed SAS and SATA drive configurations
• Environments requiring 12Gb/s performance while maintaining compatibility with 6Gb/s and 3Gb/s drives

Key specifications

• Host interface: PCI Express
• SAS transfer rate: 12 Gb/s (backward compatible with 6 Gb/s and 3 Gb/s)
• Supported drives: Up to 8 direct-attached SAS/SATA drives (no expanders)
• On-board memory: 1 GB DDR3-1600 SDRAM
• Processor: Dual-core RAID processor, 1200 MHz
• Power: 12 V typical, typical consumption 14.4 W
• Supported RAID levels: 0, 1, 5, 10
• Compatibility: Windows 10, Mac OS X and other common OS platforms

How to use

Install the ARC-1226-8I into an available PCI Express slot on a compatible host system, secure the card in the chassis, and connect up to eight SAS or SATA drives directly to the controller ports. Configure RAID arrays using the controller’s firmware management utility or the supplied management tools according to desired RAID level and drive arrangement. Ensure the host system is powered down before installation and that drive connections are secure before powering up.

Recommendations

For stable operation, use quality SAS or SATA drives from the same class and firmware generation when possible, keep the controller firmware and management software up to date, and monitor temperatures in the chassis to maintain reliable performance.