Need SCSI expansion help/suggestions

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jyi786

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Currently we have a Dell Poweredge 1800 server with 6x 73GB SCSI SCA swap drives on the internal backplane, connected to a PERC 4 controller.

I badly need to expand our storage because we are very close to running out. I'm tired of skimming the limits day after day. I already have 6x 147GB 15K RPM SCA drives, but I need something like a SCSI JBOD enclosure.

I was researching the Dell Powervault 220S/210S, and figure it would be perfect for what I'm trying to do. Unfortunately, there are 2 caveats.

1. There are horror stories of the 220S being very unstable and unreliable.
2. These issues seem to stem from the PERC4 controller, which no one has been able to prove yet.

I can tell you with 100% certainty that when I tried to migrate the 6x 73GB drives over to the 6x 147GB drives on my existing (internal to the Poweredge 1800 server) backplane, the 147GB drives would fail all over the place, so much so that I had to send the drives back to the manufacturer and get new drives. I am using Acronis Enterprise which has the backup images, so all I was doing was restoring and expanding the image sizes to properly take advantage of the new space. I attempted this twice, and it failed each time. I first attributed this to the fact that the 147GB SCSI drives get HOT (I mean literally burning hot in which you can burn yourself), so I attempted the restore with only 3 drives and pointed an ultra high powered fan (Vornado) directly at the drives so that they were barely warm to the touch throughout the entire process. It still failed all over the place.

So now I'm pretty much lost. What can I do to expand/switch over my existing drives to the new drives, in an external enclosure that keeps the drives cool, and will act as a JBOD (so that the PERC controller can act as the RAID device)? Or should I just go ahead and take my chances with the Powervault?

Thanks!
 
I ran a Compaq drive array off of a PERC4. The only issue I had was that the PERC was not able to light up a failed drive the way a compaq/hp controller could. The PERC would tell me drives were failing, but it was inconsistent and would not report the same drive as bad all the time. At first I blamed the PERC4/Compaq array incompatibility so I purchased an HP controller. The HP controller I got was far superior to the PERC4, especially with regards to recognizing failing drives. It turned out I actually did have failing drives, but the HP was much better at telling me.

If you search ebay for 138151-001 you'll see the chassis I'm talking about. Its set up to just house the drives, and I never had any issues with it keeping drives cool. You might be able to stick your current drives into the array and hook it up to the right external channel on the PERC and have it be usable, but I don't know for sure. That part number references a chassis with a U160 I/O module, but they're upgradable to U320. Come to think of it I still have a bunch of this stuff at home I could test that theory for you if you'd like. I don't have a Dell server or a PERC4, but I do have a PERC3.
 
rays87turbo said:
I ran a Compaq drive array off of a PERC4. The only issue I had was that the PERC was not able to light up a failed drive the way a compaq/hp controller could. The PERC would tell me drives were failing, but it was inconsistent and would not report the same drive as bad all the time. At first I blamed the PERC4/Compaq array incompatibility so I purchased an HP controller. The HP controller I got was far superior to the PERC4, especially with regards to recognizing failing drives. It turned out I actually did have failing drives, but the HP was much better at telling me.

If you search ebay for 138151-001 you'll see the chassis I'm talking about. Its set up to just house the drives, and I never had any issues with it keeping drives cool. You might be able to stick your current drives into the array and hook it up to the right external channel on the PERC and have it be usable, but I don't know for sure. That part number references a chassis with a U160 I/O module, but they're upgradable to U320. Come to think of it I still have a bunch of this stuff at home I could test that theory for you if you'd like. I don't have a Dell server or a PERC4, but I do have a PERC3.
Click to expand...

That sounds a lot like the problems I am going through.

I'd really like to have a rack/enclosure that has a U320. Do you have any other suggestions in mind?
 
Search ebay for a HP MSA30

14 x U320 drive bays... try it with your Perc 4...if you have external connection on it.

Failing that grab another Raid controller with external SCSI connection and hook it up.

They are cheap and work great:)
 
Stanza33 said:
Search ebay for a HP MSA30

14 x U320 drive bays... try it with your Perc 4...if you have external connection on it.

Failing that grab another Raid controller with external SCSI connection and hook it up.

They are cheap and work great:)
Click to expand...

Thanks for that. I am going to pick one of those up most likely next week; seems to fit the bill!

Just to make sure, the cable I'm going to need is a VHDCI male to male cable, correct?
 
Wow MSA30s have come down alot since last time I looked. Yes VHDCI to VHDCI is the correct cable. Try Compaq/HP part number 313374-001 or 332616-001.
 
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