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Intel RS2MB044 Raid Controller

Enterprise-grade 6Gb/s SAS/SATA RAID controller with 8 ports and support for up to 240 drives.

$109.00*
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*Price sourced from Amazon.com. Last updated:Jun 27, 2026.Price and availability are subject to change.

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Overview

The Intel RAID Controller RS2MB044 is a mainstream storage controller built around the LSI2108 IO processor, designed for server environments that require dependable data protection and room to grow. With four internal and four external 6Gb/s SAS/SATA ports, it accommodates drives mounted inside the chassis while also supporting external JBOD enclosures for scalable expansion. The controller handles RAID levels 0, 1, 5, 6, 10, 50, and 60, covering everything from simple striping and mirroring to advanced dual-parity configurations across large drive arrays.

Equipped with 512MB of embedded DDR2 cache memory, the RS2MB044 buffers read and write operations to improve throughput under mixed workloads. Its low-profile MD2 board form factor and PCI Express 2.0 x8 host interface make it compatible with a wide range of rack-mount and tower servers. The controller supports up to 240 connected devices, so even complex multi-enclosure storage topologies are within reach. Optional battery backup units (AXXRSBBU7 or AXXRSBBU8) protect the write-back cache during unexpected power events, and the retail package includes SAS cables to get you started without additional purchases.

Key Features

IO Processor Model: LSI2108

PCIe Host Interface: PCI Express 2.0 x8

Embedded Memory: 512MB

# of Devices Supported: 240

# of Ports External: 4

# of Ports Internal: 4

RAID Level Supported: 0,1,5,6,10,50,60

Compatible Battery Backup Options: AXXRSBBU7 or AXXRSBBU8

Supported Devices: SAS/SATA Devices

Data Transfer Rate: 6 Gb/s

Board Form Factor: Low-Profile MD2

Target Market: Mainstream

Status: Launched

Description: Mainstream 6G SAS RAID controller with 4 internal and 4 external ports for SAS/SATA drives.Retail SKU includes cables.

Specifications

IO Processor
LSI2108
Host Interface
PCI Express 2.0 x8
Embedded Memory
512MB
Devices Supported
Up to 240
Internal Ports
4
External Ports
4
RAID Levels
0, 1, 5, 6, 10, 50, 60
Data Transfer Rate
6 Gb/s
Supported Devices
SAS/SATA
Board Form Factor
Low-Profile MD2
Compatible Battery Backup
AXXRSBBU7 or AXXRSBBU8

Pros & Cons

👍 Pros

  • Supports up to 240 devices, providing substantial room for storage expansion
  • Eight total ports (four internal, four external) enable both local and JBOD-attached storage in a single controller
  • Wide range of RAID levels including 50 and 60 for large multi-drive arrays
  • 512MB embedded cache memory helps accelerate read and write operations
  • Low-profile MD2 form factor fits compact server chassis without an adapter bracket

👎 Cons

  • PCI Express 2.0 x8 interface is outdated compared to current PCIe 3.0 and 4.0 controllers
  • 6Gb/s data transfer rate does not take advantage of faster 12Gb/s SAS drives
  • Battery backup unit must be purchased separately to protect the write cache
  • No onboard encryption support for self-encrypting drives

Frequently Asked Questions

The RS2MB044 supports RAID levels 0, 1, 5, 6, 10, 50, and 60, giving you flexibility to balance performance, capacity, and redundancy for your specific workload.
Yes. The RS2MB044 has four internal SAS/SATA ports for drives inside your server and four external ports for connecting JBOD enclosures, allowing you to scale storage externally as needed.
The RS2MB044 is compatible with the Intel AXXRSBBU7 and AXXRSBBU8 battery backup units, which protect cached data during a power loss.
Yes, the retail SKU of the RS2MB044 includes the necessary SAS cables for connecting your drives.
It uses a PCI Express 2.0 x8 interface and features a low-profile MD2 form factor, so it fits in both full-height and low-profile server chassis.

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