Taipei, Taiwan July 11, 2022

Areca Technology Corporation (ARECA), a leading provider of internal, external and Thunderbolt RAID storage, announced today that PCIe 4.0 hosts interfaces ARC-1886 series 8/16-ports tri-mode RAID adapters, now supporting LTO - Tape drives.

In response to requests from our customers, supporting RAID function and LTO drives multi-function in a single unit is now available. The RAID adapters automatically set tape devices as pass-through mode, which allows LTO drives to connect over direct-attached SAS ports for backups plus other additional ports for SAS/SATA/NVMe RAID function with fast storage.

For the RAID product line without supporting LTO tape drives, it requires a second HBA. Areca now enables LTO tape drive support in the ARC-1886 for fitting New Mac Pro and also other IT servers in connection with SAS/SATA/NVMe devices and LTO simultaneous storages in one RAID controller.

Taipei, Taiwan June 27, 2022

Areca Technology Corporation (ARECA), a leading provider of internal RAID adapter, external RAID controller and Thunderbolt RAID storage, today announced the general availability and shipping of the cost-effective tri-mode hardware RAID adapters :ARC-1686-8I/8X.

Key Features:

• PCIe 4.0 host interface, PCIe Gen4 x8 lanes at maximum transfer rate up to 128Gb/s
• Tri-mode storage 12Gb/s SAS/SATA/PCIe Gen4 ports
• Hardware-based RAID solution that supports RAID levels 0, 1(Simple/Multi Mirroring), 10, Single Disk (Single/Dual/Triple) and JBOD
• Universal Bay Management (UBM) management
• SFF-9402 compliant connector pin-out
• Support for SAS tape devices and transport layer retries (TLR) for error handling
• SED support for hardware encryption capable drives

 

 

Unparalleled Performance

The ARC-1686-8I/8X RAID adapters raise the standard to higher performance levels with several enhancements including new high performance 1.6GHz dual core ROC processor, 12Gb/s SAS/SATA/PCIe Gen4 (NVMe) tri-mode storage and high performance PCIe 4.0 interface bus interconnection. The ARC-1686-8I/8X RAID adapters are compatible with existing PCI Express SFF-8639 Module (U.2) backplanes allowing users to boost performance for increasing bandwidth requirements.

 

Guaranteed Data Protection

Designed and leveraged with Areca’s existing high performance RAID solution, ARC-1686-8I/8X provides superior levels performance and enterprise level data protection for the most demanding next-generation server and storage environments. It supports the hardware RAID levels 0, 1 (Simple/Multi Mirroring), 10, Single Disk (Single/Dual/Triple) or JBOD. The on-board ROC incorporates advanced security through hardware secure boot. Hardware secure boot helps ensure that the firmware code running on ARC-1686-8I/8X hardware platforms is authentic and unmodified.

Areca cost-effective RAID controllers incorporate onboard ROC processors to deliver true hardware RAID. The ability of hardware RAID controllers to rebuild an array in the event of a drive failure is superior to what software RAID controllers offer. ARC-1686 enables the addition of direct attached SAS tape to store the growing amount of digital data being generated and stored in local or cloud storage to provide better margins over HDD technology.

 

Intuitive RAID Management

The ARC-1686 RAID adapter supports broad operating system which is same as our ARC-1886 series tri-mode RAID adapter. The McBIOS RAID is a BIOS based utility used to simplify configure and manage RAID adapter via hot key at M/B BIOS boot-up screen. Without having to deploy an agent, you can also configure, deploy, update, and monitor the ARC-1686, via the GUI or through CLI utility. Customers can launch the firmware browser-based McRAID GUI through the ArcHttp proxy server. Additionally, Areca ArcSAP storage manager allows the user to scan multiple RAID units in the network and perform GUI management operations across multiple RAID units.

 

Taipei, Taiwan June 14, 2022 -

Areca Technology Corporation (ARECA) today launches the entry level NVMe hardware RAID adapters: ARC-1686 to offer 2/4/6 X M.2 slots along with many advanced features.

