Installing a third-party PCIe expansion device into factory-built Dell and HP computing platform is not as straightforward as it may seem. Naturally, the platforms were designed to accommodate Dell and HP’s own accessories and upgrade solutions. Many of these rely on custom-fitted Riser cards and pre-configured option-packages that can only be purchased in groups. Attempting to decipher the codes and part number associated with Riser card and PCIe expansion accessories manufactured for Dell and HP platforms can bring the most veteran of IT specialists to tears. Depending on the model and generation of the target platform, accessories may not even be shared amongst members of the same product line. Determining which riser works with which server or workstation, and what kind of PCIe device they are capable of hosting can be a frustrating, time-consuming affair. In many cases, customers are likely to just go with a pre-packaged configuration (platform, plus selected risers) to avoid the headache. However, opting for the factory-made upgrade kit may seriously impair the system’s ability to support a third-party device; such as a PCIe/NVMe storage expansion solution, many which are of critical importance to workflows these systems are typically marketed towards. Thankfully, HighPoint has simplified this tedious process for do-it-yourselfers, IT administrators and solution providers. We have published a series of compatibility and integration guides for our RocketAIC series PCIe expansion drives. Guides will be made available for all compatible Dell and HP platforms, and are routinely updated and reviewed to ensure they accurately represent the target system. The guides examine the CPU and PCIe configurations of each platform, and break down the PCIe slot arrangement into simple, easy to digest tables and diagrams, and provide a list of supported RocketAIC drives and the recommended PCIe slot. For example, HPE’s ML110 G11 platform is a compact, cost-effective desktop tower server with PCIe Gen5 host connectivity and the ability to support dual 4th Generation Xeon Scalable processors. By default, the system provides two PCIe slots, and includes a Riser accessory capable of supporting a single Full-Height/Full-Length/Single-Width PCIe device, and a single Full-Height/Half-Length/Single-Width device. However, customers can order additional Riser accessories for this platform when it is equipped with dual CPUs. Each riser will enable an additional PCIe expansion slot. We recommend equipping these with the GPU riser option, as it will enable the platform to support up to four Full-Height/Full-Length/Single-Width AICs. Learn More RocketAIC for Dell & HP Systems Bootable RocketAIC for Dell & HP Systems RocketAIC Compatibility List

Choosing the right PCIe Expansion Storage Drive for your PC Platform and Application Determining which PCIe expansion drive is right for your application starts with identifying the ins and outs of your system; what kind of PCIe expansion ports does the system provide? Does it require the use of riser cards or backplane accessories? Which OS or OS’s do you require support for? What are the capacity requirements and performance target? If you are working with a factory-built Dell or HP computing system, we’ve got you covered. HighPoint has published a series of Compatibility and Integration reports for Dell and HP’s most popular Server and Workstation platforms. Using a system from another manufacturer, or a custom-built platform? No worries. HighPoint RocketAIC drives, like our SSD series NVMe AIC adapters, are fully compliant with all industry standard x86 Intel/AMD computing platforms. RocketAIC drives can be easily installed into nearly modern system or motherboard with a free PCIe 3.0/4.0/5.0 x16 slot. The following guidelines can help you narrow down your selection: Form Factor & Slot Type: The type of PCIe card supported by your platform’s PCIe slots or Riser card is arguably the most important factor. This ultimately determines what kind of PCIe expansion drive you can integrate into your workflow. You must identify the following: Mechanical Lanes: This refers to the number of lanes, represent as “x#”, the slot can physically support. 1. x1 – the smallest slot type. Few modern PCIe devices utilize this type of slot, and it is becoming less common. 2. x4 – This type of slot is utilized by many types of general-use add-in-cards, such as USB adapter cards, single-drive M.2 NVMe solution, and entry-level networking adapters. 3. x8 – Arguably the most common slot type. Many network devices, SAS/SATA controller cards, media capture cards, entry-level GPUs, and compact form-factor AIC drives utilize this slot length. HighPoint RocketAIC 6200 and 7200 series dries require a slot capable of supporting x8 mechanical lanes. 4. x16 – The largest slot type. x16 slots are required by most GPUs, and most RocketAIC drives. Note 1: Some PCIe slots may be “notched” or “slotted” to accept larger PCI devices. For example, a notched x4 slot can accept x8 or x16 PCIe devices. Note 2: A slot can only provide a number of electrical lanes less than or equal to it mechanical lanes. For example, a PCIe x4 mechanical slot can provide either x1 or x4 electrical lanes, but never x8 or x16 electrical lanes. On the other hand, an x16 mechanical slot may provide any number of electrical lanes (x1, x4, x8 or x16). Read on for more information. Electrical Lanes: AKA bandwidth. This refers the PCIe host bandwidth provided by the slot. Be warned; as mentioned previously, a slot’s electrical rating may not correspond with its mechanical requirements. Please note, the MB/s and GB/s cited below are theoretical maximums. PCIe devices will be unable to deliver this number in a real-world scenario. In general, your best x16 Gen3 device is able to deliver 14GB/s (14,000MB/s) of transfer performance, while an ideal x16 Gen4 device can deliver 27-28GB/s (27-28,000MB/s) of transfer performance. 1. x1 – The most basic level of bandwidth. This type of slot can provide approximately 1GB/s for PCIe Gen3 and 2GB/s for Gen4. As such, x1 electrical slots are not recommended for RocketAIC drives, as they will severely bottleneck performance. 2. x4 – This rating provides up to 4GB/s for PCIe Gen3, and 8GB/s for Gen4. Better than x1, but still only suitable for single NVMe SSD. 3. x8- This rating provides up to 8GB/s for PCIe Gen3, and 16GB/s for Gen4. In most cases, this ideal for our compact bootable drives (RocketAIC 7502x, 6202x, 6202x, 720x), and our cost-effective RocketAIC 7204x series drives. 4. x16 – This is the ideal electrical rating. This provides maximum bandwidth; up to 16GB/s for PCIe Gen3, and 32GB/s for PCIe Gen4. Capacity Requirements: Identify the storage capacity requirement of your application. RocketAIC drives are available in a wide range of storage capacities, from our bootable 2TB RocketAIC 7502x/7202/6202x drives to our Enterprise-grade RocketAIC 7749x series solutions, which provide an astounding 61TB of storage capacity! Performance Requirement: While all NVMe storage is fast, you will want to select a solution that take full advantage of your chosen platform. Identifying your platform’s PCIe host connectivity is a must. Setting a specific performance target, in either MB/s or GB/s, can help refine your selection. Our Gen4 AIC drives (RocketAIC 7749x, 7540x, 7505x and 7502x) can deliver up to 28,000MB/s of performance when installed into a PCIe 4.0/5.0 slot with x16 lanes of host bandwidth. Our Gen 3 drives (RocketAIC 7140Ax, 7105x, and 62xx) can deliver up to 14,000MB/s when installed into a PCIe 3.0/4.0/5.0 slot with x16 lanes of host bandwidth. Workflow & Endurance Considerations If your application is focused on a particular task or workflow for a PC-based server or workstation, such as video/audio editing platform, we would recommend considering our Ultra-Speed series of drives. These drives are equipped with Samsung’s class-leading 990 PRO series M.2 NVMe SSDs, and are available with up to 16TB of storage capacity. Customers that are looking for high-density storage solution capable of sustaining an around-the-clock working schedule should consider our Ultra-Dense RocketAIC 7749EW series drives, which are equipped with Solidigm’s Datacenter Class D7-P5520 Series E1.S SSDs. Learn More RocketAIC for Dell & HP Platforms Bootable RocketAICs for Dell & HP Platforms Dell Compatibility List HP Compatibility List

