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Green circuit board with eight internal SAS ports and a silver bracket

LSI

LSI 9211-8i 6Gbps SAS HBA PCIe 3.0 x8 8-port IT Mode P20

SKU CH-1GHH-X6J68

Eight-port SAS/SATA host bus adapter with PCIe 3.0 x8 connectivity and IT-mode firmware for ZFS and unRAID use

  • IT mode firmware enables direct drive control for ZFS and unRAID
  • LSI SAS2008 chipset delivers 6Gbps SAS and SATA connectivity
  • PCIe 3.0 x8 interface provides eight internal ports for high-density storage
  • Includes both high-profile and low-profile brackets for flexible chassis fit
  • Firmware version 20.00.07.00 pre-flashed for immediate IT mode operation

Eight-port SAS HBA for ZFS arrays

The LSI 9211-8i adds eight 6Gbps SAS and SATA connections over a PCIe 3.0 x8 slot, making it a practical choice for builders assembling ZFS, FreeNAS or unRAID storage servers that need direct drive access without RAID abstraction.

IT mode firmware and dual brackets change deployment

Firmware version 20.00.07.00 runs in IT mode so the operating system manages every drive directly, which is required by ZFS and similar filesystems; the box includes both a high-profile and a low-profile bracket so the card fits full-height and slim chassis without extra parts.

Straightforward install but verify slot wiring

The card seats in any PCIe 3.0 x8 or wider slot and needs no auxiliary power, yet some motherboards wire x8 slots at x4 electrical speed which halves throughput; builders who need all eight ports at full 6Gbps should confirm the slot runs x8 electrically before purchasing.

Highlights

  • IT mode firmware enables direct drive control for ZFS and unRAID
  • LSI SAS2008 chipset delivers 6Gbps SAS and SATA connectivity
  • PCIe 3.0 x8 interface provides eight internal ports for high-density storage
  • Includes both high-profile and low-profile brackets for flexible chassis fit
  • Firmware version 20.00.07.00 pre-flashed for immediate IT mode operation

Specifications

No published specifications for this item yet.

Questions about this item

Does the LSI SAS2008 controller on the 9211-8i need firmware updates after installing IT Mode P20?

The card ships with firmware 20.00.07.00 already flashed to IT Mode P20, so no further flashing is required unless a later LSI release specifically addresses a bug you encounter.

What throughput ceiling appears first when all eight ports run at 6Gbps SAS on a PCIe 3.0 x8 slot?

Eight lanes of PCIe 3.0 deliver roughly 8 GB/s, while eight 6Gbps SAS lanes max out near 6 GB/s, so the SAS link speed is the first bottleneck under sustained load.

How much heat does the 9211-8i produce when driving eight drives continuously?

The SAS2008 chipset is a low-power design with no onboard fan; in an 8-drive array it runs warm but stays within spec as long as the case provides steady airflow over the heatsink.

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