HP MLXXX with SAS

[Andy Warner]

We are looknig to provision a new server for our customer. They currently have 10 users but are hoping to expand to 20 over the next 2 years. I only sell HP servers but cant find one that fits my requirments, it needs to be an ML series (no room for rack) but also support SAS as they are running two applications requiring SQL so i feel the need for faster disks.

The ML350p is too big and expensive, the ML310e would be perfect but doesnt support SAS out of the box and there is nothing in between.

Whats the cheapst way to fulfill the requirments?

[Jimmy Vance]

The ML310e Gen8 supports SAS. Look at the quickspecs, there is one preconfigured model that ships SAS ready. You can order any of the other models along with a "P" series Smart Array controller to enable SAS. If I recall, all you do is move the drive backplane cable from the embedded controller to the "P" series Smart Array

[David_Schwartzs]

Actually, the models with the B120i controllers also support SAS - but only non-hotplug drives.  Also, the B120i controller only supports RAID 0, 1, and 1+0.

So in regards to SAS support -

ML310e Gen8 w/ B120i embedded controller = non-hotplug SAS, RAID 0/1/1+0

ML310e Gen8 w/ SmartArray P420 controller added = hotplug SAS, RAID 0/1/1+0/5 (can add also RAID 6, RAID 6+0, RAID 1 ADM, and RAID 1+0 ADM support by purchasing Smart Array Advanced Pack 2.0 license)

[Andy Warner]

Are you sure? The following link says its SATA only, that's what confused me....

http://h18004.www1.hp.com/products/servers/proliantstorage/arraycontrollers/dynamicsmartarray/index.html

Thanks for your advice so far

[David_Schwartzs]

Actually now I'm not sure...

The ML310e Gen8 quickspecs say that the models with B120i have a "NHP SAS/SATA" hard drive cage, and P420 models have a "Hotplug SAS/SATA" hard drive cage. There's nothing in the quickspec anywhere to indicate that SAS won't work on the B120i and it implies SAS (albeit non-hotplug) will work.

The B120i quickspecs, on the other hand, seem to indicate that SAS isn't supported at all, and rather clearly.

Now I'm confused myself. Probably safest to just get the P420 (and you get hotplug anyway), though I'd love to know definitively if the non-HotPlug drives do or don't work on the B120i

[Andy Warner]

So all i should need is the controller to SAS enable the server, the HDD cage and connection cable stay the same (although it wont be hot plug).

The downside to this is it adds £300+ to the price of the server.

[Jimmy Vance]

B120i = SATA only

B320i = SATA by default, SAS can be enabled with a license key

P series Smart Array are both SAS and SATA

The ML310 has the B120i which is SATA only.  The drive backplane can handle either SAS or SATA drives so all you need is to add a "P" series Smart Array. If you want more thant RAID 0 or 1 you will need one with a cache module