RocketAIC PCIe 4.0 x16 NVMe Drives Deliver the Best Performance & Price Upgrade for Dell Precision 7960 Workstations! HighPoint’s RocketAIC NVMe drives are capable of delivering maximum sustained data transfer throughput in an ultra-compact, PCIe Gen4 add-in-card (AIC) that can be easily integrated into industry-standard “tower” workstation environments. The RA7505HW and RA7540HW series are available with up to eight pre-configured 2TB Samsung 990PRO M.2 SSDs, and engineered to deliver a guaranteed x16 lanes of upstream bandwidth, and x4 lanes of downstream bandwidth to each device port (and SSD); this translates into 28GB/s (28,000MB/s) of real-world transfer performance. To justify our headline, we compared our RocketAIC drives to Dell’s own line of NVMe drive accessories; both series are designed for use with Dell’s Precision 7960 Tower Workstation platform. Dell offers a range of NVMe storage upgrades for this 7690 workstations, titled “Ultra-Speed”. They are available with 2 to 4 NVMe SSDs pre-installed into a PCIe AIC, and are denoted as “Ultra-Speed Drive Duo M.2 NVMe SSDs“ and Ultra-Speed Drive Quad M.2 NVMe SSDs”, respectively. Ultra-Speed drives are available in capacities from as little as 512GB, all the way up to 16TB. This may seem like ideal upgrades at first glance, a closer look raises some concerns – notably the wasted bandwidth (only handful of models have enough SSDs to utilize x16 lanes), and high-cost of entry. On the other side of the coin, customers been integrating HighPoint NVMe solutions into Dell workstations since we first launched our SSD7xxx series NVMe RAID controllers back in 2017. In fact, customers have already verified that the Precision 7690 is indeed compatible with our new RocketAIC series NVME drives. HighPoint is no stranger to this marketplace; we have had years of experience developing, manufacturing and deploying high-quality storage solutions for high-speed workstation platforms. In addition, we are on the verge of announcing several new models for this product family, some of which will be available with up to 122TB of built-in storage! So how do these two series fare in real-world scenarios? Does the HighPoint RocketAIC series live up our “Best Performance & Price” mantra? Read on. RocketAIC vs. Ultra-Speed Quad While the “Duo” models represent Dell’s most cost-effective options, they do not align well with the capabilities of RocketAIC NVMe drives; they limit SSD count to 2 max, and bus bandwidth to x8. It makes a bit more sense to compare the Ultra-Speed Quad series to our RocketAIC product lines. Both provide x16 lanes of PCIe gen4 bandwidth, and include up to 4 pre-configured NVMe SSDs. However, the similarities pretty much end here. To summarize, the entry-level Quad models offer little over their Duo counterparts. Both are limited to 1 or 2 SSDs, which naturally bottlenecks performance to 14GB/s max; only 8 lanes of the available x16 can bever be used). The mid-range models are better spec wise, but still can’t match the RA7505HW’s performance, as they limited to 3 drives and 20GB/s. And in any case, all are considerably more expensive than the HighPoint solutions. For this reason, it we felt it was best to compare the top-line Quad models with our RocketAIC drives. These are equipped with 4 SSDs, which in theory, enables them to match the SSD7505HW’s performance level. They also are available in larger capacities (16TB – twice that of the SSD7505HW). However, you will spend big $$ for these specs: And this completely overlooks the fact that the RocketAIC 7540HW series is available. These 16TB NVMe drives are equipped with eight Samsung 990PRO SSDs, and priced only $6 more than Dell’s 8TB Quad drive! In Conclusion Aside from a desire to keep everything under the Dell “banner”, it’s hard to justify selecting an Ultra-Speed Quad drive over a RocketAIC Drive. In every case, opting for one of the RocketAIC drives is the best choice. They offer significant advantages in both speed and capacity, and are considerably more affordable. And importantly, RocketAIC performance numbers are guaranteed, and all drives are covered by HighPoint’s 3-Year limited warranty. Learn More RocketAIC NVMe Drives

Although RocketAIC drives are ready to use right out of the box, HighPoint has provided a range of optional tools and features that enable customers to tailor the drive to best suit their application and host environment. This article provides a summary of several of these key features, and provides links for more information and in-depth guides. Quick & Intuitive Management Suite RocketAIC Drives can be managed and monitored using HighPoint’s WebGUI and CLI software utilities: The WebGUI is available for all OS platforms; Linux, macOS and Windows The CLI is available for PC-based hardware platforms (Linux and Windows OS) The WebGUI (Web-Based Graphical Management Interface) is an intuitive graphical user interface designed to work with all modern Web Browsers. Most of its features, especially those related to RAID creation, have default settings that let you breeze through everything with a few simple clicks. However, the WebGUI also provides advanced features that customers may find useful. CLI (Command Line Interface): The HighPoint CLI (Command Line Interface) is ideal for seasoned administrators and platforms that do not utilize graphical operating systems. For many Linux veterans, it is the tool of choice, as it runs from a terminal window, is universal for any distribution, and does not require a graphical OS. Special Feature: HighPoint’s Storage Health Inspector Solution (SHI) SHI provides wealth of information about NVMe storage via SMART (self-monitoring, analysis and reporting technology). SHI is accessible via the WebGUI software, using the dedicated “SHI” tab. Customers can instantly, check the temperature, endurance rating, and operational status of each RocketAIC SSD. SHI was designed to work in tandem with the WebGUI/CLI’s Event Log and SMTP Email Alert Notification system, which will record and broadcast any warnings or errors reported by SHI. Redundant Arrays – Advanced Features RocketAIC Drives are shipped preconfigured as Stripe Arrays. However, customers are free to reconfigure the SSDs into Mirrored (RAID 1) or Security & Speed (RAID 10) arrays. These type of arrays are known as “redundant” arrays – they provide a layer of security and allow the data to remain accessible in cases were one or more SSDs stops responding or fails. The WebGUI and CLI management utilities provide several advanced options for redundant arrays, that