Intel

Intel RT3WB080 LSI MegaRAID 8-Port SAS RAID Controller

Name: Intel RT3WB080 LSI MegaRAID 8-Port SAS RAID Controller
Brand: Intel
SKU: RT3WB080

Eight SAS/SATA ports, 256MB of ECC cache, and full RAID 0–60 support in a half-height PCIe 2.0 card that adds enterprise-grade data protection to any compatible server.

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Overview

The Intel RT3WB080 is an 8-port SAS/SATA RAID controller built on the LSI SAS2108 RAID-on-Chip architecture, operating over a PCIe 2.0 x8 host interface. The SAS2108 handles RAID processing entirely on-chip at 6Gb/s per port — meaning the host CPU is not involved in parity calculations, and the controller presents a single logical volume to the operating system regardless of array complexity. The 256MB of embedded ECC DDR2 cache running at 800MHz enables write-back operation: the controller acknowledges writes immediately upon receipt into cache, then flushes to disk asynchronously. This is the key performance mechanism for mixed random I/O workloads — database transaction logs, VM storage, and backup landing zones all benefit measurably from write-back caching versus the write-through alternative. ECC protection in the cache layer prevents silent bit-flip corruption, which is mandatory for any storage deployment where data integrity is non-negotiable.

This controller is built for server integrators, homelabbers, and small business IT teams who need enterprise-class RAID capability without enterprise-class expenditure. The two SFF-8087 connectors support up to eight internal SAS or SATA drives using standard breakout cables, and the half-height low-profile form factor fits the 1U and 2U rack servers where this kind of controller is most commonly deployed. RAID 6 and RAID 60 support makes it suitable for archival and backup arrays where dual-parity protection justifies the write penalty. The practical ceiling is the 6Gb/s SAS generation — this controller does not support 12Gb/s SAS or NVMe, and anyone building a storage system intended to scale with current drive technology should treat the RT3WB080 as a mature, stable choice for existing HDD arrays rather than a foundation for future high-performance NVMe expansion.

Key Features

Embedded 256 MB 800 MHz cache (ECC DDR2 memory) to efficiently store data in transition

Speaker to deliver audible alerts

Two SFF8087 SAS/SATA connectors for up to eight internal ports

x8 PCI Express Generation 2 interface for fast communication with the server board

LSI SAS2108 ROC controller for outstanding performance

Specifications

Brand

Intel

Model

RT3WB080

Controller Chip

LSI SAS2108 ROC

Host Interface

PCI Express 2.0 x8

Ports

8-port SAS/SATA (2x SFF-8087)

Data Transfer Rate

600 MB/s per port (6Gb/s)

Cache

256MB ECC DDR2 @ 800MHz

RAID Levels

0, 1, 5, 6, 10, 50, 60

Form Factor

Half-height, low-profile plug-in card

Audible Alert

Yes (onboard speaker)

Pros & Cons

👍 Pros

Eight ports via two SFF-8087 connectors support up to eight drives from a single half-height card, maximizing density in space-constrained servers
256MB ECC DDR2 cache at 800MHz provides write-back caching that measurably reduces write latency in mixed I/O workloads
PCIe 2.0 x8 interface delivers sufficient bandwidth to prevent the controller from becoming a bottleneck ahead of the drives
LSI SAS2108 ROC (RAID-on-Chip) handles RAID processing on-controller, offloading parity calculations from the host CPU entirely
Support for RAID 6 and RAID 60 enables dual-parity protection on large arrays where single-parity RAID 5 rebuild risk is unacceptable

👎 Cons

Half-height low-profile form factor requires chassis support — will not physically fit in full-height card slots without a bracket swap
256MB cache, while functional, is modest by current standards — large sequential write workloads may saturate it and fall back to write-through mode
No onboard flash-based cache protection — without an optional BBU, a power failure with data in write-back cache can cause corruption
The SAS2108 controller is a legacy LSI chip (6Gb/s generation) — it does not support 12Gb/s SAS drives or NVMe, limiting future storage upgrade paths
Driver and firmware updates for this generation are mature but not actively developed, which can introduce OS compatibility concerns on newer Linux kernels or Windows Server versions

Frequently Asked Questions

What RAID levels does the RT3WB080 support and which should I use for redundancy?

The controller supports RAID 0, 1, 5, 6, 10, 50, and 60. For straightforward redundancy with a small drive count, RAID 1 (mirroring) or RAID 5 (distributed parity, minimum 3 drives) are the practical choices. RAID 6 provides dual-parity protection — it can survive two simultaneous drive failures — which is recommended for arrays using large-capacity drives where rebuild times increase failure-during-rebuild risk.

What is the maximum per-port data transfer rate and what does that mean in practice?

Each of the eight ports delivers up to 600MB/s — this is the 6Gb/s SAS/SATA interface rate. In a RAID configuration, aggregate throughput will depend on the array level and the number of active drives. A RAID 0 or RAID 10 array across multiple 6Gb/s drives can deliver substantially higher aggregate sequential throughput than a single port can.

Does the 256MB ECC cache make a measurable difference in write performance?

Yes. The write-back cache allows the controller to acknowledge writes to the OS before data is committed to disk, which dramatically reduces write latency under mixed I/O workloads. The ECC (Error-Correcting Code) designation means the cache memory self-corrects single-bit errors, preventing silent data corruption in the cache layer — a requirement for any enterprise or production storage use.

Is this card compatible with standard PCIe x8 slots, including x16 physical slots?

Yes. The RT3WB080 uses a PCIe 2.0 x8 electrical interface in a half-height, low-profile form factor. It will seat in any PCIe x8 or x16 slot — including x16 physical slots running x8 electrically. Verify that your server chassis supports half-height low-profile cards, as the RT3WB080 is not a full-height card.

Does this controller require a battery backup unit to protect the write cache?

A Battery Backup Unit (BBU) is strongly recommended if you are using write-back caching mode in a production environment. Without a BBU, a power loss while data is in the cache can result in data loss or corruption. The RT3WB080 is designed to support an optional BBU — check Intel/LSI's compatibility list for supported units for this controller.