I’m new to the enterprise arena and just can’t figure out what I’m missing on this server for my lab. It’s a dell r710 connected to 2 Netapp DS2246 storage trays. I’m having trouble getting it to find the trays. I connected it according to the netapp site info, but still no. Am I suppose to connect through a switch instead? Thank In advance!!
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It would be great if you could provide some more detail in regards to how you connected them.
I’m used to Disk Shelves being hooked up to an HBA in IT or Raid Mode in your main server, but I only see the Dell internal Raid Controller in that screenshot.
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At this time I only have the dell raid, Was just trying to get to see the tray. I ordered this 462594-001 HP Smart Array P212 PCI-E 8-Port SAS/SATA Low Profile Raid Controller 3663959000292 | eBay. Probably just bought scrap. lol. was thinking about using unraid just listening to others But still not quite sure.
My intentions are to set up a server for family members to logon, view and print any of the 100k pictures my father took in his lifetime, as well as NAS, and a few vm’s so I can learn all of this. Also want to start a Quake 3 server as well as a few other game servers (local gaming only). Want to have steam on it too for faster updates. I have 3 servers, I think I might get it to work someday.
I’m not sure, sorry. But are you saying that I put an abnormal brain in a 7 and a half foot long 54-inch wide gorilla?
Young Frankenstein! that was a great movie. =)
Sadly I do not have much help I can personally offer for your problem. It’s been a long time since I did much with enterprise equipment. Looks like you have some people in here with current knowledge though =-)
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Instead of showing a picture of a bundle of cables, could you explain what is connected to what, and with how many cables of what type?
@felixthecat’s comment suggests that your disk shelves are normally connected via some sort of external SFF-____ SAS connector, yet you seem to be talking about Ethernet switches.
Currently the trays are connected only via ethernet. I don’t have a sas card for external devices. The only raid currently is the onboard raid in the server, I have not installed any raid software as of yet. Still checking them out.
The HP Smart Array P212 RAID card you linked on eBay has one internal SAS connector (SFF-8087) and one external SAS connector (SFF-8088), each of which can directly connect four SAS or SATA drives. I think more might be possible with a SAS expander, but otherwise that is a total of 8 drives.
If those ethernet cables to the drive bays are doing anything, I doubt that it is data storage transfer.
If you are unfamiliar with these SFF-____ connectors, Serve the Home has some images:
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTbKzQZk21w
The Art of Server channel on youtube gives a nice overview of HBA’s. I found his videos helpful when I was starting out.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OW419HwU7sg
He does cables too.
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Thank You!
Looking at some documentation for the Net App DS2246 shelves,
https://mysupport.netapp.com/documentation/docweb/index.html?productID=30410
there does appear to be SAS expander functionality, since each DS2246 comes with 24 drive slots and a total of four SFF-8088 ports. Simply breaking that out into individual SAS connections, four per SFF-8088 port, would be only 16, if this were not a SAS expander, it would need two more SFF-8088 ports to support its full complement of 24 drives.
Some of that documentation lists cabling diagrams where multiple disk shelves are in what is effectively a loop from the perspective if your HBA or RAID card:
HBA port ↔ shelf A ↔ shelf B ↔ shelf C ↔ other HBA port
As well as higher redundancy configurations where each chain (A↔B↔C) is connected to two separate computers (controllers in Net App documentation).
I have little experience with this kind of hardware myself, but potentially this could still work with only one HBA (or your case, RAID card) port:
8088 port ↔ shelf A ↔ shelf B
If you want to add a connection at the other end of the chain, as Net App recommends, then you would need to use a SFF-8088 to SFF-8087 PCI Adapter Bracket to convert your second SAS plug from internal (SFF-8087) to external (SFF-8088) at the back of the chassis.
ACP Ethernet
The ethernet ports appear to be some kind of additional management interface called ACP. Might be optional, I am not sure, but I am now certain it does not carry data.
Software/firmware on Net App DS2246
Are you running the normal firmware/software on these?
I ordered a raid card with 2 8088 ports, haven’t received as of yet. As for software on the netapp, I haven’t been able to connect to either unit to see what their running. This is what started me on this hunt for the correct connection.
We’ll see if it works. I am learning and I thank everyone for the info.
In the meantime, try a simple daisy chain from the one SFF-8088 port you do have.
it’s low profile. not fitting unless I take off the back plate. might not hold a good connection if I do… Good thought though!
Am I missing something:
Both the Dell and HP RAID cards appear to be single slot, and if anything the HP card appears shorter.
Neither has a back plate in the eBay images.
Has the HP not arrived yet? If so, what were you trying to plug the SFF-8088 connector into?
the first one I ordered showed up but won’t fit, the second hasn’t made it here yet. Plugging it into the riser in the pci slot.
Sorry, just now getting back to this… from what I read you’re telling me is I need 3 netapp units?
Not necessarily; the setup diagrams show stacks of 3 netapp units (total up to 72 drives) connected to only two SFF-8088 on the controller/server, but I imagine a stack of only two or one should be fine unless the software specifically refuses.
Please keep in mind that I have no firsthand experience with this hardware; I could be incorrect.
My point was that the fact that the diagrams show 72 drives connected to only two SFF-8088 ports on the “controller” machine means that there must be a SAS expander involved, since a directly attached SAS/SATA connection only supports four drives per SFF-8088 port.
Looking at the instructions for “Single-controller-single-path configuration“ even shows those 72 drives all sharing a single SFF-8088 port. I would try that configuration (albeit without the third NetApp shelf) before buying any additional equipment. In other words:
If you do not have three SFF-8088 cables, maybe even just try one shelf.
If you want to create a dual path, however, you will need a second SFF-8088 port; as I mentioned before, you can create an SFF-8088 port from its internal equivalent, SFF-8078. Your HP P212 has such a port so to do so, you would simply:
That would then give you a total of two SFF-8088 ports out the back of your server chassis, to work with.
It has been a while since you started this thread, could you give us a rundown of what components and cables you currently have?
Also, once this is up and running; what software do you plan to be using with this? Initially you mentioned UNRAID, which runs on Linux, so I assume you do not plan to use any NetApp software, correct?
I also edited your thread title to be more descriptive. Simply saying “help+n00b” alone without any description of what you are doing only discourages others from helping.
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