enable customers to control how the AIC drive reacts in the case of a broken/critical array (due to one or more SSDs having failed or stopped responding). Auto-Rebuild: When a physical disk fails, the RocketAIC drive will take the unit offline. Once the SSD is replaced, the controller will automatically rebuild the array. Rebuild Priority: Customers can specify how the host system will allocate resources to the RocketAIC drive in order to complete a rebuild procedure. A total of 5 levels are provided; Lowest, Low, Medium, High, Highest). Medium is the default setting. Auto resume incomplete rebuilding after power on or reboot system: This option will prompt the RocketAIC to resume building array if the system restarts during a rebuild procedure (f0r example, due to an OS/Software related update). Global Spare Pool: Customers that elect to configure a new redundant array have the option of assigning unused SSDs to act as a spare disk, by assigning them to the Spare Pool. The Spare Pool is a selection of physical disks (SSDs in the case of a RocketAIC drive) that will be used to rebuild an array in the event of a SSD failure, or in the event an SSD suddenly drops offline. Spares will come into play if a redundant array enters a Critical state. The WebGUI and CLI’s Add/Remove Spare command is used to assign an SSD to act as a Spare Disk. Spare Disks can be used to manually or automatically rebuild Redundant RAID arrays (Mirrored, Security & Speed Arrays) in the case of an SSD failure. If the Auto-Rebuild feature is enabled (discussed previously), the RocketAIC drive will check the spare pool for an available Spare Disk to initiate the rebuild process. RocketAIC Drives can support one or More Disk Arrays! Customers can elect to configure one or arrays using the NVMe SSDs hosted by their RocketAIC drive. For example, the RocketAIC 7505H’s default stripe array is comprised of all four Samsung 990 PRO SSDs. These can be reconfigured into two smaller Stripe arrays, two Mirrored arrays, or a Stripe array alongside a Mirrored array. Each array will be recognized as a separate physical disk by the operating system, and can be partitioned and formatted as desired. Online Array Roaming RocketAIC drives support HighPoint’s Online Array Roaming capability. This feature can be a useful for trouble shooting and field service, and ensures your data remains intact and accessible even if the drive’s electronic board is damaged. SSDs hosted by a RocketAIC drive can be moved to another RocketAIC drive of the same class (RA7505H to another RA7505x or RA7540x), without having to start from scratch or recover an array! For more information about HighPoint Online Array Roaming, contact a HighPoint Sales/Support representative. Enable Audible Alarm All RocketAIC drives feature a built-in audible alarm system that will emit warnings in the case of an array failure or dropped/unresponsive SSD. The alarm can also be used to notify administrators of any temperature related issues (such an SSD’s operating temperature exceeding the threshold specified by SHI), or any problems with the RocketAIC’s cooling fans (say for example, a fan’s speed suddenly drops below the recommended RPM). The alarm is enabled by default, but can be disabled using the WebGUI or CLI management software. Please note, when the alarm is disabled, administrators will need to regularly check the WebGUI/CLI’s Event Log or configure Email notification to receive warnings or notifications about any issue related to the RocketAIC drive or hosted SSDs. Learn More Learn More About HighPoint’s NVMe RAID & Storage Technology RocketAIC for Dell & HP Platforms Bootable RocketAICs for Dell & HP Platforms RocketAIC for Mac Pro Workstations

Unlike other solutions that require a binary driver for bootable applications, HighPoint’s LACS (Linux Auto Compilation Solution) was designed to streamline and automate the entire Linux setup and installation process. Provided the host platform has an internet connection, the administrator need only execute a single command line to activate the installation process. Once initialized, LACS will connect to the Backend Server, download all necessary files; installation scripts and the device driver that matches the target distribution, and execute the required commands in the background. In addition, HighPoint’s Open-Source NVMe driver package has been incorporated directly into the LACS workflow. Administrators no longer have to install additional software manually after the OS is up and running. The Open-Source package allows LACS to verify and update the active device driver to correspond with any fixes or patches that are available for the host OS. How it Works LACs enables even the most novice Linux Administrator to seamlessly integrate HighPoint NVMe RAID solutions into mainstream Linux distributions. LACS was designed to ensure that storage hosted by HighPoint product or solution remains fully operational whenever a new kernel is installed or when the distribution is updated or patched. Installation could not be simpler – administrators need only execute a single command line; everything else is handled by LACS. The system automatically checks our secure, dedicated online database for updates whenever the Linux platform is booted, and will automatically recompile driver support as needed to ensure NVMe storage media is readily accessible. The system has been continually refined over the years to further streamline and automate the update process while incorporating new product lines and storage technology. Robust Self-Monitoring, Update & Troubleshooting System If LACS determines that the host Linux OS is not compatible with the active driver and available updates, the service will immediately instruct the LACS network to request a new Binary driver. This process enables Highpoint’s dedicated LACS engineering team to expedite the development process and ensure the RAID AIC is in sync with the customer’s computing environment. Any errors encountered during installation, monitoring or update processes are immediately logged by LACS, and can be easily retrieved for examination by our Support Department. This automated process was designed to streamline troubleshooting and information gathering when submitting support inquiry be reducing the back-and-forth between the customer and service provider, and ensures all necessary data is on hand for immediate analysis. Supported Distributions · Centos · Debian · Fedora · RHEL · ROCKY Linux · Ubuntu

