Product Brief
Key Features
• Cached data protection for
MegaRAID 95xx, 94xx, and 93xx series adapters.
• NAND flash protects the integrity of cached data in the event the system stops responding, crashes, or experiences 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 email 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-effective 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® 95xx and 94xx Tri-Mode and
MegaRAID 93xx controllers with CacheVault technology provides the industry’s most reliable RAID solution. By using a super capacitor instead of lithium-ion 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-effective 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 highperformance 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 acknowledged 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 (BBUs) 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 super-capacitors, batteries cannot sit on the shelf for a long period of time without requiring re-charging, making inventory management costly. Furthermore, shipping and disposing of lithiumion 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.
The MegaRAID 95xx and 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 95xx and 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.
Maintenance schedule
Maintenance impact
Data recoverable for
CacheVault Technology
None
Time to cache protection Immediate
Capacitor charges in seconds while the system boots
Inventory requirements
Disposal issues
Shipping requirements
None
3+ years
None
None
Standard
Standard Battery Backup (BBU)
The battery should be replaced every
1 to 2 years; battery monitoring is required.
The server must be opened (removed from the rack) and taken offline while the battery is being replaced.
Up to 72 hours, less if the battery is degraded.
Several hours.
Batteries require 4.5 to 9 hours of charging time and 24 to 48 hours for initial capacity test.
Must carefully manage inventory due to limited shelf life requiring recharging.
Need to safely dispose of hazardous battery material.
Special IATA regulations must be met for air shipments.
9460-16i Tri-Mode MegaRAID Adapter and CVPM05
SAS9361-8i MegaRAID Adapter and CVM02
CVM02
MPN 05-25444-00
Super-capacitor model FBU02
CVPM02
05-50038-00
FBU02
CVPM05
05-50039-00
FBU345
MegaRAID controllers supported
9361-8i
9361-4i
9380-8e
9380-4i4e
9361-24i
9361-16i
9380-8i8e
9560-16i
9560-8i
9580-8i8e
9460-16i
9460-8i
9480-8i8e
9365-28i*
Super-capacitor
Mounting clip/screws
620-mm cable
Kit contents Flash module
Super-capacitor
Mounting clip/screws
240-mm cable
620-mm cable
No
Super-capacitor
Mounting clip/screws
240-mm cable
620-mm cable
Compatible with previous generations of
MegaRAID adapters
Yes
Super-capacitor supports SAS2208, 3108,
3116, or 3124 based adapters
0°C to 55°C
No
Operating temperature
Storage temperature
Shrink-wrap color
0°C to 55°C
–40°C to 70°C
Black
–40°C to 70°C
Black
0°C to 55°C
–40°C to 70°C
White
* The 9365-28i is a SAS3508-based adapter, but is not Tri-Mode capable. It requires use of CVPM05 instead of CVPM02.
CacheVault Technology
Product Brief
Cache Vault Power Module Dimensions
The CVPM dimensions are shown in the following figure.
75.0 ±5.0
13.1 ±0.4
51.0 ± 1.0
64.0 ± 1.0
Units = mm
The figure represents CVPM02. CVPM05 uses a Molex 43025-0800 connector, but the dimension of 75.0 mm from the capacitor to the connector edge remains the same.
Optional Remote Mount Board
Available separately is an optional remote mounting board for customers to remotely mount their CacheVault super-capacitor in an open PCIe slot. The remote mounting board allows one or two super-capacitors to be attached and plugs into an empty PCIe slot. This product can be ordered using part number L5-25376-00.
For more product information: broadcom.com
Copyright © 2018–2021 Broadcom. All Rights Reserved. Broadcom, the pulse logo, Connecting everything, CacheVault, and
MegaRAID are among the trademarks of Broadcom. The term “Broadcom” refers to Broadcom Inc. and/or its subsidiaries.
BC-0497EN January 19, 2021
