Intel E91267 24-Ports RAID Expander Controller Card

Product Description

The Intel E91267 is a high-density RAID expander controller card that significantly increases the number of hard drives or SSDs a system can support. With its 24 ports, it acts as an intermediary, allowing a single RAID controller or host bus adapter (HBA) to manage a much larger pool of storage devices. This is particularly valuable in server chassis and storage enclosures where physical space for drive bays is abundant but the number of direct connections from the motherboard or primary controller is limited. This expander card is designed to work in conjunction with existing RAID controllers or HBAs, effectively multiplying the number of available drive connections. It typically connects to the primary controller via a high-speed interface (e.g., SAS) and then provides multiple downstream ports for connecting individual drives. The E91267 is crucial for building large-capacity storage arrays, network-attached storage (NAS) devices, and direct-attached storage (DAS) systems that require a high number of drives. By utilizing a RAID expander like the Intel E91267, system builders and IT professionals can achieve greater storage density and scalability. This reduces the need for multiple RAID controllers, potentially saving costs and simplifying system configuration. The expander handles the physical connection and signal integrity for the additional drives, ensuring that the primary controller can still manage them effectively, often with support for features like hot-swapping and drive status monitoring.