NVMe storage and connectivity solutions are frequently deployed to satisfy the stringent performance and reliability requirements of industrial, media and AI applications designed to process large volumes of sensitive data. Securing this data from prying eyes, while protecting the privacy of end user and corporate customers alike is of critical importance. A such, disk encryption technology is quickly become an essential component of storage solutions designed to address these workflows. HighPoint’s SafeStorage solution was developed to work in conjunction with state-of-the-art SED technology that has been widely adopted by mainstream NVMe devices and is based on the OPAL SSC TCG specifications. It is designed to protect data assets when physical drives are misplaced or stolen by preventing unauthorized access to stored data. First introduced with our PCIe Gen4 SSD7580C 8-Channel U.2/U.3 NVMe RAID HBA, SafeStorage can be applied to both single-disk and RAID configurations at the disk level, and administered via our universal management and monitoring suites. And unlike software-based services which rely on CPU resources, SafeStorage initiates encryption at the drive level to minimize the performance impact on the host platform. Unified & Streamlined RAID & Storage Encryption Solution HighPoint SafeStorage is a unified NVMe Storage Encryption Solution developed to accommodate both large-scale RAID arrays and individually configured SSDs, and can be scaled across multiple HighPoint PCIe AICs connected to the host platform. RAID volumes are encrypted at the time of creation and will automatically activate each disk member’s self-encryption capabilities. SafeStorage’s SED features are enabled at the hardware level, and require no unique driver or standalone software application; everything is managed directly by HighPoint’s universal RAID Management and Monitoring suite. The interface will automatically recognize SafeStorage compatible controllers and provide a new toolset known collectively as Disk & Enclosure Security. The toolset handles all SED related features and settings including setting up disk encryption, managing encryption keys and managing security policies. This streamlined lightweight approach to SED technology reduces complexity and minimizes the risk of software conflicts. Securely Lockdown Crucial Data from Unauthorized Access When Disk Security is enabled, your data is automatically locked down whenever the disk media is removed from the HighPoint storage or connectivity device. The SED technology will assign unique identifiers, known as “Keys”, in the form of Passwords, to both the HighPoint device (PCIe AIC) and each hosted SSD. Keys are automatically generated when the Disk Security feature is activated and can be configured/modified by the administrator as required. This system ensures your data cannot be accessed unless the keys match. Keys/Passwords are securely stored by the NVMe device and can be managed using HighPoint’s WebGUI and CLI management suites. Unless an Administrator changes a Key, disks/arrays can be accessed normally. However, Lockdown mode is enabled as soon as the disk is removed. Such disks cannot be simply moved to a separate HighPoint/Non-HighPoint Adapter or Enclosure for access. The “thief” would need to link the disk/array to the new HighPoint device and would need to enter the original Keys in order to do so. Cryptographic Erasure Changing or deleting encryption keys for SED capable disks will render all encrypted data indecipherable and thus, unrecoverable. SafeStorage allows administrators to delete and regenerate Keys (aka Passwords) as needed to ensure your encrypted data is always under lock and key. A few simple commands enable authorized administrators to immediately prep storage for resale, retirement or reuse. The Cryptographic Erase command replaces the encryption Key inside each drive; this makes it impossible to ever decrypt data stored on these devices. When executed, data is rendered inaccessible and considered cryptographically erased. The drives can then be reset to an unowned state, and reused once a new encryption key is generated. In addition, upon disabling the Disk Security feature, SafeStorage will automatically initiate the cryptographic erase command. The process is automated and takes only seconds to complete. Disk Security can be easily disabled at any time, using HighPoint’s WebGUI and CLI utilities. Summary SafeStorage’s innovative combination of TCG/OPAL compliant technology, scalable hardware-level encryption and a lightweight centralized management interface streamlines enables administrators to streamline the encryption process without degrading system performance or complicating workloads. Learn More SSD7580C 8-Channel U.2/U.3 NVMe RAID HBA HighPoint’s RAID Management and Monitoring

At first glance, the compact single-AIC form-factor and blazing performance may seem the most obvious advantages. However, customers should not overlook the inherit strengths of a PCIe based storage solution. Some key factors to consider are outlined below; Direct to CPU Architecture, superior queue depth & parallelism, low-latency and ultra-compact form factor. Direct to CPU Hardware Architecture: Unlike SAS/SATA based storage, NVMe drives are designed to interface directly with the system’s CPU and GPU via the PCIe host bus, essentially bypassing the traditional storage architecture that may be impeded by layers of controller and adapters. While SAS/SATA storage rely on dedicated I/O processors to enhance performance, NVMe media was designed to interface directly with the host system's powerful AMD or Intel based CPU via PCIe connectivity. Though effective, I/O processors associated with SAS/SATA solutions are only capable of delivering a small fraction of the processing power provided by a host CPU, and are simply unable to keep pace with modern NVMe media. HighPoint’s PCIe expansion Storage drives build on the inherit strength of NVMe media and deliver uncompromised transfer performance. The following article discusses several of the key advantages provided by PCIe-based storage solutions. Pushing Storage Boundaries RocketAIC series drives leverage today’s fastest and most reliable NVMe media to deliver unbeatable storage density and performance. Each drive directly hosts up to 8 NVMe SSDs, and are available with up to 60.44TB of storage capacity, and speeds up to 28GB/s; all from a single, compact AIC device! HighPoint RocketAIC NVMe expansion drives incorporate Broadcom’s industry-leading PCIe switch chipsets to reduce latency, optimize signal integrity, and maximize transfer throughput. This unique approach ensures all x16 lanes of available upstream PCIe bandwidth is never wasted; x4 lanes of bandwidth is available to each hosted NVMe SSD, at all times. Superior Queue Depth / Parallelism; Executes a Massive Number of Concurrent Tasks: NVMe storage media can execute a huge number of concurrent tasks. Queue depth, the number of I/O requests that storage device can handle at one time, of NVMe media is measured in the tens of thousands, compared to tens or hundreds for a SAS/SATA device. The difference is staggering: 64K commands with a depth of 64K vs. 32 commands and a depth of 256. NVMe media, even a single SSD in place of the system disk, enables workstations to efficiently process an immense number of tasks simultaneously, without overly stressing system resources. Specialized NVMe storage, such as a HighPoint RocketAIC drive, can be added to boost the performance and response time of critical applications, and further streamlines the capability of the workstation. More than just raw power: NVMe media’s direct to CPU architecture significantly lowers latency, which enables the entire platform to process I/O request in a much more efficient manner. Lowering latency improves response times, enables applications to load faster, and streamlines file transfer. Unsurprisingly, low-latency storage solutions are a boon for performance-hungry applications such as 3D design and rendering, media post-production, AI/ML learning, design & engineering, and scientific simulations. HighPoint’s proven RAID and Storage technology enable our SSD series NVMe RAID AICs and RocketAIC drives further optimize performance by increasing queue depth for concurrent I/O requests, which is ideal for data-intensive applications with massive workloads. Ultra-Compact Form-Factor: NVMe storage is amazingly compact. HighPoint NVMe AIC solutions bring this to an entirely new level. A single HighPoint SSD series NVMe AIC or RocketAIC drive can directly host over 60TB of storage. That’s 60+TB from a single PCIe card! E1.S and M.2 media is hosted directly by the SSD7749x series AIC – you don’t need to concern yourself with drive bays, storage racks and the related power/data cabling accessories. The cards can be easily installed into ordinary desktop workstations, and require no more resources than a modern GPU. Learn More SSD7749E – 8x E1.S PCIe 4.0 x16 NVMe RAID AIC SSD7749M – 8x M.2 PCIe 4.0 x16 NVMe RAID AIC RocketAIC PCIe NVMe Expansion Drives for PC Platforms Bootable NVMe AIC Drives RocketAIC Drive Matrix for Dell & HP Platforms Breaking Storage Barriers with NVMe Technology: Explore HighPoint’s Single-Slot 60TB NVMe Solutions

