Need help/advice for SCSI array for Dell Poweredge

[Karlos]

Hey,

I just bought a Dell PowerEdge 4350 server and need some help with setting up a new disk array here. I'm defenitly not a noob when it comes to hardware and networking, but i've never had the privilage of working with something so server class and have almost no experience with SCSI arrays. Basiclly what i have is the server with the 3 built in hotswap bays (SCSI3 Ultra2) with a 9.1 gig drive in there. It also has an Adaptec SCSI Controller card. I found 3 9.1gig 10k rpm SCSI ultra160 drives for really cheap and jumped on it. Problem is their not hotswap drives as i thought they were.

My question is: Can i set them up using the external SCSI port from the Adaptec controller card?
If so, what cable do i need?
If so can i do raid 5?
Can this fit in any case with an AT power supply?
If not can i use the internal cables and mount them somewhere?

Thanks, haven't worked with SCSI before and it's a confusing topic to learn as there are sooo many different standards to learn all at once. Any help or advice you guys can give me would be GREATLY appriciated.

 

[Lazn_Work]

What Adaptec Card? Is it a Raid card?

Personally I alwasy get my server hardware from the vendor I got the server from.. then they plug in easy, and they are covered by the service contract on the server.

==>Lazn

 

[Karlos]

Yes the Adaptec card can do Raid 0,1 and 5. Not sure on the model number, trying to find it. This server is for personal use and is on the old side, so getting hard drives through dell wouldn't make much sence financially. Plus i bought the server off of ebay so i have no idea as to the status of the service contract.

Thanks for your reply tho.

 

[Lazn_Work]

Ah that changes things.

If the Raid controller has a 2nd internal channel, that would be the best thing to use, otherwise the external connect will work as well.

Yes you can just hook them up, what interface do the drives have?

Usually the hot swap ones are 80pin SCA, and normal SCSI drives are 68pin..

edit: this might be of some help: http://support.ap.dell.com/docs/systems/Sslimphr/en/index.htm

==>Lazn

 

[Karlos]

The SCSI controller is 68 pin, and i'd like to use the external port because it is a rack mount case and theres no room for internal drives other than the hot swap bays. I could take out the hot swap back plate and mount the drives there using an internal cable, but i'd like to keep the hotswap function avalible if possible.

Thanks i'll read through the manual and see what i can find there.

Something else i'm having trouble finding... is ultra160 downwards compatible with ultra2? Is it anything like IDE, where you can still use an ATA133 drive with an ATA100 controller?

Also, what type of scsi cable would i use with the external port. It just says "external scsi port" but i'm not sure which of the MANY cables would be the right one?

 

[Lazn_Work]

Sure the external is fine, and yes SCSI is usually backward compatable.. the exceptions come in with some LVD SCSI parts will not work with the older SCSI devices.

What is Ultra 160 and what is SCSI 2? (drives are Ultra 160?)

As to the type of cable, there are so many different types of SCSI cables, you will just have to look for the right one.. probably a 68 pin "wide" SCSI cable, but it could be High Density too.

==>Lazn

 

[Karlos]

ya the drives are Ultra160 and the controller is Ultra2.

I found the right cable for the job if i was to go internal, but confused about how to use internal drives in a seperate case and what cabling i would use there. Is there a way to get an adapter that fits in an expansion slot that you can connect to the main case with external cable and converts it to an internal cable allowing you to hook up multiple devices?

Example:

Main case => External cable => adapter from external to internal in expansion slot => internal ribbon cable => Multiple hard drives

Is this how it would work? Never done this before and can't find any information on the topic anywhere.

Thanks a lot for all your help by the way, its really helping me to understand this all.

 

[twwabw]

If this is a Powerdge with Hot-swap, it most likely has a built-in Dell Perc raid controller. You also need to confirm what Adaptec card the add-on card is, because it isn't necessarily a Raid card. If the unit has a Perc installed, it's likely just to be something like a 29160, which is used for attached devices like tape backups, etc.

If you have a perc- you can still attach externall arrays to it, depending on model and config. There may be an external connector attached, or if it's just a single channel internal, you can still run a short ribbon cable to a bulkhead adapter on the back, and connect external cabling to that.

To confirm what you have, go to Dell's support site and look up your unit by service tag number (likely on a printed white tag, on the rear panel). This will tell you what the unit had installed new. Post back- I can help you from there.

 

[Lazn_Work]

ya the drives are Ultra160 and the controller is Ultra2.

I found the right cable for the job if i was to go internal, but confused about how to use internal drives in a seperate case and what cabling i would use there. Is there a way to get an adapter that fits in an expansion slot that you can connect to the main case with external cable and converts it to an internal cable allowing you to hook up multiple devices?

Example:

Main case => External cable => adapter from external to internal in expansion slot => internal ribbon cable => Multiple hard drives

Is this how it would work? Never done this before and can't find any information on the topic anywhere.

Thanks a lot for all your help by the way, its really helping me to understand this all.

I guess I assumed because you were wanting to use the external connector that you were going to use something like this: http://www.circotech.com/drive-cases-external-scsi-case.html (don't know the vendor, found it on google)

==>lazn