Storage Controller Considerations

This appendix provides storage controller (HBA) information.

Supported Storage Controller and Cables

This node supports a single, PCIe-style, SAS RAID or HBA controller that plugs into a dedicated internal riser.


Note

Do not mix controller types in the node.

Note

NVMe PCIe SSDs cannot be controlled by a SAS/SATA RAID controller.

This node supports the RAID and HBA controller options and cable requirements shown in the following table.

Storage Adapter (PID)

Product Name

Supported node

Maximum Number of Drives Supported

Supported RAID Type

Cache Size (GB)

HX-RAID-M6T

Cisco 12G SAS RAID Controller with 4GB FBWC (16 Drives)

HX-C220-M6S

10

10 2.5-inch SFF front-loading drives

Slots 1-10

RAID

4

HX-SAS-M6T

Cisco 12G SAS HBA (16 Drives)

HX-C220-M6S

10

10 2.5-inch SFF front-loading drives

Slots 1-10

SAS HBA

NA

HX-9500-8E

Cisco 9500-8e 12G SAS HBA for external JBOD attach

All models of HX C220 M6 and HX Cs240 M6 node

NA

SAS HBA

NA

Storage Controller Card Firmware Compatibility

Firmware on the storage controller HBA must be verified for compatibility with the current Cisco IMC and BIOS versions that are installed on the node. If not compatible, upgrade or downgrade the storage controller firmware using the Host Upgrade Utility (HUU) for your firmware release to bring it to a compatible level.

See the HUU guide for your Cisco IMC release for instructions on downloading and using the utility to bring node components to compatible levels: HUU Guides.

RAID Backup (Supercap)

This supports installation of one Supercap unit (UCS-SCAP-M6). The unit mounts to a bracket in-line with the fan modules.

The optional SCPM provides approximately three years of backup for the disk write-back cache DRAM in the case of a sudden power loss.

For Supercap unit replacement instructions, see Replacing the Supercap (RAID Backup).

Write-Cache Policy for Cisco 12G SAS Modular RAID Controller

For this node, the default write-cache policy for the Cisco Modular RAID controller is Write Through (irrespective of the presence of a charged SuperCap or “good BBU”). This utilizes the optimal performance characteristics of the controller.

The write policy can be set to Write Back, if preferred. You can set the write policy using the following methods:

  • For standalone servers, use the Cisco IMC interface to set Virtual Drive Properties > Write Policy. See the “Managing Storage Adapters” section in your Cisco IMC Configuration Guide.

    Cisco IMC GUI and CLI Configuration Guides

  • For Cisco UCS-integrated servers, use the Cisco UCS Manager interface to set the write-cache policy as part of virtual drive configuration in your storage profile.

    Cisco UCS Manager Configuration Guides

  • Use the LSI Option ROM Configuration Utility.

Mixing Drive Types in RAID Groups

For the best performance follow these guidelines:

  • Use either all SAS or all SATA drives in a RAID group.

  • Use the same capacity for each drive in the RAID group.

  • Never mix HDDs and SSDs in the same RAID group.

RAID Controller Migration

This supports SAS/SATA hardware RAID (controller card) and embedded software SATA RAID. You cannot use hardware RAID and software RAID at the same time. See the table below for which data migrations are allowed and a summary of migration steps.

Starting RAID Controller

Migrate to Hardware RAID Allowed?

Migrate to Software RAID Allowed?

None (no drives).

Embedded RAID is disabled in the BIOS.

Allowed

  1. Install RAID card.

  2. Install SAS cables.

Allowed

  1. Install SATA interposer card.

  2. Install SATA cables.

  3. Enable embedded RAID in BIOS.

Embedded software RAID.

Embedded RAID is enabled in the BIOS.

Caution 
Data migration from software RAID to hardware RAID is not supported and could result in data loss.

Allowed only before there is data on the drives; data migration is not supported.

  1. Disable embedded RAID in the BIOS.

  2. Install RAID card.

  3. Install SAS cables.

-

Hardware RAID.

Embedded RAID is disabled in the BIOS.

-

Not allowed.

Storage Controller and Backplane Connectors

This section describes cabling connections for the storage controllers and the backplane. The SAS/SATA cables are factory-installed and are used for all supported internal controllers in the SFF 10-drive version of the node.

This section also contains diagrams that show the cable-to-drive mapping.


Note

The SFF 10-drive version with NVMe drives only, and so does not use SAS or SATA RAID. This version of the comes with an NVMe-switch card factory-installed in the internal mRAID riser and a PCIe cable connected to PCIe riser 2. The NVMe switch card is not orderable separately.

Embedded RAID

This SW RAID option can control up to 8 SATA drives in the SFF 10-drive version.

This embedded RAID option requires that you have a SATA interposer card installed in internal mRAID riser 3. Use the SAS/SATA cables that came with the .

  1. Connect SAS/SATA cable A1 from the A1 interposer connector to the A1 backplane connector.

  2. Connect SAS/SATA cable A2 from the A2 interposer connector to the A2 backplane connector.


Note

See the following figures that illustrate cable connections and which drives are controlled by each cable. In the SFF 10-drive version, drives 5 and 10 cannot be controlled by the embedded SATA RAID controller.

Cisco 12G Modular SAS RAID Controller or HBA

This HW RAID option can control up to 10 SAS/SATA drives in the SFF 10-drive version.

This option requires that you have a SAS RAID or HBA card installed in internal mRAID riser 3. Use the SAS/SATA cables that came with the .

  1. Connect SAS/SATA cable A1 from the A1 card connector to the A1 backplane connector.

  2. Connect SAS/SATA cable A2 from the A2 card connector to the A2 backplane connector.

  3. For SFF-10-drive servers only: Connect SAS/SATA cable B2 from the B2 card connector to the B2 backplane connector.


Note

See the following figures that illustrate cable connections and which drives are controlled by each cable.

For More RAID Utility Information

The Broadcom utilities have help documentation for more information about using the utilities.