HighPoint Technologies Unveils Rocket 7602L: Dual M.2 PCIe Gen 5 Bootable RAID Card for High-Performance Systems
HighPoint Technologies, Inc., a recognized leader in high-speed PCIe storage and connectivity solutions, has introduced the Rocket 7602L, a dual M.2 PCIe Gen 5 x16 low-profile bootable RAID add-in card (AIC). This latest addition to HighPoint’s NVMe RAID product family is designed to meet the demanding requirements of system integrators, edge computing architects, and engineering professionals building advanced workstations and edge servers.
Purpose-Built for Next-Generation Workstations and Edge Servers
The Rocket 7602L stands out as a premier bootable dual-port Gen 5 M.2 solution, offering a robust platform for deploying mirrored (RAID 1) operating system redundancy or striped (RAID 0) high-speed scratchpads. By offloading boot and scratch storage to the add-in card, primary server drive bays remain available for dedicated data storage, optimizing both performance and capacity.
According to HighPoint Technologies, the Rocket 7602L was engineered to deliver a cost-effective, high-performance Gen 5 boot solution without the expense and limitations of legacy storage hardware. The integration of an active PCIe Gen 5 Retimer and an independent UEFI boot ROM enables uncompromised Gen 5 boot speeds and reliable OS redundancy, making it an ideal choice for high-performance workstation and server deployments.
Cross-Platform Gen 5 Boot RAID Capability
Traditional onboard M.2 ports are typically limited to booting from a single drive, as operating system-level RAID can only be initialized after the OS loads. The Rocket 7602L overcomes this limitation by incorporating a dedicated, UEFI-compliant boot ROM. This independent firmware allows the host motherboard to recognize the card as a unified bootable device during the pre-boot phase, enabling seamless deployment of high-performance bootable RAID volumes across both AMD and Intel platforms. This approach eliminates the need for complex software workarounds or proprietary chipset dependencies.
Native Latency and Data Integrity with PCIe Gen 5 Retimer
To maximize performance, the Rocket 7602L combines HighPoint’s advanced storage driver technology with an active PCIe Gen 5 Retimer engine and a full PCIe x16 host interface. The onboard Retimer re-clocks and regenerates high-speed data streams between the host CPU and each M.2 port, ensuring optimal link quality. This results in access latencies and throughput comparable to native motherboard M.2 slots, delivering reliable boot performance and high-speed data transfers.
Advanced Firmware and Real-Time Hardware Monitoring
The Rocket 7602L features HighPoint’s Smart Firmware Intelligence Layer, a host-independent processor that provides granular, real-time monitoring of each NVMe drive. Users can access detailed metrics such as power consumption, lane speed verification, and thermal readings directly from the card. For enhanced maintenance and system management, the card includes physical, color-coded early warning LED indicators and an audible alarm to alert technicians to cooling or temperature issues.
Seamless Integration and Broad Compatibility
Designed with a low-profile form factor, the Rocket 7602L is compatible with standard 1U and 2U server and workstation chassis. It offers out-of-the-box boot support for Windows and major Linux distributions. Management is accessible both pre-boot via a native UEFI interface and post-boot through a secure, browser-based WebGUI or command-line interface, ensuring flexible and secure administration.
The Rocket 7602L is now available through HighPoint’s authorized distributors and reseller network at a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $299.
