RAID-controller FUJITSU PRAID EP520i FH/LP PCIe 12 Gbit/s – RAID 0/1/1E/5/6/10/50/60, PCI Express 3.0 host

The FUJITSU PRAID EP520i FH/LP PCIe 12 Gbit/s is a hardware RAID controller designed for enterprise servers. Featuring a PCI Express 3.0 host interface and support for multiple RAID levels, it provides centralized disk-array management and accelerated I/O for PRIMERGY systems. The controller is intended for installations that require dependable redundancy and higher throughput for mixed workloads in virtualized, database and file-server environments.

Advantages

This RAID controller supports RAID levels 0, 1, 1E, 5, 6, 10, 50 and 60, enabling flexible configurations that balance performance, capacity and redundancy. The 12 Gbit/s per-port transfer capability and PCI Express 3.0 host interface deliver low-latency connectivity and improved bandwidth for multi-drive arrays. The form factor (full-height/low-profile) provides compatibility with a range of server chassis while the hardware RAID offloads parity and rebuild tasks from the host CPU, reducing system load during intensive storage operations.

Suitable for

• Enterprise servers requiring hardware RAID management
• Database servers with high I/O requirements
• Virtualization hosts handling multiple virtual machines
• File and backup servers needing redundancy and performance
• Server models in the compatible PRIMERGY family

Key specifications

• Host interface: PCI Express 3.0
• Data transfer rate: 12 Gbit/s per port
• Supported RAID levels: 0, 1, 1E, 5, 6, 10, 50, 60
• Form factor: full-height / low-profile compatible
• Hardware RAID offload for parity and rebuild operations

How to use

Install the controller into an available PCIe x8 or x16 slot following server maintenance guidelines and power-off procedures. Connect the drive backplane or individual drives to the controller’s SAS/SATA ports using appropriate cables and ensure proper backplane compatibility. On first boot, access the controller BIOS/UEFI utility to configure logical drives, select the desired RAID level and initialize arrays. After initializing, install or boot the operating system and load any vendor-provided management drivers and utilities to enable advanced features, monitoring and firmware updates.

Recommendations

For optimal reliability, use matching drive types and capacities when creating RAID arrays, monitor array health with management software, and maintain regular backups. When deploying in server clusters or critical environments, test rebuild and failover procedures during maintenance windows to confirm recovery behaviour and performance impact.