Broadcom LSI 9240‑8i PCIe2.0 RAID‑Mode Controller (Flashable to IT‑Mode HBA)

Basic Parameter Table

Core Product Features

1. PCIe 2.0‑generation MegaRAID SAS RAID‑controller built‑on SAS2008 chip. Out‑of‑factory it runs in IR‑RAID mode, supporting hardware RAID‑0, RAID‑1, RAID‑10 for entry‑level business servers. It can be re‑flashed to IT pass‑through firmware to function as an HBA card for ZFS, TrueNAS, FreeNAS, unRAID NAS systems.
2. PCIe 2.0 x8 bandwidth, two SFF‑8087 internal ports supporting up to 8 SATA/SAS hard‑disk drives installed inside the server chassis.
3. Dual‑mode capability:
   • IR‑RAID mode: hardware‑level RAID function for regular file‑server deployments.
   • IT‑mode (after firmware flash): pass‑through mode, the operating system controls each disk individually for software‑defined‑RAID (ZFS‑RAID‑Z, md‑raid), disabling the onboard hardware‑RAID logic.
4. Fan‑less passive heat‑sink, zero‑noise operation, stable for 24/7 long‑term continuous runtime in rack‑mounted storage servers. It includes full‑height and low‑profile mounting brackets.
5. Hot‑swap is available for internal hard‑drives after being flashed to IT‑mode; all physical disks are exposed directly to the host OS.
6. 8‑port design is ideal for standard 8‑bay DIY NAS builds after IT‑firmware flashing.

Application Scenarios

1. Default IR‑RAID mode: Entry‑level small‑business file‑servers requiring hardware RAID‑0/1/10.
2. IT‑flashed HBA mode: ZFS/TrueNAS/FreeNAS in‑chassis NAS, media‑archival storage, home‑lab 8‑bay storage servers.