Intel Responsiveness Technologies (Rapid Start, Smart Connect, Smart Response)

This page provides information about Intel Responsiveness Technologies

Table of Contents:

1. What is Intel Smart Response Technology?
2. What is Intel Rapid Start Technology?
3. What is Intel Smart Connect Technology?
4. Table of Storage configurations supported

Intel has developed a few new technologies called Intel Responsiveness Technologies. Smart Response, Rapid Start, and Smart Connect

These are layered technologies that can work together to provide improved system responsiveness. Together they comprise Intel's Responsiveness Technologies.

Note: Please note that some features described below are not available on all Dell systems, as they are dependent on the Intel chipset, Dell system BIOS enablement and specific hardware requirements. Please consult your product documentation to determine if your product supports these technologies.

1. What is Intel Smart Response Technology?

Smart Response is a feature that uses both a traditional hard disk drive (HDD) and a solid state drive (SSD) of greater than 32GB together. It dynamically monitors file, data, and application use, and stores frequently used content on a special partition on the SSD device for faster access. It provides SSD-like read/write performance for the files used most frequently, while providing lower overall storage cost by sorting and storing less frequently accessed content on the larger-sized traditional HDD.

System Requirements

Storage:

• System must be equipped with an SSD (either SATA or mSATA/minicard form factors) storage device with at least 18.6 GB of available storage space and a traditional HDD.
• System must have BIOS set to RAID on mode (in some system BIOS menus, this mode may be called Smart Response mode or Rapid Start mode). Note: ATA and AHCI modes are not supported.
• System must have Intel Rapid Storage driver and application installed in the OS.

Processor:

• System must have an Intel Core processor installed

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2. What is Intel Rapid Start Technology (IRST)?

Rapid Start is a feature that provides power savings similar to Windows hibernate state, while improving resume time versus hibernate by approximately 2 times.

Rapid Start may be combined with Smart Response on some systems to enhance overall system performance while also reducing power consumption when not in use.

System Requirements

Storage:

• System must be equipped with an SSD storage device (either SATA or mSATA / minicard form factors), with at least 8GB of available storage space.
• Rapid Start may be combined with Smart Response; the technologies can share the same SSD space.
• System cannot have multiple disks configured in a RAID array, as striped or mirrored disk arrays will hide the Rapid Start partition from the BIOS.
• System may be configured to support both Rapid Start and Smart Response on the same SSD device.
• Windows cannot be running in legacy ATA mode (as selected from the storage/SATA BIOS settings menu). The system must be in AHCI, RAID, Smart Response, or Rapid Start mode.

Processor:

• System must have an Intel Core processor installed

Memory:

• System should have 8 GB of memory or less. The factory configuration only supports 8GB or less, and if a partition is created manually to support larger configurations, the expected resume time performance benefits may not be realized.

Software/Drivers:

• Systems must have the Intel Rapid Start Technology driver installed

Other Limitations:

• Systems configured with a Dell Data Protection Encryption accelerator card do not support Rapid Start.
• Some software encryption vendor guidelines may recommend using Windows hibernate in place of Windows sleep. If sleep is disabled, Rapid Start state will be disabled automatically.
• Dell does not support Self-encrypting HDD’s or SSD’s with Rapid Start.
• Some Dell systems do not support Rapid Start when HDD (ATA security) or system BIOS passwords are enabled.

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3. What is Intel Smart Connect Technology?

Smart Connect is a feature that periodically wakes the system from the Windows sleep state to refresh email or social networking applications. When the system is equipped with specific wireless devices, it can detect the presence of known networks while asleep, waking only when connectivity is available (this feature is called Net Detect).

When properly equipped with specific wireless devices, Smart Connect can also provide quick internet connection readiness by keeping wireless devices active in a low-power mode during sleep (this feature is called Quick Connect).

Smart Connect may be combined with Rapid Start on some systems to help reduce power consumption while still keeping email and other application data current.

System Requirements

Storage:

• Smart Connect SW can only be ordered from the Dell factory on systems ordered with an SSD.
• Smart Connect technology should not be used with HDD or hybrid HDD drives.

Processor:

• System must have an Intel Core processor installed

Network devices:

Net detect is supported on these Intel wireless LAN cards in some systems:

• Ultimate-N 6300
• Advanced-N 6250 + WiMAX
• Advanced-N 6230
• Advanced-N 6235
• Advanced-N 6205
• Wireless-N 6150 + WiMAX
• Wireless-N 1030
• Wireless-N 2230
• Wireless-N 1000
• Wireless-N 2200

Quick Connect is supported by these Dell Wireless WAN cards in some systems:

• Dell Wireless 5560
• Dell Wireless 5802
• Dell Wireless 5804

Software/Drivers:

• Systems must have the Intel Smart Connect Technology driver and application package installed.

Application support:

Many social media and email applications will work with Smart Connect by design. Smart Connect support was validated by Intel on several applications, including:

• Microsoft Outlook
• Microsoft Live Mail
• Sobees

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4. Table of Storage Configurations Supported

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