ASUS SSD CACHING Reviewers Guide

1.

Concepts.................................................................................................................... 2

2.

Key Features .............................................................................................................. 3

One Touch Activation ............................................................................................................... 3
Seamless Utilization ................................................................................................................. 3
Performance boost that works from day one ............................................................................ 3
Fast & Secure ........................................................................................................................... 3
Intelligent Data Management ................................................................................................... 3

3.

The Implementation .................................................................................................. 4

4.

Test Configuration ..................................................................................................... 4

Test Equipments ............................................................................................................................................ 4
Test Procedures ............................................................................................................................................. 4
Expected outcome: ........................................................................................................................................ 5

5.

Support Capability ..................................................................................................... 5

6.

Frequently Asked Questions ....................................................................................... 6

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Introduction
Welcome to this reviewers guide for ASUS SSD CACHING Technology. This unique feature, specially
offered by ASUS, allows users to enjoy the immediate benefit from adding a SSD into the pure HDD
system without the need to reinstall the operating system..

1. Concepts
The basic concept behind the ASUS SSD Caching Technology was to provide a quick and easy way to
help users to gain better system performance with their invest in adding a SSD into their system.
This technology was developed targeting the following target audiences:

Owners of Small Size SSDs:

Owners of small size SSDs usually have difficulties maximizing the benefits of adding such SSD
into their system unless they have extensive experiences in system management. ASUS SSD
Caching can help to manage what to be stored on the SSD based upon the criticalness of each
application, in order to put them to best use, making even the smallest SSD usable in the
system.

Users getting an upgrade to a SSD at a later time:

Normally, when users go out and purchase an SSD for their new build, the very first trouble
they are going to face, is the need to either port or reinstall the operating system onto the
newly purchase SSD, considering the best way to utilize a SSD is to use it as the boot drive.
ASUS SSD Caching requires no reinstall, all the users has to do is to click on the
Now

Caching

button, and everything else will be done automatically, avoiding the need to go through

the hours of additional effort to put the new SSD to best use.

Enterprise Users:
No one will say no to a fast system, whether the system is used in home or enterprises.
However, high speed often lead to more risks, which is something that enterprises will do all
they could to avoid, even if the performance needs to be compensated. This is where the ASUS
SSD Caching comes into play. Thanks to the Data Security nature of this technology, enterprise
users always keep a backup of the same data on the HDD in all sort of unfortunate cases,
merging performance and security in one for a better tomorrow.

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2. Key Features
One Touch Activation
The activation of Traditional SSD Caching Technologies often involves extensive number of
complicate and tedious steps to activate, in order to deliver their benefits. ASUS SSD Caching on the
other hand, not only performs well thanks for being a true hardware based solution, it also simplifies
its setup steps down to only one single step via a simple click of a button, making it as easy as can be.

Seamless Utilization
In general cases, the initialization of the SSD Caching build may be time consuming, and under most
cases, prohibits the access of the disk drive or system until its completion. Fortunately, this is not
the case for the ASUS SSD Caching Technology. Not only the system remains completely accessible
throughout the course of the initialization or rebuilds, even the cached drive itself remains usable by
its users under such circumstances, delivering completely seamless utilization to all its users.

Performance boost that works from day one

Intel Smart Response Technology, gradually improves its performance based on the real transfer of
the same block of data after the addition of the extra SSD, meaning the performance gain varies
between each trial, and the users will not be able to fain the full benefit upon first run. The ASUS
SSD Caching Technology on the other hand, once initialized, will assure all critical files and
applications stored on the cached drive run directly from the SSD, delivering the SSD read
performance to its users every time.

Fast & Secure

Asus SSD Caching, once initialized, will also mask out a portion of HDD space equivalent to the size of
the SSD installed, in order to host all data that are stored onto the SSD. Having such characteristics
ensures data stored on the SSD can be securely kept at all times, even in unfortunate cases such as
SSD failures. Furthermore, ASUS SSD Caching will disable itself when the SSD fails to functions, and
rebuild itself in the background when SSD returns, ensuring a non-interrupted utilization of SSD.

