Promise FastTrack TX2000 - Page 1

ATA133 & RAID in one package

- Introduction

Most advanced users need solutions that will prevent data loss and give the maximum possible performance. The RAID solutions are what most people need, but in past such solutions were possible only with SCSI recorders. Latetly IDE drives can be used also to provide RAID systems for end users. Promise shifts the level by introducing a controlller with not only RAID 0,1 features but also with ATA133 interface connection.

This review has the propose to examine how faster a HD performs under ATA133 interface connection and how does really RAID 0,1, 0+1 performs for end user.

- Features

The Promise FastTrack TX2000 main propose is to offer a cheap RAID 0,1,0+1 option for end users. As Promise posted in the press release of 11th Feb 2002, the TX2000 has the following features:

- FastTrak TX2000 uses two (or more) Ultra ATA/133 drives to perform the work of a single drive -- producing sustained data transfers up to 200% faster than using a single drive Ultra ATA/133 drive. Built-in support for 66MHz PCI bus motherboards allows burst data transfers up to 266MB/sec over the PCI bus.

- FastTrak TX2000's BIOS accepts drive sizes larger than 137GB and links (or stripes) up to 4 drives together as a huge single "virtual" drive under RAID 0 when seen by the system. A Windows 2000 system can create a single RAID 0 array of 640GB (i.e. 4 x 160GB drives) or more! This is particularly ideal for professional workstations that produce and read from large files.

- Under RAID 1 or 0+1, FastTrak TX2000 protects against data loss by creating two identical drives (RAID 1) or two pairs of identical striped drives (RAID 0+1). If one drive fails, the remaining working drive(s) maintain user data without loss.

- With ATA RAID 1 or RAID 0+1 arrays, a user's system continues to function if a drive fails because the data has been mirrored to the working drive or pair of drives. In addition, Promise supports hot swap of the failed drive with a replacement drive when used with optional Promise SuperSwap™ 1000 chassises for Ultra ATA/133 drives 2 -- allowing continuous 24 x 7 operation for servers and component protection during replacement.

Why I should select Promise's TX2000 solution and not Win2k/XP included RAID feature?

While Microsoft Windows 2000 and XP does offer basic software-based RAID 0, 1, and 0+1, there are limitations:

- Promise RAID allows booting from all RAID levels. Microsoft RAID does NOT boot RAID 0 or 0+1 arrays.
- Promise RAID supports most major operating systems. Microsoft RAID is dedicated to Windows 2000 or XP.
- Promise RAID 1 boots no matter which drive fails. In Windows 2000, Microsoft RAID 1 requires user to re-configure array manually if primary drive fails in order to re-boot from remaining drive.
- Promise RAID 1 supports hot swap of failed drive 3 . Microsoft RAID 1 does NOT support hot swap.
- Promise RAID allows remote monitoring of array(s) via TCP/IP. Microsoft RAID does NOT.

- Specifications