HighPoint RocketAIC PCIe expansion storage drives eliminate data transfer bottlenecks and streamline critical workflows. NVMe storage has many unique characteristics that are well suited for a professional workstation platform, such as Apple’s 2023 and 2019 Mac Pros. The compact form-factor and blazing performance seem the most obvious advantages, but customers should not overlook the inherit strengths of a PCIe-based storage solution. Some of the key factors to consider are outlined below; Low-Latency, Superior Queue Depth, and the direct to CPU hardware architecture. Ultra Low-Latency: NVMe’s advantage over conventional media is more than just brute power. NVMe’s direct to CPU architecture significantly lowers latency, which enables the entire platform to process I/O requests in a much more efficient manner. Lowering latency improves response times, enables applications to load faster, and streamlines file transfer. It is of critical importance for media applications, which the Mac Pro is ideal for. Excessive latency can introduce the risk of error into media streams and interrupt playback, which can slow and complicate the editing process. Superior Queue Depth / Parallelism: NVMe storage media can execute a huge number of concurrent tasks. Queue depth, the number of I/O requests that a storage device can handle at one time. NVMe media is measured in the tens of thousands, compared to tens or hundreds for a SAS/SATA device. The difference is staggering: 64K commands with a depth of 64K vs. 32 commands and a depth of 256. NVMe media, even a single SSD in place of the system disk, enables a Mac Pro to efficiently process an immense number of tasks simultaneously, without ever really tapping into the machine’s potential. Specialized NVMe storage, such as a HighPoint RocketAIC drive, can be added to boost the performance and response time of critical applications, and further streamlines the capability of the workstation. Direct to CPU Hardware Architecture: Unlike conventional storage media, NVMe drives are designed to interface directly with the system’s CPU and GPU’ via the PCIe host bus, essentially bypassing the conventional storage architecture that relies on layers of storage controller and adapters. Key Differences Protocol: NVMe is far more efficient than SAS/SATA, as it was designed specifically for SSD media. Connection Interface: SAS/SATA requires multiple controllers and/or adapters, while NVMe interfaces directly with the PCIe Bus. Latency: In contrast to SAS/SATA storage, NVMe media’s I/O path is short and direct, which significantly reduces latency Parallelism: NVMe handles a huge number of parallel I/O operations, and can better utilize multi-core CPUs environments. HighPoint RocketAIC NVMe expansion drives take this a step further by incorporating Broadcom’s industry-leading PCIe switch chipsets to minimize latency, maximize transfer speeds and optimize signal integrity. The technology is integrated directly into the AIC’s board architecture. This unique approach ensures available PCIe bandwidth is never wasted; x4 lanes of bandwidth is available to each hosted NVMe SSD, at all times. Learn More RocketAIC for Mac Pro Workstations

Virtualization solutions, such as an HCI (hyperconverged infrastructure) or VDI (virtual desktop infrastructure) servers utilize unified software applications to replace traditional server hardware. These types of platforms are extremely costly to setup and maintain. The large-scale multi-rack server installations require considerable real estate to house, dedicated IT staff, substantial power draw, and can lead to environmental concerns (heat exhaust or water resources needed for evaporative cooling hardware). As a result, business and organizations, large and small are increasingly adopting HCI and VDI based solutions. HighPoint SSD6200 series NVMe RAID AICs are ideal for such applications. The products were designed to host multiple, bootable virtual drives for both server and client-side services and are natively supported by leading HCI and VDI suites, such as VMware vSAN and ESXi, and Microsoft’s Azure & Hyper-V. The PCIe x8 host interface is universally compatible with any PCIe Gen3 4 or 5 platform, and can deliver up to 7,000MB/s of real-world performance form just a pair of off-the-shelf M.2 SSDs. They are equipped with an impressive array of hardware and software features designed to maximize performance, reliability and serviceability. SSD6200 series AICs provide a feature set that is essential for virtualization solutions Native Driver Support – as embedded devices, SSD6200 series AICs will be automatically recognized by all major HCI, Virtualization and operating system platforms; this includes VMware ESXi, Windows/Windows Server/Hyper-V, any flavor of Linux running kernel v3.10 and later, and FreeBSD/FreeNAS. This equates to plug-and-play installation with streamlined OS updates and patching. Unlike NVMe solutions that require binary drivers, SSD6200 series AICs require no additional downtime, and any hosted SSD/array will remain online and accessible. SSD6200 Series NVMe AICs utilize the Marvel NR2241 controller IC, which is natively supported by VMware platforms. Hardware RAID – SSD6200 series NVMe AICs support RAID 1, 0 and JBOD at the hardware level. In fact, the products allow you to create the arrays using simple switches integrated directly into the AIC; you don’t even need an operating system to get everything up and running. Integrated Boot Security: Mirroring (RAID 1) Protection. Mirroring a bootable SSD will essentially create an automated backup. If the primary disk should fail, the SSD6200 AIC ensures the backup is seamlessly transitioned into its place. This will ensure that the host system remain online, and continue to operate. The redundancy delivered by mirrored configuration is essential for Virtual Machine and hosting solutions, which must remain available for client access on a continual basis. Superior Performance – As NVMe storage solutions, SSD6200 series AICs deliver a level of performance and responsiveness far superior to that of an SAS/SATA SSD. The minimized latency, massive queue depth and dedicated PCIe bandwidth for each SSD work to minimize boot times and can greatly enhance the overall performance of any system disk they are hosting. A sustained transfer speed of over 7000MB/s combined with random IOPs measures in the 100’s of thousands to millions are particularly well suited for a HCI or VDI workflow which must cater to clients with a wide-range of application and use requirements. Ultra-Compact Form Factor – easy to install in compact tower servers and 1U/2U rackmounts. The SSD6202 models in particular, are available in a Half-Height/Half-Length form factor, and directly host the NVMe media. No drive bays or supplemental cooling/power/or cabling related hardware is required. Integrated LED’s, Audible Alarm and OOB Port: These features are ideal for field-service workflows and enable even inexperienced administrators to keep tabs on hosted SSD and arrays with a simple glance. The color-coded LEDs will instantly convey the status of the media (Red – fail or alert / Green – normal/optimal). The OOB port (out-of-band) provides a secure connection to the controller to troubleshoot, diagnose and service outside of an OS. Learn More SSD6200 Series NVMe Hardware RAID AICs RocketAIC 6202 Series PCIe NVMe Expansion Drives RocketAIC 6204 Series PCIe NVMe Expansion Drives

