LSI 8P 12G IT Mode FreeNAS Host Bus Adapter (HBA) SAS 9300-8i SAS3008 Controller YZCA-00424-101 (LOT OF 10)

(LOT OF 10) LSI 8 Port 12G IT Mode FreeNAS Host Bus Adapter (HBA) SAS 9300-8i SAS3008 Controller YZCA-00424-101

Related Part Numbers

YPCB-00424-1P2, SAS 9300-8i, SAS3008-i, 9300-8i

Overview

The LSI SAS 9300-8i is an enterprise-grade Host Bus Adapter (HBA) built on the Broadcom SAS3008 controller. It is widely used in high-performance storage environments and is especially popular for software-defined storage platforms like FreeNAS/TrueNAS, unRAID, and ZFS when flashed to IT Mode, enabling direct disk passthrough without RAID abstraction.

Technical Specifications

• I/O Controller: Broadcom / LSI SAS3008
• Port Count: 8 internal ports
• Interface: PCIe 3.0 x8
• Data Transfer Rates:
  • 12Gb/s SAS
  • 6Gb/s SATA (backward compatible with 3Gb/s)
• Internal Connectors: 2 × Mini-SAS HD (SFF-8643)
• Form Factor: Low-profile / Full-height (includes both brackets depending on configuration)
• Device Support: Up to 1024 SAS/SATA devices via expanders
• Performance: Up to ~1,000,000 IOPS

Key Features

• IT Mode (Initiator Target):
  Pre-configured or flashable to IT Mode firmware (P16 or later), allowing direct drive access—ideal for ZFS, TrueNAS, and unRAID environments.
• High Bandwidth Controller:
  Built on the SAS3008 chipset, delivering improved throughput over previous 6Gb/s HBAs.
• Flexible Connectivity:
  Supports direct connection of up to 8 drives using breakout cables (SFF-8643 to 4× SATA or SAS).
• Broad Compatibility:
  Works with SAS and SATA drives across multiple generations (12G / 6G / 3G).
• Scalability:
  Expandable to large storage arrays using SAS expanders.

Compatibility

Operating Systems:

• Windows Server
• Linux (RHEL, SUSE, Ubuntu, Debian)
• VMware ESXi
• FreeBSD
• Proxmox

Platforms & Use Cases:

• ZFS-based systems (TrueNAS / FreeNAS)
• unRAID servers
• Software-defined storage (SDS)
• Home labs and enterprise storage nodes

Important Notes

• Cooling Requirement:
  Requires adequate airflow; SAS3008 controllers run hot under load.
• Cabling:
  Uses SFF-8643 breakout cables for SATA/SAS drive connectivity.
• No Hardware RAID in IT Mode:
  Designed for passthrough operation—RAID is handled by the OS/software layer.

Summary

The LSI SAS 9300-8i is a high-performance, reliable 12Gb/s HBA ideal for modern storage builds. In IT Mode, it provides direct, unbuffered access to drives, making it a top choice for ZFS, TrueNAS, and unRAID deployments requiring maximum control and flexibility.