DL 380 using on board 6i

[rogerp_1]

Hi cna i please pick someones brains here.

We have a DL 380 G4, we currently have it configued using Raid 5 and a hotspare, we have 6 x 140gb 10k hot plug drives.

The Server is our Main File server, all our docs are kept on this box.

Someone has told me i can upgrade the memory on the 6i controller as it only has 64mb.

Can you please let me know if possible the following questions :

1, What options do i have, meaning whats the maxium memory i can have for the raid ctrl.

2, How exactly will it benifit us if we upgrade the memory on the controller.

3, In a nut shell, is it worth upgrading the raid memory.

Thanks for your help in clearing up this matter.

Roger

[Torsten.]

see

http://h18004.www1.hp.com/products/quickspecs/12028_div/12028_div.html

There is a "128MB Battery Backed Write Cache Enabler Option Kit" mentioned.

In fact, more cache = more performance. Battery backed cache means you can enable write cache now = even more performance.

[Prashant (I am Back)]

Hi,

I am not sure about this proposel. But how about duplexing running the two controllers and dividing the backpane in 2 parts on 2- different channels for maximum throughput.

Prashant S.

[Torsten.]

Taken from the 6i manual:

"Battery backed write cache for increased controller performance"

[Steven Clementi]

Roger:


1. As suggested, there are a few options. I feel that the biggest impact would be to duplex the backplane since you effectly offload part of the i/o to 4 of the drives... to a totally separate channel. Setting the duplex mode in the DL380G4 is simple. The server should have came with a terminator on a clear plastic clip. It gets installed on the back side of the hdd backplane, approximately behind the middle of the 4 drives on the right hand side (the cross section).

2. Both options offer better performance, but only if you are stressing the bus currently. If you are not utilizing the 6i to its fullest potential in its current configuration now, then it is likely that you will not notice much, if any at all, performance increase.

3. If you have the budget for it, it woun't/shouldn't hurt the environment. You will need to make the determination as to if it will help a lot, or a little and then base your decision on that.


Steven

[RaMpaNTe]

Hi Roger

any option mentioned in this forum is valid and they will increase the performance on your server, even though they seem to be not harmful for the data, based on my expertise I strongly recomend you to BACKUP EVERYTHING prior to take any action. BTW both options are valid so why don't you just go ahead and apply them?

RaMpaNTe

[rogerp_1]

Wow, so many great suggestions, i think we will opt for the easy one, adding the extra cache.

Thanks to everyone, very useful read as we have started to sell a lot of these servers.