Anyone remotely familiar with PCIe technology will recognize the terms “x1”, “x4”, “x8” and “x16”. They are typically part of a PCIe device’s name or description. The “x” value represents the device’s lane count. In many cases, this numbers represent the PCIe cards performance capabilities (electrical lanes or bandwidth). However, it is best not to take the number at face value. In some cases, “x#” can reflect the card’s physical size or PCIe slot requirement (known as PCIe length or mechanical lanes). This value may or may not correspond with its actual performance capability. Determining a PCIe device’s true electrical and mechanical lane rating is of critical importance when evaluating a high-performance PCIe card, especially an NVMe device, as it (in part) determines how well the SSDs will be able to perform. “x16” is paramount, but you will need to make sure this number isn’t just about the card’s physical requirement, and provided x16 lanes of bandwidth is available, that the card in question can make the most of it. This article attempts to shine a spotlight on the terminology associated with PCIe lanes, and examine the differences between electrical and mechanical lanes. Deciphering PCIe Terminology: Examining the difference between Electrical and Mechanical Lanes How do you determine the card’s true PCIe bandwidth capability and lane speed? As mentioned previously, “x#” of lanes doesn’t always translate directly into the card’s throughput. This article examines “x” lanes terminology; Electrical lanes (the actual PCIe host bandwidth), Mechanical Lanes (the physical size requirement of the AIC), and how the lane count influences storage performance. What is meant by Mechanical and Electrical PCIe lanes? First, let’s examine the following product title: 4x M.2 NVMe SSD to PCIe 3.0 x8 / x16 Adapter Card The first part, “4x M.2 NVMe SSD” suggests the card supports up to four M.2 NVMe SSDs – pretty self-explanatory. The second part of the description “PCIe 3.0 x8 /x16” is a bit more complicated – this refers to the card’s PCIe lanes. In the above example, “PCIe 3.0 x8 / x16” can have two meanings: 1) Mechanical Lane requirement: the type of PCIe slot required by the card (physical connection, to the computer’s motherboard). “x8 / x16” suggests the card can be physically installed into a PCIe slot with x8 or x16 mechanical lanes. This means the card has a mechanical lane rating of x8. How did you determine this, you may ask? To explain, the general rule of thumb for a PCIe connector is that they are upwards compatible; that is, a PCIe card can be physically installed into any PCIe slot with the same “x#” rating, or higher. For example: · a card with x4 mechanical lanes can be physically installed into a x4, x8 or x16 slot · a card rated for x8 mechanical lanes can be installed into a x8 or x16 slot · however, a card with a mechanical lane rating of 16 can only be installed into PCIe slot with x16 mechanical lanes. There are exceptions, of course. Some computers/devices have PCIe slots that are classified as “open-end”, “slotted” or “notched” – this means there is a physical indentation in the slot that enables cards with a high x# mechanical lane rating to be installed. This PCIe x4 slot is “open-ended”. The slot, or cut on the right-hand side of the slot enables it to accept larger PCI cards. 2) Electrical Lanes (PCIe bandwidth): the card’s performance level. This corresponds with the PCIe card’s “Upstream & Downstream Bandwidth” capabilities. In this particular example, we can deduce that the card is rated at x8 electrically. Why you ask? Recall our rule for the Mechanical Lane requirement; x8 is the maximum the card can possibly deliver. In order to provide x16 lanes of bandwidth, the card would have to be equipped with a mechanical x16 connector. And, a mechanical x16 connector is simply too large to insert into a standard slot rated at x8 mechanically. As a general rule, a PCIe device can only provide x# of electrical lanes equal to or lesser than its “x#” mechanical lane rating. For example, a PCIe card rated at x16 mechanically, could potentially provide x16, x8, x4 or even x1 lanes of electrical bandwidth. However, a card with an x4 mechanical rating could only provide x4 or x1 lanes of electrical bandwidth. How do PCIe lanes influence NVMe storage performance? PCIe lanes, or PCIe bandwidth, is really referring to the AIC’s electrical lanes (the actual PCIe lane speed). As a general rule, the higher this value (from x1 to x16) the better – “more lanes” essentially means “more performance”. However, the reasons go far beyond an increasing number. Transfer Speed (Throughput): The most obvious advantage that more lanes provide is the larger performance threshold. A PCIe device rated at x16 provides 16-times the transfer bandwidth as one with an x1 rating. Naturally, x16 is optimal; it provides 16GB/s of bandwidth for PCIe Gen3, and 32 for Gen4. This translates into a real world 14,000MB/s and 28,000MB/s, respectively. This is obviously useful for large SSD configurations, as a single Gen3 SSD can deliver approximately 3,500MB/s, while a Gen4 doubles this to 7,000MB/s. The x16 threshold enables up to four NVMe SSDs to operate at full speed, concurrently. Concurrent I/O (Parallelism): The higher the threshold, the more simultaneous I/O is possible. NVMe SSDs can execute a huge number of concurrent tasks, as their Queue depth (the number of I/O requests that storage device can handle at one time) is far superior to that of an SAS/SATA SSD (tens of thousands, compared to tens or hundreds). The advantage NVMe has over convention storage is eye opening; 64K commands with a depth of 64K vs. 32 commands and a depth of 256. Unsurprisingly, a larger performance threshold (PCIe lane bandwidth) streamlines this process, as a larger number of simultaneous data streams can be sustained. Minimizes Latency: More bandwidth lowers latency. In other words, a wider lane speeds up the follow of traffic, and helps eliminate the risk of a bottleneck. Minimizing latency improves performance on multiple levels. It shortens response times, loads software applications faster, and streamlines file transfer (whether it be read or write). Avoid or Eliminate Performance Bottlenecks: The more lanes that are available to the NVMe storage media, the faster and more efficiently it can operate. NVMe media performs at its best when each SSD has access to x4 lanes. As such, reducing lane count or PCIe generation can seriously degrade performance. An NVMe AIC with insufficient bandwidth will be unable to allocate x4 lanes to each SSD; they will be forced to operate at lower speeds (x2 or even x1). Scalability: The benefits of a higher lane count isn’t exclusive to the AIC in question. A motherboard