Entry Level NVMe RAID Adapter Build on Powerful Hardware

This ARC-1686-xNOD series is based on Broadcom SAS3908/ SAS3916 x8 Raid on Chip (ROC). It raised the standard to high performance level by adopted 1.6GHz dual core ROC processor, outstanding PCIe 4.0 x 8 host interface and 12Gb/s SAS/SATA/NVMe devices bus interconnection. Damage in a software RAID is considered as the consumption of massive computation and memory bandwidth on the host.

The ARC-1686 supports both 2280 and 22110 form factor NVMe drives and combines them on a tri-mode hardware RAID adapter to maximize I/O performance for database applications and streaming digital media environments. With a single ARC-1686-xNOD RAID adapter system integrators can take full advantages of 2/4/6 x PCIe Gen 4.0 M.2 x2/x4 NVMe drives or 6Gb/s M.2 SATA SSD drives support RAID level 0, 1(Simple/ Multi mirroring), single disk(Single/Dual/Triple) or JBOD.

 

Entry Level NVMe RAID Adapter with Enterprise Design Features Off Module Power (OMP) Lose Protection

An enterprise storages need to ensure data integrity in the event of power lose and system crash. The Power Lose Protection (PLP) is hardware and firmware solution on the ARC-1686-xNOD to ensure that NVMe SSD integrity is maintained when a power loss event occurs.

 

 

Fault LEDs stay on for Troubleshooting

On-board Supercapacitor module keeps M.2 fault LEDs status to easy identify failed drive when ARC-1686-xNOD RAID adapter removes from system PCI-e slot.

 

 

M.2 NVMe Power Disable Feature

The Power Disable Feature is asserted by the controller ROC to shut off 3.3 V power to the M.2 slot. To complete M.2 NVMe drive to be similar specification as SATA drive by send an electricity power cycle to NVMe drive as a testing function automatically to make a judgment that drive can be indeed failed or re-used. Need no to send a technician to do “power down” and “power on” manually. This feature is similar as Power disable feature (PD) – disk cold boot management feature which introduced SATA 3.3 – February 2 2016.

 

 

Un-authorized access thief and hacker deny - Self Encryption Drive (SED) support

The ARC-1686-xNOD RAID adapter firmware security function together with Self Encryption Drives (SED) secures data from un-authorized access. Protection is achieved by SED NVMe drive that automatically and continuously encrypts data on the drive without any user interaction.

 

 

Taipei, Taiwan April 27, 2022 -

Areca Technology Corporation (ARECA), a leading provider of internal RAID adapter, external RAID controller and Thunderbolt RAID storage, today announced the general availability and shipping of the entry level NVMe hardware RAID adapters :ARC-1686 to offer 2/4/6 X M.2 slots.

Key Features:

• PCIe 4.0 host interface, PCIe Gen4 x8 lanes at maximum transfer rate up to 128Gb/s
• Support up to 2/4/6 PCIe Gen4 M.2 slots
• Tri-mode storage 12Gb/s SAS/SATA/PCIe (NVMe) ports
• Hardware-based RAID solution that supports RAID levels 0, 1(Simple/Multi Mirroring), 10, Single Disk (Single/Dual/Triple) and JBOD
• Device interface PCIe Gen4 NVMe/6Gbps SATA per M.2 port
• Support individual NVMe PowerDisable feature
• SED support for hardware NVMe encryption capable drives
• Adapter off module power loss protection (PLP) saves data issued without data loss at power fail for Non PLP NVMe drive
• On-board Supercapacitor to keep on M.2 fault LED status for troubleshooting
• Buzzer beeping for any of RAID adapter warning conditions.

 

NVMe Performance Gains for Fast Data

Based on the ARM A15 x8 PCIe Gen 4.0 to SAS/SATA/PCIe RAID on Chip (ROC) controller, the ARC-1686 RAID adapter raises the standard to higher performance levels with several enhancements including a new high performance 1.6 GHz dual core ROC processor, outstanding performance PCIe Gen 4.0 host and 12Gb/s SAS/SATA/PCIe (NVMe) interface bus interconnection. The ARC-1686, providing an extremely fast, reliable, and ultra-compact solution for companies that need storages, is especially designed and featured in the high-speed data recording and processing.

