IBM 46X1290 ServeRAID M5015 SAS/SATA 6Gb/s PCIe 2.0 x8 RAID-controller 512MB cache

The IBM 46X1290 ServeRAID M5015 is a high-performance RAID controller designed for enterprise servers requiring reliable data storage and protection. Featuring the LSI SAS2108 RAID-on-Chip processor, this full-height, half-length PCI Express 2.0 x8 card delivers up to 6 Gb/s per port across 8 internal SAS 2.0 or SATA 3Gb/s lanes via two SFF-8087 mini-SAS connectors. With 512MB DDR2 800MHz cache memory and optional battery backup unit (BBU) support, it ensures data integrity and accelerated I/O performance for up to 32 drives.

Advantages

Optimized for IBM System x servers, the ServeRAID M5015 provides flexible RAID configurations including RAID 0, 1, 5, 6, 10, 50, and 60. Its PCIe 2.0 x8 interface offers 4 GB/s bandwidth, while features like Online Capacity Expansion (OCE), RAID Level Migration (RLM), and Patrol Read enhance storage management and reliability. The controller supports JBOD mode and is compatible with Windows Server, Linux, and VMware ESXi operating systems.

Suitable for

• IBM System x servers requiring internal RAID connectivity
• Enterprise environments needing high-speed SAS/SATA storage arrays
• Applications demanding data redundancy and fault tolerance

Key specifications

• Controller Type: RAID Controller
• Host Interface: PCI Express 2.0 x8
• Internal Connectors: 2 x SFF-8087 mini-SAS
• Number of Internal Ports: 8
• Supported RAID Levels: 0, 1, 5, 6, 10, 50, 60
• Cache Memory: 512MB DDR2 800MHz
• Cache Protection: Optional Battery Backup Unit (BBU) / CacheVault
• Supported Drive Interfaces: SAS 2.0, SATA 3Gb/s
• Max Data Transfer Rate (per port): 6 Gb/s
• RAID-on-Chip Processor: LSI SAS2108
• Form Factor: Full-height, Half-length
• Max Supported Drives: Up to 32
• Features: Online Capacity Expansion (OCE), RAID Level Migration (RLM), Patrol Read
• Operating System Support: Windows Server, Linux, VMware ESXi
• Management Software: MegaRAID Storage Manager
• PCIe Bandwidth: 4 GB/s
• JBOD Mode: Yes
• Power Consumption: ~13W

Recommendations

For optimal performance and data protection, pair this controller with enterprise-grade SAS SSDs or HDDs and consider adding the optional battery backup unit to safeguard cached data during power loss.