Intelligent Data Management

A SSD cannot be utilized to its maximum potential if the user using it does not know which files to
put onto it, this is especially vital when the SSD capacity is small. ASUS SSD Caching integrates an
intelligent application management engine, which sorts all installed applications in orders for
optimal performance, bringing high performance to everyone without learning curve.

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3. The Implementation
The architecture of the ASUS SSD Caching Technology will, when constructed, remaps the original
storage space on the HDD to the SSD in the priority defined by the system drive letters on the same
HDD, i.e. C:D: till the all SSD space has been assigned fully. Meanwhile, the original disk space
on the HDD will be masked out, and used as the backup of the contents stored on the SSD for the
delivery of data security. The concept diagram is as shown below:

As shown in the diagram, considering the SSD now represents itself as the HDD in the setup, all read
requests within the covered disk space will be done purely from the SSD, only when write requests
are processed will the HDD be touched. This guarantees the capability to deliver almost SSD
equivalent read performance for both the sequential and random chunk of data, and doubles the
data security with all data stored in the SSD.

4. Test Configuration
Test Equipments:

1x spindle HDD, 5400RPM models preferred

2x SSD Drive with at least double the read/write performance as the HDD used. Size above
60GB is preferred for optimal result.

1x ASUS X79 series motherboard featuring SSD Caching Technology.

Microsoft Windows operating system (XP / VISTA / 7)

AI Suite II for your motherboard.

Test Procedures:
1.

Connect the spindle HDD to SATA6G_E1 port, and the SSD to SATA6G_E2 port or vice verse.

2.

Connect the other SSD drive to the PCH native SATA6G port on the motherboard.

3.

Partition the spindle HDD into one or more partitions.

4.

Install Windows operating system onto the primary partition of the spindle HDD.

5.

Load all drivers and software from the ASUS support DVD, via Install All, then reboot.

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6.

Benchmark the system boot up time, application opening time, and file transfer test from

7.

Open up AI Suite II, and activate SSD Caching by clicking the Caching Now button from under

C: to the SSD on the PCH native SATA6G port.

the ASUS SSD Caching module, then wait for it to finish.

8.

Benchmark the system boot up time, application opening time, as well as file transfer test from

C: to the SSD on the PCH native SATA6G port again, and compare the results.

** For the accuracy of results, it is advised to conduct secure erase for all SSDs (both the source
and destination) before conducting the test.
Expected outcome:
Though the performance gain varies with respect to the SSD drive used, the expected read
performance of the fully cached partition should be almost identical to the SSD when running
alone.

5. Support Capability
SSD Caching

Smart Response

One Touch Activation

Yes

No

No need to reinstall OS

Yes

Only if the OS was installed under RAID Mode

Seamless Utilization
Instant Performance
Boost
Fast & Secure
Architecture
Main Drive
Space Utilization
Cache Target
Cache
Cache Unit

Yes

No

Yes

No

Yes
Hardware Based
SSD
Full Space of SSD
Partition
File

Only under Enhanced Mode

Software Based
HDD
Set Sizes Only
Disk
Data Block

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6. Frequently Asked Questions

Q:

I have just enabled SSD Caching, and try to test the performance gain by doing file copy test,

and found the read performance did not improve as advertised after the activation of SSD Caching.
What could I have done wrong?
A:

Please check through the following possibilities for solution:

(i)

If the initialization process has been completed:

The performance gain only takes
effect after the completion of the
initialization process. It is advised
to go into SSD Caching control
screen from under AI Suite II to
double check if the initialization
process

is

completed

before

testing the performance gain for

optimal result.
(ii)

If you are coping from a non-cached partition:

Considering SSD Caching remaps the storage space of the SSD to the active
partitions on the HDD in the order of the drive letters, you will only receive the
original read performance of the HDD if the partition hosting the file is not within
the storage space covered by the SSD used.

(iii)

If the SSD is too small:

Generally speaking, ASUS SSD Caching requires at minimum, the equivalent space of
the operating system in order to boost the overall system performance. Only when
the SSD is not filled by the OS or program data will the boost in file transfer take
effect. It is advised to use the SSD sized above 60GB to for optimal performance
involving file transfer activities.

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