DL360 gen9: installing a P440 controller aside to a P440ar? Cable nightmares.

[michib]

Hi to all,

We have two DL360 gen9 systems equipped with P440ar connected to 8SFF drive cage + 2SFF connected to B140i. We would like to install a new P440 pcie as we need to keep two raid1 logical volumes (4 drives) and  pass some other drives directly to OS and P440ar does not support port mixed mode.

The idea would be to leave 1 port (4 drives) of the 8SFF connected to the P440ar and connect the second port of the 8SFF to the new P440 + 2SFF drives. Unfortunately I don't have direct access to that systems so ...  I'm having a headache with cables involved... From HPE Compatibility matrix I read that 775927-B21 kit contains 5 cables we could use to install P440 to 8SFF and 2SFF. 

Would it be possible to do what we need with this set ? 

thanks, regards,

[ksram]

Hi,

Please refer : https://support.hpe.com/hpesc/public/docDisplay?docId=emr_na-c04438847 :

HPE Cable Options

HP DL380 Gen9 P840/440 SAS cable kit 783007-B21

HP DL380 Gen9 2SFF front SAS x4 cable kit 783008-B21

Cabling details : https://support.hpe.com/hpesc/public/docDisplay?docId=emr_na-c05054390#N1014F

You would be needing SAS Cable for the connection :

784627-001 Mini-SAS cable kit - Includes four mini-SAS cables for use in interconnecting servers with the 12 and 15 large form factor (LFF) drives to the system I/O board or SAS controller board

Please confirm with the Quicspecs.

Thank you

RamKS 

[Suman_1978]

Hi,

Here is the document on cabling.
HPE ProLiant DL360 Gen9 Server - Cabling

In the PartSurfer you can see the pics https://partsurfer.hpe.com/Search.aspx?SearchText=775927-B21

But unfortunately I did not find any particular documentation on this part number.

Thank You!
https://support.hpe.com/hpesc/public/home

[michib]

Hi RamKS,

Thanks for your reply.. Unfortunately I am actually dealing with a dl360gen9 not dl380 actually... I know they are basically "the same" but HPE option part numbers seems to be different....

https://support.hpe.com/hpesc/public/docDisplay?docId=emr_na-c05054390#N1014F 

So I'm not able to match your suggestion exactly there... Anyhow if I am getting right what you suggested I could do this (using dl360 part numbers) with 775927-B21 - HP DL360 Gen9 SFF Smart Array P440/H240 SAS Cables. With this I get 5 cables:

Kit includes (5 Cables):  Found here 
1 x 780419-001 - Mini-SAS x4 double cable - Connects 8-bay SFF backplane and P440ar or P840 controller
1 x 780421-001 - Mini-SAS x8 Y cable - Connects 8-bay SFF backplane and P440ar or P840 controller
1 x 787305-001 - Mini-SAS x4 cable - Connects optional 2-bay SFF backplane and H240ar HBA
1 x 787306-001 - Mini-SAS x4 cable - Connects optional 2-bay SFF backplane and P440ar Controller
1 x 787307-001 - Mini-SAS x4 Y cable - Connects 8-bay SFF backplane and P440ar controller

1. with cable  Mini-SAS x4 cable - Connects optional 2-bay SFF backplane and P440ar Controller (787306-001 )  I could simply plug into 1 x4 port of the p440ar currently installed (unplugging 1 x4 port that actually goes to the (half) 8SFF bay). This p440ar now has 6 disk bays connected to it and I it can be configured in hba port mode to pass this drives to OS (esxi) directly.

2. then I need another controller with raid capabilites maybe H240 or P440 to connect to the other 8SFF port that has been freed. I could use Mini-SAS x4 double cable (780419-001) to go x4 port of H240 to x4 port of 8SFF or Mini-SAS x8 Y cable (780421-001) to connect x8 port of P440 to x4 port of 8SFF backplane.

Do you think it could work?

thanks so much,

regards,

[michib]

Hi Suman,

Thanks. Unfortunately the cabling document is without part numbers so it's difficult to figure out (since I am not able to get hands on hardware actually). I can find in Parsurfer what that kits 775927-B21 does contain: Part surfer on 775927-B21 

  780419-001 Mini-SAS x4 double cable assembly - 770mm (30.3 inches) long - Connects between the 8-bay small form factor (SFF) backplane and the P440ar controller in PCIe slot 1 or the P840 controller   A -N/A- COMPLY_1906

  780421-001 Mini-SAS x8 'Y' cable assembly - 780mm (30.7 inches) long - Connects between the 8-bay small form factor (SFF) backplane and the P440ar controller in PCIe slot 1 or the P840 controller   A -N/A- COMPLY_1906  

  787305-001 Mini-SAS x4 cable - Interconnects the optional 2-bay small form factor (SFF) backplane to the H240ar host bus adapter   A -N/A- COMPLY_1906

  787306-001 Mini-SAS x4 cable - Interconnects the optional 2-bay small form factor (SFF) backplane to the P440ar controller   A -N/A- COMPLY_1906

  787307-001 Mini-SAS x4 'Y' cable - Interconnects the 8-bay small form factor (SFF) backplane to the P440ar SAS controller   A -N/A- COMPLY_1906

As I wrote in another post I think best is to get this kit which provides cable for connection P440 / H240 also.

Only doubt is that in HPE smart storage compatibility matrix See here (cannot find that document on HPE web) they say I need 775927-B21 also for H240 controller but as you can see in partsurfer that controller is not mentioned... but I think maybe because P440ar and H240 both have 2 port x4. 

thanks

regards,