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DL380 G6 SAS Expander Card

 
porter78
New Member

DL380 G6 SAS Expander Card

I am after some advice on this expansion card. We have a DL380 G6 server and have added the additional 8 disk tray. I have installed the card and attached the cables to the disk tray.

When the server is booted though, it does not see the additional disks, in fact it does not acknowledge that the card is installed. Is there anything here that I might be doing wrong? Windows will not see the card. The lights flash on the disks at boot so they seem ok. Is Windows even meant to see the card? After adding the card, should the disks be seen as new disks to the 410 embedded array controller? I have updated the embedded firmware to 2.50. Is there a way to update the new card?

Lots of questions, but I have not seen a whole lot of information on the card other than how to add it to the server.

Thank you in advance.
12 REPLIES 12
TTr
Honored Contributor

Re: DL380 G6 SAS Expander Card

> I have installed the card and attached the cables to the disk tray
http://h18000.www1.hp.com/products/quickspecs/13232_div/13232_div.pdf

Did you wire it back to the 410i? You are right there is very little information on this card. It looks to me from the quickspecs that you have to wire it back to the 410. Then all 16 drives in both disk cages have to be wired from the expander card. The expander function exactly like a LAN switch. You cascade the two 410 ports into the expander and then all disks connect to the expander.

I think driving all 16 disks out of a single 410 is too many disks and your i/o will suffer. I don't know how much you paid for the expander card but I would buy another 410. Unless you want to make a huge raid drive out of all 16 disks.
porter78
New Member

Re: DL380 G6 SAS Expander Card

Thank you for your response.

Ah, so you think that the 4 cables from the disk trays should go in to the expander, and then the expander connects 2 cables to the embedded 410? That makes sense. If only I had 2 spare cables.
porter78
New Member

Re: DL380 G6 SAS Expander Card

I have now configured the system so that 1 of the disk trays run through the expander and in to the embedded controller. I can confirm that this is working. Thank you so much for your thoughts on this. It really helped. I just need to order 2 more cables to get the other tray working now.
TTr
Honored Contributor

Re: DL380 G6 SAS Expander Card

Yes that's how it is. You need a total of 6 cables, two from the 410 to the expander and 4 from the expander to the two drive cages.
The quickspecs say that it plugs in to the SA controller and supports up to *3* drive cages. That's the 8 SAS connectors (4 pairs).
I also found this http://docs.hp.com/en/AH233-9003B/ch05s04.html it is from a DL785 server but it clearly shows what you need to do.

I also think it is a dumb card, the only think it needs from the pci slot is DC power for its switching circuitry. That's why the server does not see it anywhere and you don't need any drivers for it. If you look on the pci connector of the expander card, does it have a lot of contacts or just a few for power connections? It is a heck of a way to use up a pci slot.

How much did it cost?
TTr
Honored Contributor

Re: DL380 G6 SAS Expander Card

> It is a heck of a way to use up a pci slot

Sorry I wasn't clear. That was meant for HP and not for you.
porter78
New Member

Re: DL380 G6 SAS Expander Card

Not sure how much the card cost as I didn't order. Just sorting it out though. Personally, I would have gone for a second 410 controller. Lets see how it goes.

Re: DL380 G6 SAS Expander Card

Dear Colleagues, please advise to me.
We bought DL380 G6 with two cages.
This server performance model and has P400i controller.
In QS present such point
NOTE: Customer needs to order 8" Mini SAS to Mini SAS cables (496012-B21) when connecting the
Smart Array P410 Controller to a SAS Expander Card in a G6 server or ProLiant DL385 G5p. The 8"
Mini Sas To Mini SAS cables are not needed when connected the Smart Array P410i Controller to a SAS
Expander Card in a G6 server or ProLiant DL385 G5p.
In this time we can't find another cage.
How proceed with this. Should we connect Expander wit p400i in this case.
TTr
Honored Contributor

Re: DL380 G6 SAS Expander Card

> We bought DL380 G6 with two cages...
> ...In this time we can't find another cage

Not clear what your problem or your question is. Please open up a new thread and specify what the problem is.

Re: DL380 G6 SAS Expander Card

The main question - is do I need any cables for P410i RAID controller to connect with Expander card? Or this is not needed