Comet SCSI 16, 4 or 6 Channel

Highlights
•   Two SCSI-320 Host Channels; Transfer rate up to 320 MB/sec for each channel.
•   Two SCSI-320 Drive Channels; each channel attached to eight drives. Transfer rate up to 320MB/sec for each channel.
•   Two SCSI-320 Drive Expansion Channels on 6 channel models; Transfer rate up to 320MB/sec for each channel.
•   Multiple Logical Drive configurations, each with a different RAID level
•   Auto detection, auto rebuild, hot spare, and hot-swappable capability
•   LUN Filtering RAID-based and centralized access management in SAN
•   Intelligent Drive Handling: for managing bad blocks during rebuild and the manual Media Scan function for data maintenance
•   Up to 1GB SDRAM
•   Variable rebuild priority to meet a variety of applications
•   RAIDWatch: Browser-based GUI Manager on all major platforms
•   Auto Switch Cache Policy and Auto Shutdown

Overview
Delivering unprecedented performance and reliability the 3U Comet SCSI 16 RAID subsystems integrate Caen's highly acclaimed SCSI-to-SCSI RAID controllers with a wide range of 16 hot-swappable, high-performance, industry-standard SCSI-320 drives in a single, uniquely designed, highly accessible storage enclosure that is able to endure the extreme physical stresses placed on storage subsystems today.

Two models, the Comet SCSI 16-4 and the Comet SCSI 16-6, are both featured with two SCSI 320 host channels, and SCSI-320 drive channels. The Comet SCSI 16-6 model additionally has two SCSI-320 expansion channels. Both models have an embedded SCSI-320 controller that ensures superior performance, extreme reliability and exceptional data availability.

Equipped with two fully redundant, hot-swappable cooling fan modules and two fully redundant, hot-swappable power supply units, the uniquely designed 19-inch rack mountable enclosure has been customized to perform in the most rigorous storage environments where data availability and durability is an imperative.

Architecture
Based on architecture designed for the most demanding applications, the subsystem is capable of very high levels of performance. Its 64-bit separate-bus backbone is built around dedicated XOR engines running at twice the data bus speed. The calculation of parity and distribution of data can be optimized with the free association between individual logical arrays and different optimization modes.

High Performance
Featuring a 64-bit 133MHz memory bus, the unparalleled bandwidth makes the subsystem's high data throughput more than sufficient for small-to-medium sized servers or workstations. Data can be distributed at the burst rate up to 1066MB/sec. The dual independent PCI bus design virtually eliminates all imminent bottlenecks on IO traffic, providing sufficient throughput for a wide range of applications on workstations, Windows 2000/NT/XP, Linux, or Unix-based servers. These applications include disk-to-disk backup, Video on Demand, CCTV, stream editing and others.

Intelligent Drive Handling
Media Scan is an innovative Intelligent Drive Handling function that can be used for data retrieval from degraded or damaged hard drives. If two bad blocks occur on two member drives of an array, the integrity of the stored data will be endangered.

Intelligent Drive Handling capabilities can be used to retrieve data from the damaged sectors. Media Scan is able to handle low quality drives in both the degraded mode and during the rebuild process. Other intelligent drive management features, which provide further data security, include the transparent resetting of non-responsive hard drives, Power-failure management and bad drive handling during LD expansion.

Auto Switch Cache Policy and Auto Shutdown
When a RAID controller detects conditions that exceed the preset thresholds, the following actions will be initiated to protect the hardware:
1. Cached data will be automatically flushed and the array's caching mode will be switched from write-back to write-through
2. If the conditions persist for a preset period of time, auto shutdown of the controller will commence.

All the thresholds associated with this mechanism are user configurable and, once a subsystem manager restores the normal operating conditions, the caching mode will change back from the write-through mode to the write-back mode.

Specifications
RAID Controllers
•   State-of-the-art 400MHz RISC processor with 256KB embedded L2 cache
•   Caen Proprietary ASIC with XOR engine and ECC inside
•   Standard 128MB 1GB cache memory in one SDRAM with optional BBU.
•   LCD panel interface
•   System Fan speed/Voltage/Temperature self-monitoring
•   One RS-232C DB9 serial port for text mode management
•   One 10/100M Ethernet Port . 32KB NVRAM with RTC (Real Time Clock) . Beeper

RAID Operation
•   RAID level 0, 1 (0+1), 3, 5, 10, 30, 50, NRAID and JBOD
•   Multiple RAID selection
•   Hot-spare drive operation
•   Drive hot-swapping
•   Automatic background rebuild
•   Online drive expansion
•   Intelligent Drive Handling

Host Interfaces
Two SCSI-320 Host Channels

Management Software
•   System monitoring via out-of-band Ethernet
•   RAIDWatch manager software for all major platforms via an Ethernet port . Firmware-embedded manager via RS-232C (Audio Jack) (platform independent)

External Connections
•   Two VHDCI Host SCSI connectors
•   Two VHDCI Expansion SCSI connectors (6 channel models only)
•   One RS-232C DB9 serial port connector (38400, n, 8,1) . One RJ45 Ethernet port

Chassis Dimensions
Without Handles: 446.2W x 131H x 500Dmm
With Handles: 485W x 131H x 532Dmm