or computing platform with a larger number of PCIe lanes (both electrical and mechanical) will be able to support faster and/or more NVMe AICs, and enable each hosted SSD perform at optimal speeds. Platforms with healthy lane counts provide more flexibility to an administrator to expand or upgrade NVMe storage to keep pace with critical applications. Conclusion: x16 is ideal, but make sure that bandwidth isn’t going to waste. By now it should be clear how Electrical and Mechanical lanes are related, but different. An electrical lane rating of x16 is what you want to shoot for when evaluating PCIe NVMe AICs; it provides the maximum transfer bandwidth possible for a single PCIe slot, and will help maximize the performance potential of any NVMe configuration. And of course, an x16 bandwidth requires a card slotted for an x16 mechanical slot. However, it’s important to remember that the raw numbers don’t tell the whole story. You will want an NVMe AIC that can allocate the maximum number of lanes to each hosted SSD. HighPoint NVMe AICs and PCIe AIC Drives do exactly that – x4 lanes per SSD to ensure optimal performance. Want to how this is done? Learn More Exploring the Powerhouse: A Deep Dive into PCIe Switch Chipsets for PCIe Gen3-M.2 NVMe Cards HighPoint Gen3 NVMe AICs HighPoint RocketAIC Gen3 PCIe Expansion Drives for Mac Pro HighPoint RocketAIC Gen3 PCIe Expansion Drives for Dell & HP Systems

Identifying the upstream and downstream capabilities of a PCIe device is key to determining the effectiveness of the product. This is especially true for a PCIe NVMe AIC (add-in-card). NVMe SSDs are designed to interface directly with the system CPU via the PCIe bus. Determining whether or not an NVMe AIC can fully utilize the available PCIe bandwidth, and allocate this bandwidth to where it is needed most, allows one to separate the wheat from the chaff. This article explains the functionality and architecture behind the concepts of upstream and downstream, and how they relate to an NVMe-based storage solution. Deciphering PCIe Terminology: How to identify an NVMe AIC’s Upstream & Downstream Bandwidth First, lets’ start with the basics; a brief overview of what Upstream and Downstream bandwidth refers to, and how this is related to a PCIe add-in-card (port types and bandwidth allocation): Upstream Port (USP): The PCIe Switch USP is used to interface with the host computing platform’s PCIe root complex (which serves as a sort of bridge between the CPU, memory and PCIe bus). The bandwidth allocated to this port is referred to the as the Upstream Bandwidth, and is generally denoted by an “x#” value, such as x8 or x16. Downstream Port (DSP): DSPs interface with the PCIe endpoint devices. The bandwidth allocated to the DSPs is referred to as Downstream Bandwidth. In the context of an NVMe AIC, this refers to the NVMe SSDs. Bandwidth Allocation: How the PCIe switch allocates bandwidth (X# of electrical lanes) to the NVMe devices (SSDs in the case of an NVMe AIC). In order to avoid a performance bottleneck when all devices are accessed, the total bandwidth allocated to the DSPs should not exceed what is allocated to the USP. The diagram shown above illustrates HighPoint’s SSD7104/7104F PCIe Gen3 x16 RAID AIC. It allocates x16 lanes of dedicated Upstream Bandwidth, and x4 lanes of Downstream Bandwidth to each of the four M.2 ports. This distribution is ideal; the upstream and downstream bandwidth is perfectly in sync, and x4 lanes are allocated to each SSD (which ensures the product can deliver maximum throughput). How does an AIC Distribute Bandwidth? Ok, so we now understand that the product’s Electrical Lane bandwidth should correspond with its Upstream bandwidth. How do we determine how this bandwidth is distributed Upstream to the system, and Downstream to each NVMe SSD. Identifying Upstream: In terms of an PCIe NVMe AIC, Upstream refers to the maximum electrical lanes the card can output to the system. Most AICs denote this by the “x#” value assigned to the product description, such as the forementioned SSD7105’s “Gen3 x16”. HighPoint makes this easy for customers – our products deliver exactly what is stated by the product name. For a non-HighPoint solution, this is not always the case, as they may be simply referring to the card’s mechanical requirement (type of slot it will fit into). If in doubt, check the published specifications. Identifying Downstream: As mentioned previously, in regards to an NVMe AIC, “Downstream” refers to how bandwidth is distributed to each of the AIC’s NVMe ports. Ideally, the NVMe AIC solution would be capable of allocating x4 lanes per device port. This applies to both PCIe Gen3 and Gen4 NVMe media, and enables the SSD to reach the theoretical maximum throughout. The Upstream and Downstream capabilities of a give NVMe AIC is determined by two things; the AIC’s PCIe Switch Chipset, and AIC’s hardware architecture (how it makes use of the Switch Chipset, if present). What is a switch chipset? A PCIe Switch chipset is chip or set of chips designed to allocate bandwidth (total number of PCIe lanes) to each “port”. Any true high-performance PCIe NVMe AIC will be equipped with dedicated PCIe Switch. When discussing PCIe Switch Chipsets, “port” can refer to an individual device port or the device itself (AIC in this case), as switch chipsets are employed by any number of computing devices (such as a motherboard, AIC or backplane). For the purposes of this article, “port” refers to the AIC’s Upstream Port (connection to the computer) and Downstream ports (NVMe device ports). You can determine much about the capabilities of the AIC if you can identify it’s PCIe Switch chipset. The two major players in the PCIe Switch chipset market are ASmedia and Broadcom. The following describes four of their leading PCIe Gen3 switches. ASmedia ASM2812 – this chipset can deliver 12 total lanes; a maximum of x4 lanes of upstream bandwidth, and x8 lanes of downstream bandwidth that can be distributed to as many as 12 ports in increments of x1, x2, x4 or x8. This chipset is favored by applications that prioritize maximum device support over raw throughput. For example, the x4 lane upstream bandwidth only allows a single NVMe SSD to perform optimally at any one time. It is most commonly employed by entry-level 1-2 port NVMe HBA’s and various motherboard applications. ASmedia ASM2824 – this chipset delivers total 24 lanes; a maximum of x8 lanes of upstream bandwidth, and 16 lanes of downstream bandwidth that can be distributed to as many as 12 ports in increments of x1, x2, x4 or x8. Like the ASM2812, this chipset favors maximum port count over transfer throughput, and is often used for general use NVMe HBAs (1-4 ports) and various motherboard-related PCIe solutions. The x8 upstream bandwidth only allows up to two NVMe devices to operate concurrently at optimal speeds (x4 lanes per SSD). Broadcom PEX8724 – this chipset can deliver a total of 24 lanes, which can be distributed to as many as 6 ports (1 upstream + 5 downstream), in increments of x4 or x8 .The design is flexible; x4 or x8 bandwidth can be allocated to the upstream and downstream ports. Broadcom PEX8747 - this chipset can deliver a total of 48 lanes; it supports a maximum of 5 ports (1 upstream + 4 downstream), with as much x16 lanes assigned to each port. This flexible design allocates x16 lanes to the upstream port, and x32 lanes to as many as 4 downstream ports, in increments of x8 or x16. The dedicated x16 lanes of upstream bandwidth