Areca ARC-1203-2i

2-drive internal SATA hardware RAID controller

The Areca ARC-1203-2i is a two-port internal hardware RAID adapter for SATA HDDs and SSDs, combining a PCIe 2.0 x1 host interface with two discrete 6Gb/s SATA drive connectors.

A dedicated 1066 MHz storage processor and 512MB of DDR3-1066 cache provide hardware RAID processing independently of the host CPU. The controller supports RAID 0, RAID 1, JBOD and Single Disk configurations, together with online RAID migration and capacity expansion.

The low-profile adapter also supports an optional battery backup module, SMART monitoring, self-encrypting drives and browser, BIOS and command-line management.

  • Two internal 6Gb/s SATA drive ports
  • PCIe 2.0 x1 host interface
  • 512MB DDR3-1066 on-board cache
  • RAID 0, RAID 1, JBOD and Single Disk support
  • Supports SATA HDDs and SSDs
Category: SAS/SATA RAID PCIe Cards
SKU: ARC-1203-2i
Brand: Areca Technology

Original price was: £ 270.20.Current price is: £ 224.95. | £ 269.94 inc VAT

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Areca ARC-1203-2i Product Overview

The ARC-1203-2i connects up to 2 SATA HDDs or SSDs through two individual SATA connectors. It uses a PCIe 2.0 x1 host connection.


RAID planning

Two equal 4TB drives in RAID1 provide approximately 4TB usable before formatting and filesystem overhead. RAID0 combines capacity without drive-failure protection; neither mode replaces a backup.


Installation planning

Match the controller connectors to the drive cabling or backplane. SATA port speed is not a guarantee of aggregate host throughput. Confirm airflow and operating-system support for the intended chassis.

Areca ARC-1203-2i Key Features

  • 2-port internal 6Gb/s SATA hardware RAID adapter
  • PCIe 2.0 x1 host interface
  • Two discrete internal SATA latch connectors
  • Supports up to two SATA HDDs or SSDs
  • Up to 6Gb/s transfer rate per SATA port
  • 1066 MHz dedicated storage processor
  • 512MB DDR3-1066 on-board cache
  • Write-through and write-back cache support
  • RAID 0, RAID 1, JBOD and Single Disk modes
  • Configurable stripe size up to 1024KB
  • Online RAID-level and stripe-size migration
  • Online capacity expansion
  • Automatic drive insertion/removal detection and rebuilding
  • Native 4K and 512-byte sector SATA device support
  • Support for drives and volume sets larger than 2TB
  • Self-encrypting drive management
  • SMART drive-status monitoring
  • Optional battery backup module support
  • Redundant firmware flash image
  • McRAID, McBIOS, CLI and ArcSAP management
  • Low-profile PCIe card form factor

Areca ARC-1203-2i Technical Specifications

ManufacturerAreca Technology
Model / Manufacturer Part NumberARC-1203-2i
Product Type2-port internal 6Gb/s SATA hardware RAID adapter
Storage Processor1066 MHz
Cache Memory512MB DDR3-1066 on-board SDRAM
Cache ModesWrite-through and write-back
Host Bus InterfacePCIe 2.0 x1
Drive Connectors2 x discrete SATA latch connectors
Drive Ports2 x internal 6Gb/s SATA
Maximum Drives2
Supported DrivesSATA HDDs and SSDs
Data Transfer RateUp to 6Gb/s per port
RAID Levels / ModesRAID 0, RAID 1, JBOD and Single Disk
Maximum Stripe Size1024KB
Sector SupportNative 4K and 512-byte sector SATA devices
Large Drive / Volume SupportGreater than 2TB per drive and volume set
Self-Encrypting Drive SupportYes
Battery BackupOptional Areca BBM supported
Firmware ProtectionRedundant flash image
ManagementMcRAID Storage Manager, McBIOS, CLI, ArcSAP
Monitoring / NotificationActivity/fault indicators, alarm buzzer, SMTP, SNMP
Form FactorPCI half-length / low-profile
Dimensions134 x 64 mm
Typical Power Dissipation8W
Regulatory CertificationCE, FCC

Areca Technology Delivery Information

In general, next working day delivery services (UK Mainland) are available on Areca equipment orders placed before 2pm (subject to stock availability).

We kindly advise you let us preconfigure each Areca RAID (as RAID5, RAID6 etc), so they arrive properly setup, ready to “plug’n’play”.

This is a free service, and takes 1-2 days prior to shipping.

Non-timed deliveries should be delivered between the hours of 9am and 6pm.

Orders placed after 2pm on Fridays and on weekends will be processed as normal the following Monday.

Orders placed on Bank Holidays will be processed the next working day.

If urgent, please call one of our helpful account managers so they may double check everything for you, enabling you to place your order with confidence.

Please note: these product details are for guide purposes only, and may contain errors.

We always recommend double-checking the product specs and features on the the manufacturer website,  or contact us if unsure before ordering.

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