Intel, LSI To Improve Security On Xeon-Based RAID Technology

Intel and LSI said Monday they have agreed to co-develop RAID technology for data protection on servers and workstations built on Intel's upcoming Treemont RAID technology for the Xeon-based platform.

The technical collaboration will combine Treemont with LSI's MegaRAID software. RAID, or redundant arrays of independent disks, is an umbrella term for computer data storage schemes that divide and replicate data across multiple hard disk drives.

Intel's Treemont technology is meant to improve data protection at a hardware level in RAID environments. LSI's software also focuses on data security, as well as fault prevention and recovery. By leveraging Treemont, LSI software can be used on a broader range of Intel-based severs and workstations.

"With this collaboration we are redefining how advanced data protection will be deployed on Intel Xeon server and workstation platforms," Diane Bryant, VP of Intel's digital enterprise group, said in a statement.

Intel and LSI have collaborated since 1999 to deliver RAID technology based on Intel I/O processors. The companies announced the expansion of their partnership at Storage Networking World in Orlando, Fla.

Also at the storage conference Monday, Intel rival Advanced Micro Devices introduced a reference design kit for the Storage Bridge Bay 2.0 specification based on the AMD Athlon processor. The SBB defines mechanical, electrical, and low-level enclosure management requirements for a slot that supports storage controllers from a variety of independent hardware and system vendors.

The RDK is meant to simplify the design process and provide a standardized platform powered by AMD's Direct Connect Architecture. The DCA is the I/O architecture of AMD's Athlon, Opteron, and Phenom microprocessors.