is ideal for high-performance applications; for example, up to four NVMe SSDs can operate concurrently at optimal speeds (x4 lanes). Broadcom PEX8749 – Broadcom refers to the 48-lane, 18-port PEX8749 as a PCIe switch device designed for fan-out aggregation. It is employed by PCIe devices that require additional, more flexible ways to distribute PCIe bandwidth, and features an integrated DMA engine. The DMA engine is ideal for storage devices, as it enables the switch to offload this task from the system CPU, and optimize data transfer between any storage device hosted by its ports. The switch device boasts a huge number of ports, 18 total, which can be allocated x1 to x16 lanes of bandwidth and be assigned to serve as the upstream port, dynamically. HighPoint’s 8-Channel PCIe Gen3 NVMe AICs, such as the SSD7140A and SSD7180, utilize this switch to dynamically allocate up to x4 lanes to each SSD, as needed. Industry’s Fastest & Most Flexible PCIe/NVMe Architecture: HighPoint PCIe Gen3 NVMe solutions employ this chipset (often in combination with the PLX8749) to allocate x4 lanes of bandwidth to each device port. They can also assign lanes on the fly, to ensure nothing is wasted. For example, our SSD7140A 8-port M.2 NVMe RAID AICs, via Broadcom’s PCIe Switch and our unique board design, can allocate up to x4 lanes to each port. Unlike ordinary 8-port controllers, which do not utilize PCIe switches and statically assign bandwidth to each M.2 channel, the SSD7140A will automatically adjust lane assignment on the fly depending on the number of hosted M.2 SSDs and how they are being utilized. Say for example, only half the ports are occupied (4), the card will assign the 4 hosted SSDs x4 lanes of dedicated bandwidth. Conclusion By now, it should be clear that to truly determine the Upstream/Downstream capability of an NVMe AIC or AIC drive, you must consider the number of NVMe SSDs the target device can support, how it is able to distribute bandwidth to each of these SSDs (Downstream), and whether or not the device is able to saturate the PCIe lanes it has been allocated (Upstream). Unlike the majority of NVMe AICs, adapters and HBAs in today’s marketplace, HighPoint PCIe Gen3 NVMe solutions are engineered to take full advantage of x16 lanes of host bandwidth, and actively work to ensure none of it is wasted. Due to our unique hardware architecture, which integrates Broadcom’s leading PEX8747 and PEX8749 Switches, SSD7000 series NVMe AICs and RocketAIC 7000 series NVMe drives allocate the maximum possible host bandwidth to each NVMe device port, and deliver up to 14GB/s (14,000MB/s) of real-world transfer throughput; the maximum possible via a single PCIe 3.0 slot! Our four port models (SSD7105/SSD7104/SSD7104F/SSD7120) allocate a dedicated x4 lanes to each port at all times to fully maximize x16 lanes of bandwidth. Our high-density 8-channel models (SSD7140A, SSD7180, SDSD7184) can dynamically allocate bandwidth to each SSD as needed, to maximize storage capacity without sacrificing transfer throughput. Learn More HighPoint NVMe AIC Hardware Architecture HighPoint NVMe Products with PEX8747 Gen3 PCIe Switches

Advancements in AI, ML and EOT applications are driven by their insatiable need for more and bigger data. Housing all of this information is becoming increasingly difficult and expensive with conventional storage technology. Traditional data center models rely on hugely expensive server infrastructure with massive hardware footprints and resource requirements, and the resulting environmental concerns, are simply unsustainable. The miniaturization of technology has always been a draw, but is now becoming an absolute need. HighPoint has not shied away from this emerging reality. On the contrary, they’ve embraced it in full. HighPoint’s dual-width NVMe RAID AICs and PCIe Expansion drives have ushered in a new era for storage technology. It is now possible to host 60+ TB of blisteringly fast NVMe storage from a single PCIe AIC. One card is all you need; no server racks, no cable forests, no massive power or cooling infrastructure required. Everything you need is now enclosed directly into ultra-compact device that can be easily added into an ordinary desktop computer! Why is a single-slot 60TB Storage Solution a game changer? In the recent past, attaining this level of storage capacity from a single AIC, was impossible outside of U.2/U.3-based solutions. However, U.2/U.3 media requires dedicated cabling and 2.5” drive bays; this means you will need considerable free space inside your system chassis to even consider going this route. HighPoint’s ground-breaking double-wide NVMe AICs change everything. You can now host up to 61.44TB of blazing fast NVMe storage from a single AIC roughly the same size and shape as high-end GPU. Storage media is hosted directly by the HighPoint AIC. As such, this type of solution is far more efficient, both in terms of serviceability and space savings than the traditional U.2/U.3 model. SSD7749 RAID AICs and RocketAIC 7749x series NVMe Drives can be easily installed into any platform capable of hosting a modern dual-width graphics card, including compact tower-chassis and industrial platforms. The lack of additional hardware reduces overhead costs, minimizes point of failure, and simplifies service, repair, replacement and upgrade procedures, as everything is easily accessed forma a single point. More than just a capacity upgrade - Enterprise Class Endurance & Reliability HighPoint’s SSD7749 NVMe RAID AIC and RocketAIC 7749x series PCIe Expansion drives AICs were engineered to host DC class E1.S and 22110 M.2 NVMe media, which offer enterprise grade reliability and ultra-high endurance ratings. Endurance is measured in DWPD, with ratings between 1 and 3 (disk writes per day), as opposed to TBW (total bytes written) for client disks. This puts E1.S on par with U.2/U.3 SSDs. In addition, DC class E1S media is available with Enterprise grade reliability enhancing features, such as PLP, or power-loss protection. PLP equipped SSDs have an extra bank of capacitors that are used to flush data stored in cache directly to permanent flash memory in the event of a power failure. Future Proof The future has never looked brighter; 60TB is just the beginning! 60+ TB from a single card is a massive development. However, don’t be surprised if this number doubles or even triples in the near future. It’s clear from product roadmaps from NVMe storage manufactures that E1.S media is expected to replace 2.5” form-factor devices in the coming years. 15 TB SSDs are before the end of the year (2023), with talk of 30+ TB models for 2024. HighPoint’s dual-width E1.S NVMe solutions effectively future proof modern server or workstation platforms. The tech is fully upwards compatible; administrators are free scale NVMe storage as needed and integrate newer, more advanced E1.S SSDs into existing workflows. HighPoint NVMe Technology is Set to Reshape the Storage Landscape HighPoint’s dual-wide NVMe AICs will change the way companies address their storage needs. Adding high-density storage suitable for today’s most demanding applications to the platform of your choice has never been easier. SSD7749 series E1.S AICs and RocketAIC 7749 series drives enable administrators to quickly add 60TB of class leasing, enterprise-grade storage to any PC platform with a single dual-wide PCIe x16 slot. Learn More SSD7749E - 8x E1.S NVMe RAID AIC SSD7749M - 8x M.2 NVMe RAID AIC RocketAIC 7749EM – NVMe PCIe AIC Drive