Broadcom CacheVault User Manual

Product Brief

Key Features

• Cached Data Protection for
MegaRAID 93xx and 94xx series
adapters

• NAND flash protects the integrity of
cached data in the event of system
hangs, crashes, kernel panics, or
power failures

• Automatically transfers cached
data to flash storage when a power
failure occurs

• Eliminates the need for Lithium-ION
batteries and associated hardware
maintenance cost, resulting in a
greener, lower total cost cache
protection solution

• Does not require special IATA
shipping compliance

• Suitable for file, web, database, and
e-mail servers; storage appliances,
high-performance computing,
digital content, medical imaging,
and similar applications.

CacheVault™ Technology

CVM02, CVPM02, and CVPM05 Optional Accessory
Modules Enable Flash Cache Protection for 12Gb/s
SAS/SATA/NVMe PCIe RAID Controllers

MegaRAID® and CacheVault™ Technologies Deliver
Lower Total Cost and Longer Life Cache Protection

Data center managers and architects are expected to do more than
ever, including protecting rapidly expanding volumes of data, meeting
performance requirements of mission-critical applications, and
implementing a variety of green, low-cost initiatives.

RAID caching is a cost-eective way to improve I/O performance by
writing data to a controller’s cache before it is written to disk. However, in
the event of a power or server failure, the writes in cache may be lost.

CacheVault technology prevents data loss by powering critical components
of the card long enough to automatically transfer the cached data to
NAND flash. Once power returns, the data is restored to the cache and
normal operation resumes.

Combining the Broadcom MegaRAID 94xx Tri-Mode and 93xx MegaRAID
controllers with CacheVault technology provides the industry’s most
reliable RAID solution. By using a super capacitor instead of Lithium­ION batteries, CacheVault technology virtually eliminates hardware
maintenance costs associated with batteries, lowers total cost of ownership
over the life of the controller card, and provides more environmentally
friendly cache protection, all while maintaining optimal RAID performance.

Write-Back Cache Protection

The CacheVault CVPM02 and CVPM05 energy backup modules protect
the write-back cache function that hardware RAID controller users require.
RAID caching is a cost-eective way to improve I/O performance by
writing data to a controller’s cache before it is written to disk. Write-back
cache improves application performance by storing write data to high
performance cache memory during periods of heavy use. Where there is a
break in user requests, the data is written from the cache memory to the
array.

During normal write-back operation, data is written to cache (DRAM), the
I/O is acknowledged as “complete” to the application that issued the write,
and later the write is flushed to disk. If power is lost while write-back cache
is enabled, the writes in DRAM may be lost. Since the controller has already
acknowledge the I/O as complete, the application is unaware of the data
loss.

CacheVault Technology

Product Brief

Benefits of CacheVault
Technology vs. BBUs

Older generations of RAID
controllers used lithium-ion-based
battery backup units to keep the
data resonate in the cache memory
until power could be restored. Data
was only available for up to 72
hours. Over the life of a controller,
the battery will need to be replaced
numerous times, as it is only good
for about 1 ½ years, which increases
cost of ownership. Unlike super­capacitors, batteries cannot sit
on the shelf for a long period of
time without requiring re-charging,
making inventory management
costly. Further, shipping and
disposing lithium-ion batteries
require special considerations
and fees.

Simple Installation

The MegaRAID 93xx 12Gb/s SAS/
SATA adapters enable CacheVault
protection with the CVFM02 kit.
This kit includes both the super­capacitor and a separate flash
module that attaches to the base
adapter.

CacheVault Technology Standard Battery Backup (BBU)

Maintenance schedule None Battery should be replaced every 1 to 2

Maintenance impact None Server must be opened (removed from

Data recoverable for 3+ years Up to 72 hours, less if battery degraded

Time to cache protection Immediate

Capacitor charges in seconds
while the system boots

Inventory requirements None Must carefully manage inventory due to

Disposal issues None Need to safely dispose of hazardous

Shipping requirements Standard Special IATA regulations must be met

9460-16i Tri-Mode MegaRAID Adapter
and CVPM05

years, battery monitoring required

rack) and taken oine while the battery
is being replaced

Several Hours
Batteries require 4.5 to 9 hours
charging time and 24 to 48 hours for
initial capacity test

limited shelf life requiring re-charging

battery material

for air shipments

SAS9361-8i MegaRAID Adapter
and CVM02

The MegaRAID 94xx Tri-Mode
series adapters have the flash
embedded on the adapter
board. CacheVault technology is
added by attaching the CVPM05
module. A separate flash module
is not necessary when using the
MegaRAID 94xx Tri-Mode adapter
series.

Both kits include cables and
optional mounting clips that can be
used to mount the super-capacitor
based on the system architect’s
preference. A remote mount
board that can be used to mount
the super-capacitor in an empty
PCI Express slot is also available
separately.

CVM02 CVPM02 CVPM05

MPN 05-25444-00 05-50038-00 05-50039-00

Super-Capacitor Model FBU02 FBU02 FBU345

MegaRAID controllers
supported

Kit Contents Flash module

Compatible with pre­vious generations of
MegaRAID adapters

Operating
Temperature

Storage Temperature –40°C to 70°C –40°C to 70°C –40°C to 70°C

Shrink Wrap Color Black Black White

* The 9365-28i is a SAS3508-based adapter, but is not a Tri-Mode capable. It requires use of CVPM05 instead of CVPM02.

9361-8i
9361-4i
9380-8e
9380-4i4e

Super-capacitor
Mounting clip/screws
240 mm cable
620 mm cable

No Yes

0°C to 55°C 0°C to 55°C 0°C to 55°C

9361-24i
9361-16i
9380-8i8e

Super-capacitor
Mounting clip/screws
240 mm cable
620 mm cable

Super-capacitor sup­ports SAS2208, 3108,
3116, or 3124 based
adapters

9460-16i
9460-8i
9480-8i8e
9365-28i*

Super-capacitor
Mounting clip/screws
620 mm cable

No

CacheVault Technology