Microchip launches Adaptec SmartRAID 4300 accelerators
Author: Joe Peck
Semiconductor manufacturer Microchip Technology has introduced the Adaptec SmartRAID 4300 series, a new family of NVMe RAID storage accelerators designed for use in server OEM platforms, storage systems, data centres, and enterprise environments.
The series aims to support scalable, software-defined storage (SDS) solutions, particularly for high-performance workloads in AI-focused data centres.
The SmartRAID 4300 series uses a disaggregated architecture, separating software and hardware elements to improve efficiency.
The accelerators integrate with Microchip’s PCIe-based storage controllers to offload key RAID processes from the host CPU, while the main storage software stack runs directly on the host system.
This approach allows data to flow at native PCIe speeds, while offloading parity-based functions such as XOR to dedicated accelerator hardware.
According to internal testing by Microchip, the new architecture has delivered input/output (I/O) performance gains of up to seven times compared with the company’s previous generation products.
Architecture and capabilities
The SmartRAID 4300 accelerators are designed to work with Gen 4 and Gen 5 PCIe host CPUs and can support up to 32 CPU-attached x4 NVMe devices and 64 logical drives or RAID arrays.
This is intended to help address data bottlenecks common in conventional in-line storage solutions by taking advantage of expanded host PCIe infrastructure.
By removing the reliance on a single PCIe slot for all data traffic, Microchip aims to deliver greater performance and system scalability. Storage operations such as writes now occur directly between the host CPU and the NVMe endpoints, while the accelerator handles redundancy tasks.
Brian McCarson, Corporate Vice President of Microchip’s Data Centre Solutions Business Unit, says, “Our innovative solution with separate software and hardware addresses the limitations of traditional architectures that rely on a PCIe host interface slot for all data flows.
“The SmartRAID 4300 series allows us to enhance performance, efficiency, and adaptability to better support modern enterprise infrastructure systems.”
Power efficiency and security
Power optimisation features include automatic idling of processor cores and autonomous power reduction mechanisms.
To help maintain data integrity and system security, the SmartRAID 4300 series incorporates features such as secure boot and update, hardware root of trust, attestation, and Self-Encrypting Drive (SED) support.
Management tools and compatibility
The series is supported by Microchip’s Adaptec maxView management software, which includes an HTML5-based web interface, the ARCCONF command line tool, and plug-ins for both local and remote management.
The tools are accessible through standard desktop and mobile browsers and are designed to remain compatible with existing Adaptec SmartRAID utilities.
For out-of-band management via Baseboard Management Controllers (BMCs), the series supports Distributed Management Task Force (DMTF) standards, including Platform-Level Data Model (PLDM) and Redfish Device Enablement (RDE), using MCTP protocol.
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