This RAID adapter can back up to 2/4/6 NVMe on just one PCIe adapter. The ARC-1686 supports both 2280 and 22110 form factor drives and combines them on a tri-mode RAID adapter to maximize I/O performance for database applications and streaming digital media environments. The ARC-1686 hardware RAID relieves the computing burden from the host and maximizes application processing performance.

 

Guaranteed Data Protection

In Areca’s high-performance RAID solution, ARC-1686 brings PCIe NVMe to a superior performance hardware RAID at an elevated throughput, high IOPs and a low latency. It supports RAID levels 0, 1(Simple/Multi Mirroring), 10, Single Disk (Single/Dual/Triple) and JBOD.

The ARC-1686 off module power loss protection (PLP) is optimized for datacenter environments. Its efficient PLP typically applies the capacitors on the NVMe SSD to provide hold-up power until the data is flushed from the NVMe internal DRAM to the NAND flash upon a sudden power off or any failure condition occurrence. The ARC-1686 utilizes the on board supercapacitor to provide off module hold-up power, eliminating the need for capacitors on the NVMe SSDs which helps reduce cost. The on-board supercapacitor supporting M.2 slot will show a fault LED status and easily be identified as a failed drive when it is removed from the system PCIe slot. The ARC-1686 Power Disable feature provides an easy way to power cycle a physical NVMe drive in order to perform a hard reset.

 

Intuitive RAID Management

The ARC-1686 RAID adapter supports broad operating system which is same as our ARC-1886 series tri-mode RAID adapter. The McBIOS RAID is a BIOS based utility used to simplify configure and manage RAID adapter via hot key at M/B BIOS boot-up screen. Without having to deploy an agent, you can also configure, deploy, update, and monitor the ARC-1686, via the GUI or through CLI utility. Customers can launch the firmware browser-based McRAID GUI through the ArcHttp proxy server. Additionally, Areca ArcSAP storage manager allows the user to scan multiple RAID units in the network and perform GUI management operations across multiple RAID units.

 

 

Taipei, Taiwan January 04, 2021 -

Areca Technology Corporation (ARECA), a leading provider of internal RAID controller, Thunderbolt storage solutions, external RAID controller and PCIe RAID adapters with RAID 6 inside, today announced the new ARC-1886 series offer advanced technology for enhanced performance and improved enterprise data protection. They were designed with 1.6 GHz dual core ROC processor, DDR4-2666 memory architecture and PCIe 4.0 interface for the most performance-hungry database and IT applications. Based on the ARM A15 PCIe 4.0 x8 to SAS/SATA/PCIe RAID on Chip (ROC) controller, the ARC-1886 series RAID adapters can offer both PCIe Gen 4.0 host and 12Gb/s SAS/SATA/PCIe (NVMe) tri-mode storage interfaces.

The whole series adapters default support on-board 8GB of ECC DDR4-2666 SDRAM memory. The optional cache backup module, ARC-1886-CBM, provides cache offload capability to protect cached data in case of system power loss. When the module detects loss of power, the supercapacitor keeps parts of the ARC-1886 tri-mode RAID adapter active long enough to allow cache data to be copied to the flash memory available on the ARC-1886 RAID adapter. Board-level hardware encryption manages any kinds of drives attached to ARC-1886 controller cards without impacting the performance for higher levels of security.

The ARC-1886 series RAID adapter, system integrators can take full advantage of SAS, SATA and x1, x2, and x4 NVMe drives in existed U.2 /U.3 based backplane. Universal Backplane Management (UBM) defines a common backplane control and management framework for a host to determine SAS/SATA/ PCIe backplane capabilities. The ARC-1886 series adapters are UBM ready, and customers can immediately integrate these adapters into their U.3 backplanes utilizing UBM.

The 12Gb/s SAS, SATA, PCI-e 4.0 NVMe RAID adapter support broad operating system including Windows, Linux (Open Source), FreeBSD (Open Source), Mac, VMware and more, along with key system monitoring features such as enclosure management (UBM, SES-2, SMP, & SGPIO) and SNMP function.

The new generation ARC-1886 series controllers are immediately available now.