Lenovo ThinkSystem RAID 940-32i 8GB Flash PCIe Gen4 12Gb SAS Adapter

The Lenovo ThinkSystem RAID 940-32i is a high-performance PCIe Gen4 SAS RAID controller designed for enterprise servers, delivering robust data protection and scalable storage connectivity for mission-critical workloads. Built on a RAID-on-Chip (ROC) engine, this card handles parity calculations, data protection, and rebuild tasks in hardware, freeing the host CPU for applications. With 8GB of flash cache, it accelerates hot data and helps keep latency consistently low even under heavy I/O. As part of the ThinkSystem RAID 940 family, the 32i model brings expansive RAID capability and extensive RAS features to data centers, making it a versatile solution for databases, virtualization, ERP, analytics, and large-scale backups. Whether expanding an existing storage pool or upgrading a server for peak performance, the RAID 940-32i is engineered to maximize throughput, reliability, and manageability in demanding environments.

• Blazing performance with PCIe Gen4 and 12Gb/s SAS — Delivers high-bandwidth connectivity to internal drives, enabling faster data access, quicker rebuilds, and sustained throughput across mixed read/write workloads. This architecture is designed to minimize bottlenecks in dense storage configurations and to support the most demanding enterprise applications.
• Flexible RAID protection with industry-standard levels — Supports RAID levels 0, 1, 5, 6, 10, 50 and 60, providing a broad spectrum of data protection options and performance tuning. Choose parity-based schemes for efficient storage utilization or striping for performance, aligned to your workload requirements.
• Large 8GB flash cache for acceleration — An ample onboard flash cache absorbs bursts of I/O, reduces read latencies, and enhances write performance for hot data and frequently accessed datasets, helping to maintain smooth performance during peak periods.
• Advanced reliability, availability, and service features — The ROC-based design incorporates robust RAS features, rapid rebuild capabilities, and comprehensive error detection and correction to maximize uptime. This makes it well-suited for environments where data integrity and continuous operation are critical.
• Enterprise-grade manageability — Integrated management capabilities and compatibility with Lenovo ThinkSystem tooling provide centralized monitoring, proactive alerting, firmware updates, and simplified capacity planning for data centers and enterprise deployments.

Technical Details of Lenovo ThinkSystem RAID 940-32i 8GB Flash PCIe Gen4 12Gb Adapter

• Interface — PCIe Gen4 host interface designed for modern servers and data centers, enabling high-speed communication between the controller and internal drives.
• Cache — 8GB of flash-based cache to accelerate hot data and improve overall I/O responsiveness.
• SAS bandwidth — 12Gb/s SAS connectivity to internal drives for fast data transfer and efficient back-end operations.
• RAID levels supported — 0, 1, 5, 6, 10, 50, 60, providing flexible protection schemes and performance optimization across varying workloads.
• RAID-on-Chip — Hardware-accelerated ROC engine for parity calculations, fast rebuilds, and sustained throughput under heavy workloads.
• Form factor — PCIe add-in card (internal server connectivity) designed for enterprise servers and ThinkSystem deployments.
• Management and reliability features — Built-in reliability, availability, and serviceability (RAS) features with compatibility for Lenovo management suites to monitor health, performance, and firmware status.

How to install Lenovo ThinkSystem RAID 940-32i 8GB Flash PCIe Gen4 12Gb Adapter

• Power down the server and remove the chassis cover following your standard service procedures.
• Choose an appropriate PCIe slot that supports PCIe Gen4 and seats the RAID card securely; carefully insert the card and secure it with the slot screw to ensure solid grounding.
• Connect internal SAS cables from the server backplane or drive cages to the RAID controller’s SAS ports, ensuring clean, firm connections and tidy cable routing to prevent airflow obstruction or interference.
• Power up the server and enter the controller BIOS or RAID configuration utility to initialize the card and define your preferred RAID arrays, parity schemes, and hot-spare policies if applicable.
• Install any required drivers and Lenovo management software for the ThinkSystem RAID 940-32i, and apply the latest firmware updates to optimize performance, stability, and feature availability.
• Create logical volumes in the operating system, format them, and validate data access to confirm performance, redundancy, and capacity alignment with your storage policy.

Frequently asked questions

• Q: What RAID levels does the Lenovo ThinkSystem RAID 940-32i support?

  A: It supports RAID levels 0, 1, 5, 6, 10, 50, and 60, offering a wide range of protection and performance configurations for internal drive arrays.

• Q: How much cache does this adapter include?

  A: The card includes 8GB of flash-based cache to accelerate hot data and improve I/O performance.

• Q: Is this a PCIe Gen4 card?

  A: Yes. The RAID 940-32i is built on PCIe Gen4 technology to deliver high bandwidth and lower latency for demanding workloads.

• Q: What management features are available?

  A: The card incorporates enterprise-grade reliability, availability, and management features and is designed to work with Lenovo management tools for monitoring health, performance, firmware status, and capacity planning.

• Q: Is this card compatible with ThinkSystem servers?

  A: Yes, it is designed for Lenovo ThinkSystem servers and other enterprise-grade systems to maximize storage performance, protection, and reliability.