RAID Technology Priced For Mainstream

The most common type of redundant technology is RAID, which often is considered too expensive for desktop use. However, recent changes in the technology and dropping prices have made RAID technology surprisingly affordable.

For custom-system builders, adding RAID capability to a PC is as simple as installing a RAID controller and multiple hard drives.

Broadcom's RAIDCore BC4000 Series Serial ATA RAID Controller is an excellent choice for custom- system builders looking to install RAID technology cheaply. With an MSRP of $289, it is extremely affordable. It offers four-channel RAID capabilities with Serial ATA drives, which allow system builders to offer high-performance solutions for both desktops and servers. The card's other unique features include online RAID-level migration and capacity expansion, which changes the RAID level of an array or adds storage without taking a system offline.

RAIDCore BC4000 also boasts controller spanning, giving users the ability to create a very large array. Using controller spanning, users can create arrays that span up to 32 disks and achieve high read/write performance. Other features include multiple disk mirroring and hiding, which offers users the ability to create secure backups of data arrays and hide them from the operating system.

CRN Test Center engineers installed the card in a Pentium 4-based custom system and attached three Maxtor 250-Gbyte Serial ATA drives. Configuring the array was straightforward, and the included drivers offered good integration with Microsoft Windows 2003 Server, which was the host operating system. RAIDCore BC4000 creates a great opportunity for custom-system builders looking to deploy RAID technology and data protection. The combination of a low-cost component and ample performance allows any customer to benefit from the advantages offered by RAID.