Adaptec, a provider of data center hardware and software storage solutions, has announced the availability of the Adaptec Series 5Z Unified Serial(R) (SATA/SAS) RAID controller family. These high-performance controllers integrate an industry first, flash-based Zero-Maintenance Cache Protection module that provides data center managers with a single controller solution for data protection in the event of both power loss and drive failure. Designed to replace a current generation of Lithium Ion battery-based cache back-up devices, the Adaptec RAID Series 5Z is an integrated solid state solution that significantly reduces annual data center operating costs and environmental impact. The controllers offer an integrated, maintenance-free design, eliminating the need to monitor battery charge levels or shut down servers for battery replacement.

"As enterprise storage demands skyrocket, we see an enormous need for feature-rich, maintenance-free data storage I/O solutions that work to lower overall IT costs and provide significant environmental advantages," said Scott Cleland, director of marketing, Adaptec. "For both SATA and SAS drives, the Adaptec Series 5Z family not only delivers the performance, scalability and power efficiency that our customers demand, but with Zero-Maintenance Cache Protection, it offers a simple, maintenance-free solution that provides a critical layer of data protection that is often overlooked."

Built on the Adaptec RAID Series 5 high-performance architecture, the Adaptec Series 5Z family offers an innovative approach to protecting at-risk data held in controller cache and addressing common battery back-up deficiencies. Since the quickest way for a RAID controller to fulfill a read or write request is to serve data out of its cache, enabling and protecting the RAID controller cache offers significant performance benefits while also safeguarding against the loss of cached data during a power or system failure. With approximately 1 TB of data residing in cache for every 3,000 servers, a reliable, easy-to-use back-up solution is invaluable in case of a system power failure. The Adaptec Series 5Z's Zero-Maintenance Cache Protection protects data stored in controller cache for up to 10 years with no installation, monitoring, maintenance, disposal or replacement costs. Unlike Lithium Ion batteries, Zero-Maintenance Cache Protection protects cached data immediately, instead of hours after battery conditioning, providing instant protection and immediate optimized RAID performance. Zero-Maintenance Cache Protection enhances performance without the hassles of traditional battery-backup devices.

Environmental & ROI Advantages

The Adaptec Series 5Z family underscores Adaptec's commitment to developing power-efficient and environmentally-conscious products. Adaptec's Zero-Maintenance Cache Protection eliminates the need for Lithium Ion battery hazardous waste disposal previously required in cache-critical computing applications. In addition, these controllers are exempt from special International Air Transport Association (IATA) Lithium Ion packaging and shipping regulations, eliminating the need for costly labeling, testing and extensive documentation. The Adaptec Series 5Z family also features Adaptec's innovative Intelligent Power Management, which reduces storage power and cooling costs by up to 70 percent.

In private traditional data center environments or across massive scaled-out virtualized data center server environments running VMware software or Xen, the Return-On-Investment (ROI) potential of the new Adaptec Series 5Z controllers is significant. This approach can provide substantial savings by eliminating costly functions, such as: 1) the year-to-year expense of purchasing replacement batteries, 2) the ongoing costs associated with downtime when installing/re-charging batteries, and 3) the disruption costs when a power failure occurs resulting in the loss of data. With the typical four-year cost of using Lithium Ion batteries adding up to more than $2,000(i) per server, the Adaptec Series 5Z family offers the industry's most cost-effective, complete and efficient data protection solution.