Lenovo ThinkSystem RAID 930-8i: 2GB Flash PCIe 12Gb SAS RAID Adapter

Discover enterprise-grade storage performance with the Lenovo ThinkSystem RAID 930-8i, a high-efficiency internal RAID-on-Chip (ROC) adapter built for demanding data centers, virtualization, and mission-critical workloads. The ThinkSystem RAID 930 family delivers robust throughput, advanced data protection, and scalable reliability through a versatile feature set designed to minimize latency while maximizing IOPS. With 12 Gbps SAS connectivity, a capacious 2GB flash cache, and comprehensive RAID support, this PCIe-based controller is engineered to accelerate storage performance, optimize resource utilization, and simplify management in dense server configurations. Whether you’re deploying database workloads, virtual machine hosts, or high-transaction environments, the RAID 930-8i provides a trusted foundation for resilient storage solutions that can adapt to evolving business needs.

• High-performance RAID-on-Chip architecture delivers efficient I/O processing with low CPU overhead, enabling higher application throughput and lower latency under heavy workloads.
• Supports a broad range of RAID levels—0, 1, 5, 6, 10, 50, and 60—as well as JBOD, offering flexible data protection and performance tuning to suit diverse use cases and reliability requirements.
• Internal 12 Gbps SAS connectivity paired with PCIe integration ensures fast data paths from the server to storage, reducing bottlenecks and accelerating large sequential and random I/O operations.
• Global and dedicated hot spare with revertible capability provides rapid failover and rebuild performance, helping maintain availability during drive failures and reducing planned maintenance windows.
• 2GB of flash cache accelerates read-intensive and write-intensive workloads, improves overall I/O response times, and enhances application performance in databases, virtualized environments, and analytics workloads.

Technical Details of Lenovo ThinkSystem RAID 930-8i 2GB Flash PCIe 12Gb Adapter

• Model: ThinkSystem RAID 930-8i
• Controller type: RAID-on-Chip (ROC) internal SATA/SAS RAID controller
• Interface: PCIe-based adapter with 12Gbps SAS connectivity
• Cache/Flash: 2GB of flash cache to accelerate I/O operations
• RAID levels supported: 0, 1, 5, 6, 10, 50, 60 and JBOD
• Hot spare support: Global and dedicated hot spare with revertible capability
• Target applications: Enterprise storage, databases, virtualization, and high-availability deployments

How to install Lenovo ThinkSystem RAID 930-8i

• Power down the server completely and unplug power sources; follow standard anti-static precautions before handling components.
• Open the chassis and identify an appropriate PCIe expansion slot that meets the server’s slot availability and Lenovo’s compatibility guidance.
• Insert the ThinkSystem RAID 930-8i card firmly into the PCIe slot and secure the card with the mounting screw or retention mechanism per your server guidelines.
• Connect the 12Gbps SAS cables from the RAID controller to the storage backplane, JBOD enclosures, or drive shelves as required by your storage architecture.
• Power on the server and enter the RAID controller BIOS or management interface (for example, Lenovo management utilities) to initialize the card, configure a storage array, and designate a hot spare if desired.
• Install any required drivers and management software from Lenovo’s support portal, then verify driver recognition in the operating system and controller utility.
• Create logical drives, configure stripe sizes, set up hot spares, and monitor SMART/RAS events; test the array with a controlled workload to confirm performance and reliability.

Frequently asked questions

• Q: What RAID levels does the Lenovo ThinkSystem RAID 930-8i support? A: It supports RAID levels 0, 1, 5, 6, 10, 50, 60 and JBOD, providing a wide range of performance and protection options for different workloads.
• Q: How much cache is included with the controller? A: The adapter includes 2GB of flash cache to accelerate read/write operations and improve overall performance in data-intensive environments.
• Q: Is this a RAID-on-Chip (ROC) controller? A: Yes, the ThinkSystem RAID 930-8i is a high-performance ROC adapter designed to offload RAID processing from host CPUs and optimize throughput.
• Q: What type of connectivity does it use? A: It uses internal 12Gbps SAS connectivity via a PCIe-based adapter, enabling fast data paths between servers and storage devices.
• Q: Does it support hot spares? A: Yes, the controller provides global and dedicated hot spare support with revertible capabilities to ensure rapid recovery and high availability.