What is included when I buy an Avago SAS 9300 HBA?

Each member of the SAS 9300 HBA product family; the 9300-4i, 9300-8i, 9300-4i4e, 9300-8e, 9300-16e, and 9300-16i purchased from an

authorized distributor is packaged with a Quick Installation Guide, a resource CD with documentation and software drivers and alternate low

prole mounting bracket. The basic package is called a “Single” package as it includes just one HBA. See below for information on cables.

What is the dierence between a “Single” and “Kit” package?

In addition to the “Single” package, some models are available in “Kits” which include compatible cables for connection to the internal ports of

SAS 9300 HBAs. “Kits” only exist for the 9300-4i, 9300-8i and 9300-4i4e HBAs. There is no “Kit” for the 9300-8e, 9300-16e, and 9300-16i because of

the large variation in required cable lengths for external applications. The cable packaged in the kit is a “breakout” cable, connecting the SFF8643

HBA connector to 4 individual SFF8482 (SAS disk drive) connectors, each including its own power pigtail and connector.

Are the SAS 9300 HBAs similar to any existing Avago HBAs?

The Avago SAS 9300 series of HBAs oer the same port congurations as prior HBAs, but with enhanced 12Gb/s SAS storage connectivity.

Cabling and drivers dier from the prior product lines however.

6Gb/s SAS, PCIe 2.0 6Gb/s SAS, PCIe 3.0 New 12Gb/s SAS, PCIe 3.0

9211-4i -- 9300-4i

9211-8i 9207-8i 9300-8i

9212-4i4e 9207-4i4e 9300-4i4e

9200-8e 9207-8e 9300-8e

9201-16e 9206-16e 9300-16e

9201-16i -- 9300-16i

Why did the cables change on the SAS 9300 HBAs from those used on prior models?

Compliance with the SAS Standard requires new connectors. The new connectors for internal connection are formally designated SFF8643

(replacing SFF8087) and for external connection SFF8644 (replacing SFF8088). The standard called out the new connectors in order to reliably

support the higher signaling frequencies in 12Gb/s SAS interfaces. More information on the SAS 3.0 standard and cabling specics can be found

at http://www.scsita.org/library/12gbs-sas

Where can I nd cables to support new SAS 9300 HBAs?

A wide range of internal and external cables compliant with the SAS and connector standards are available from Avago SAS 9300 distributors

and the online store at store.lsi.com. A number of cables allow for connecting the SAS 9300 to existing 6Gb/s SAS enclosures and backplanes, to

allow current systems to benet from the increased processing speeds of the new SAS 9300 HBA.

I’ve heard references to other 12Gb/s SAS HBAs from Avago. How do they compare to the SAS 9300 HBAs available in the channel?

Avago sells other HBA models directly to specic OEM customers with OEM specic features that may not operate universally and are not

therefore generally available through Avago distributors. All the SAS 9300 series HBAs are shipped from the Avago factory with “IT” rmware

and operate with the hardware listed on the SAS 9300 compatibility list on the under Host Bus Adapters at http://www.lsi.com/support/Pages/

interoperability.aspx

Avago SAS 9300 series of 12Gb/s SAS HBAs

Frequently Asked Questions

Visit the Avago Storage by LSI website at: lsi.com

Avago, Avago Technologies, MegaRAID, and the Storage by LSI logo are trademarks of Avago Technologies. All other trademarks are the

property of their respective owners.

What is the dierence between “IT” and “IR” HBA rmware?

“IT” rmware maximizes the connectivity and performance aspects of the HBA. “IR” rmware oers limited RAID functionality via RAID 0, 1, and

10 capabilities. Legacy PCIe Gen 2 HBAs with internal connectors still ship with “IR” rmware. The latest versions of both rmware types are

maintained on the channel website at: http://www.lsi.com/support/Pages/Download-Search.aspx . Full featured 12Gb/s RAID capability is also

available in the Avago MegaRAID product line.

Are the 9300 -16e, 9300-8e and 9300-4i4e HBAs compatible with the Avago SAS 6160 Switch?

The 9300-16e, 9300-8e and 9300-4i4e are both compatible with the Avago SAS 6160 SAS Switch. Connection to the SAS Switch requires one of

the external hybrid cables with the SFF8644 connector attaching to the HBA and the SFF8088 connector attaching to the SAS Switch. The cables

are available in 1 meter (LSI00336), 2 meter (LSI00237) and 6 meter (LSI00238) lengths. The same cables will connect with legacy 6Gb/s JBODs

that appear on the SAS 9300 compatibility list under Host Bus Adapters at http://www.lsi.com/support/Pages/interoperability.aspx

Can I review documents before purchasing an HBA?

Yes. All the documents included with any of the SAS 9300 series HBAs are available on the channel website at http://www.lsi.com/products/host-

bus-adapters/pages/default.aspx. Just click on the specic HBA you are interested in and then on the “Documentation” tab to see the complete

list of available documents. Other information is available on the “At A Glance”, “Specications”, “Software” and “Optional Products” tabs.

Avago Technologies makes no representations, warranties or guarantees regarding the compatibility or performance

of, or results generated by, specic hardware or software products. The information herein is provided “AS IS” without

warranty of any kind express or implied for use at your sole risk. Without limiting the forgoing, the warranties of

merchantability and tness for a particular purpose are expressly disclaimed. This document is not warranted to be error-

free. Avago Technologies has no responsibility to update the information herein and reserves the right to make changes

to this document and to any of its products and services at any time without notice. Avago Technologies does not assume

any responsibility or liability arising out of any reliance on or use of this information. Individual results may vary.