disk modules for A3311A

[Richard Smith_7]

Can someone list all the disk modules that were compatible with the A3311A and what interface to the _drive_ they used?

I've come into a bunch of these boxes with 4gig SE and 9gig DF drives.

Studying the header boards for both the SE and DF drives it appears that the drives were always run in SE mode. Then either the header board just left it SE or converted to HVD.

Somewhere I read that HP also used some LVD drives in these things with a LVD to HVD header board. Can anyone confirm this?

I'd like to see about getting some LVD drives that can run at high than fast-20 speeds.

[A. Clay Stephenson]

The easiest method to list compatible drives is to go to pertsurfer.hp.com; enter your model (A3311) and then "List All Parts".

[Richard Smith_7]

ok so it looks like the only other drive type produced for this system was the A5286A and A5286AR. Anybody dissassembled one of these modules and know what drive model(s) were used?

[Eugeny Brychkov]

Yes, you're right:
1. A3311A can only work in HVD or SE mode. No LVD mode. It is designed to be connected to the enterprise HPUX servers which had only HVD and SE adapters;
2. drive inside could be HVD, or LVD - in this case there's a bus converter board (SE/HVD or LVD/HVD, do not know exactly).
Remember that hacking disk drives modules is not allowed and you'll be doing it on your own risk. Also note that hpux hosts may have difficulties booting off non-HP approved drives (drives having non HPxx firmware)
Eugeny

[Richard Smith_7]

oh.. I totally understand I'm _way_ our on my own. This is all firesale stuff. I'm not even useing it on a HP system so firmware or booting isn't a concern. I'm doing Linux software raid.

So far I have a 8 disk raid-5 using the 4gig drives setup running nicely and bonnie++ is telling me that I can get some where close to 35Mbyte/sec out of the system. I guessing thats probally about as much as I'm going to eek out of a wide SE system. Very impressive considering the age of the drives.

HVD is listed as being able to do Fast wide -40. So if I could find some of the LVD to HVD (if they exist) header boards I might be able to setup a system with a top end of 80MB/sec for really cheap.

I just got hold of a HVD adapter but looking at the speeds listd for SE devices Fast wide 40 isn't an option.

So to realize fast wide 40 speeds I'll have to use LVD drives.

Anyone know if the same header board type setup was used in any of the other HP storage products?

[Eugeny Brychkov]

No. 12h is internally SE, HVD10 and SC10 - LVD. A3311A is a legacy product, and originally has had native HVD drives. When they stopped to be manufactured, HP invented LVD-as-HVD drives for its A3311A to allow people having legacy enterprise servers (K-class, D-class etc) to upgrade up to 36GB
Eugeny

[Richard Smith_7]

I'm confused. Does that mean that I can use a k-class, or d-class disk modules in the A3311A's that I have?

[malvin drakley]

yes you can use D class discs in your A3311A provided they are in the same enclosures, they have different model numbers but are still useable. A3643A for 4Gb, A4910A for 9Gb are the same as A3647A and A5238A on the A331A
These are all fast wide drives
hope this helps
malvin