LSI MegaRAID 320 2
Firmware: L026
The LSI controller makes a better impression than the 2200S from Adaptec as several components clearly reveal its capabilities. For example, the DIMM socket that takes an SDRAM module and supports the controller as a cache. It enables the user to decide how much of it is actually needed.
Below it and to the right is the buffer battery that does not require a separate purchase with the LSI. Right next to it is the XOR engine whose function is taken over by an Intel 80303 - exactly as with the Adaptec.
The initialization of the array including a consistency check took a great deal of time. We had to wait a whole 11 hours for the RAID 5 comprised of eight hard drives of just 18 GB each. Just as well we didn't use any 74 GB drives...
In the application benchmark Winbench 99 2.0, the LSI clearly bared its teeth, beating all other controllers in the high-end section. In Business Winbench it only admitted defeat to the RAIDCore RC4852. The displayed seek time in RAID 5 is difficult to match: an average below 6 ms is worthy of plaudits.
In the OLTP benchmarks with 8 kB block size, the LSI clearly outstrips Adaptec and RAIDCore, as it does in most benchmark write tests.
The two connections for Port A and B are behind the DIMM socket for SDRAM for cache purposes.
