Why RAID Controller Selection Matters
A RAID controller determines your storage subsystem's reliability, performance, and capacity efficiency. Choosing between MegaRAID 9361, 9460, and 9560 directly impacts IOPS, throughput, and whether your storage can support NVMe.
Specifications Comparison
| Specification | 9361-8i | 9460-16i | 9560-16i |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAS Generation | SAS 3.0 (12Gb/s) | SAS 4.0 (24Gb/s) | Tri-Mode (SAS/NVMe) |
| Physical Ports | 8 | 16 | 16 |
| Max Devices | 64 | 256 | 255 |
| Cache Size | 1GB DDR3 | 4GB DDR4 | 8GB DDR4 |
| RAID Levels | 0/1/5/6/10/50/60 | 0/1/5/6/10/50/60 | 0/1/5/6/10/50/60 |
| NVMe Support | No | No | Yes (NVMe-oF) |
| SecureBoot | No | Yes | Yes |
9361-8i: The Cost-Effective SAS Classic
Most widely deployed enterprise RAID controller. Suitable for general-purpose servers (HPE DL380, Dell R740), virtualization hosts, database servers, and backup/archive with RAID-6.
Key limitation: No NVMe support.
9460-16i: The Mid-Range SAS 24Gb/s
16 internal ports, 4GB cache, SAS 24Gb/s. Best for high-density storage and dense server configurations. Key limitation: Still no NVMe.
9560-16i: The Tri-Mode NVMe-Ready Controller
Supports SAS, SATA, and NVMe simultaneously. 8GB cache, NVMe-oF, SecureBoot. Best for all-flash NVMe arrays, hybrid storage, and security-compliant deployments. Key advantage: Tri-Mode eliminates need for separate HBA cards for NVMe SSDs.
RAID Level Guide
| RAID | Min Drives | Efficiency | Best Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|
| RAID-0 | 1 | 100% | Cache/temp data |
| RAID-1 | 2 | 50% | OS boot, critical logs |
| RAID-5 | 3 | (n-1)/n | Read-heavy workloads |
| RAID-6 | 4 | (n-2)/n | High-capacity backup |
| RAID-10 | 4 | 50% | Database, virtualization, AI data |
Frequently Asked Questions
Can 9361-8i work with NVMe SSDs?
No. NVMe SSDs connect via PCIe, not SAS. Use 9560-16i for NVMe, or connect NVMe SSDs directly to PCIe slots.
RAID-6 rebuild time on 9361-8i?
12 x 8TB SAS HDDs: 18-36 hours depending on I/O load. SSDs reduce rebuild to 2-4 hours.
Browse our RAID controllers collection for current inventory.