Intel Smart Response Cache drive now available on Z68 platforms

[Maestro]

Intel® Smart Response Technology is an Intel® Rapid Storage Technology (RST) caching feature that improves computer system performance. It allows a user to configure computer systems with an SSD used as cache memory between the hard disk drive and system memory. This provides the advantage of having a hard disk drive (or a RAID volume) for maximum storage capacity while delivering an SSD-like overall system performance experience. Intel® Smart Response Technology caching is implemented as a single drive letter solution; no additional drive letter is required for the SSD device used as cache.

Basically, you will see upto 4x speed increase on a standard 7200rpm HDD drive. So you can have a large 1TB / 2TB system drive with SSD like performance, far cheaper than buying an large SSD.

The cache drive we are starting with has been desingned for this particualr technology and is the Intel 311 series 20GB SSD.

 

[DeadEyeDuk]

I don't know what this is, but I'm very excited!!!!...


...LOUD NOISES!!!

 

[jakeydoo]

So if i have understood this correctly it doesn't really matter which standard cache the HD has (32mb or 64mb) and it will use the SSD 20gb as the cache instead.

 

[philwil]

Could you just clarify this for a simple man?

Are you saying that if I buy a system with a Z68 motherboard and something like a Caviar Black HD, I can expect to get close to the same performance and speed that I would expect from an SSD?

If so, can I still partition the HD and get the same performance across all partitions?

And will PCS configure the system in this regard for me, before dispatch?

 

[PCS]

Could you just clarify this for a simple man?

Are you saying that if I buy a system with a Z68 motherboard and something like a Caviar Black HD, I can expect to get close to the same performance and speed that I would expect from an SSD?

If so, can I still partition the HD and get the same performance across all partitions?

And will PCS configure the system in this regard for me, before dispatch?

You can expect to get similar performance providing you order the 20GB SSD cache drive on the Z68 platform. You can still partition your hard drive as needed.

 

[philwil]

Thanks for the reply. Further question: I'm assuming I would leave the 20GB SSD empty, and you would install the OS on the first partition of the main HD. Is that so?

 

[Maestro]

You dont get a choice. Once the ssd is set as the cache drive it simply dissappears, and starts working as the cache drive for your designated HDD.