{"product_id":"lsi-logic-megaraid-sas-9361-8i-controller-card-reliable-raid-8-port","title":"LSI Logic MegaRAID SAS 9361-8i Controller Card - Reliable RAID 8-Port","description":"\u003cp\u003eOur review of the LSI Logic MegaRAID SAS 9361-8i finds it best suited for system builders and IT professionals who need a robust, hardware RAID controller with broad SATA and SAS compatibility. The card delivers dependable RAID handling with support for RAID 0, 1, 5, 6, 10, 50 and 60 and a dedicated 2GB cache, making it a solid choice where data integrity and throughput matter. It is a practical, low-profile PCIe 3.0 x8 solution for servers or workstations that require 12 gbps SAS links and up to eight external or internal ports without investing in an enterprise SAN appliance.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eKey Features\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003e8-Port Connectivity:\u003c\/strong\u003e Eight SAS\/SATA ports provide flexible connection for multiple drives, simplifying expansion and enclosure support.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003e2GB Cache:\u003c\/strong\u003e The onboard 2GB cache helps smooth burst I\/O and improve write performance under mixed workloads.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eRAID Level Support:\u003c\/strong\u003e Hardware support for RAID 0, 1, 5, 6, 10, 50, and 60 delivers a range of redundancy and performance options for different use cases.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHigh Throughput Interface:\u003c\/strong\u003e PCI Express 3.0 x8 and 12 gbps SAS links offer headroom for high-bandwidth storage arrays and fast SSDs.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLow Profile Form Factor:\u003c\/strong\u003e Low profile design makes the card compatible with compact server and workstation chassis where space is limited.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWho It's For\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe MegaRAID SAS 9361-8i is aimed at IT professionals, homelab enthusiasts, and small business servers that need reliable, hardware-accelerated RAID without moving to proprietary controller ecosystems. It is well suited to environments combining SATA 6gb\/s drives and SAS 12gb\/s devices where manageability and redundancy are priorities.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThose who should look elsewhere include casual desktop users who never run RAID arrays or anyone seeking a turnkey external storage appliance with bundled enclosures and warranties; this card is a component-level solution that expects familiarity with RAID configuration and driver installation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003ePros \u0026amp; Cons\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePros\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRobust hardware RAID support across multiple levels provides flexibility for redundancy and performance.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e2GB of onboard cache improves sustained write performance in I\/O-heavy tasks.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePCIe 3.0 x8 and 12 gbps SAS support give strong throughput for mixed SAS\/SATA arrays.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCons\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAs a component card, it requires driver setup and RAID configuration, so it is not plug-and-play for inexperienced users.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eSpecifications\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBrand\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eLSI Logic\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eModel\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMegaRAID SAS 9361-8i\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePorts\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e8 SATA\/SAS ports\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eCache\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e2GB onboard\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eRAID Levels\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e0, 1, 5, 6, 10, 50, 60\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eInterface\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePCI Express 3.0 x8\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eDrive Speeds\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSATA 6gb\/s, SAS 12gb\/s\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eOur Verdict\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe LSI Logic MegaRAID SAS 9361-8i is a dependable, value-oriented RAID controller for servers and advanced workstations that need hardware RAID, strong throughput, and multi-drive flexibility. IT pros and builders will appreciate the 2GB cache and broad RAID level support; those comfortable with driver installation and array configuration will find it a practical way to add enterprise-style redundancy and performance without excessive cost.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eFrequently Asked Questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDoes this card support both SATA and SAS drives?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eYes. It supports SATA 6gb\/s and SAS 12gb\/s devices on its eight ports.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat interface is required on the host system?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe card uses PCI Express 3.0 x8 and requires an available x8 or larger PCIe slot.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhich RAID levels can it handle?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIt supports RAID 0, 1, 5, 6, 10, 50, and 60 for a wide range of redundancy and performance configurations.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"LSI Logic","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48187924906203,"sku":"B015QE3MVI","price":110.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0724\/1043\/1707\/files\/61WhYQj5A2L._SL1280.jpg?v=1769438674","url":"https:\/\/gearmusthave.com\/products\/lsi-logic-megaraid-sas-9361-8i-controller-card-reliable-raid-8-port","provider":"GearMustHave","version":"1.0","type":"link"}