Sorry for the Length, I trimmed it best I could ...
Hi everyone!
I’ve scoured the forums for some resolution to this Hardware issue, but I cannot find anything. My Server specs are in my Footnote and it is up to date.
I already own and am currently using one of the SuperMicro AOC-SASLP-MV8 controllers: https://www.supermicro.com/products/accessories/addon/AOC-SASLP-MV8.cfm
This controller is working perfectly for me in my WHS2011 Server, handling Advance Format HDDs just fine up to 4TB (largest I have at present).
My Server Motherboard is the SM X7SBE. It has (besides 2 x 133Mhz PCI-X and 2 x 100MHZ PCI-X slots) 1 x 4x PCIe slot and 1 x 8x PCIe slot.
I am running 2 x SM AOC-SAT2-MV8 Controllers in the 133MHz PCI-X slots. These seem to be working fine with some caveats. In order to use AF HDD’s over 2TB, I am forced to use the Sonnet Driver v4.2.0.0 dated 5/11/2010.
1. This driver does not report the correct Serial Number for the Drives:
Example, Serial Number: WMC301385641
becomes: MW3C10836514
The Controller is DISLEXIC, reversing every 2 characters. Very strange.
2. Also, it assigns the Serial Number for the drive connected to Port 0 on the card, to every drive connected to that same Controller Card.
While DrivePool seems to handle this “Problem” without creating any additional issues of its own, I do not handle it very well at all. The AOC-SASLP-MV8 Controller has none of these issues.
My goals are to solve these 2 issues ASAP and prepare for a Media Center move to PLEX in the near future, which will require more CPU power and a newer Server Mainboard. I need to do all of these things with as little cash investment as possible.
This brings me to my questions for the experts on this Forum: 1. Does anyone know a way to solve these Serial Number issues without ditching the PCI-X controller cards? I may get rid of them anyway if answers to the following questions are workable.
2. The compatibility of this HW combination with DrivePool and Scanner on the WHS2011 machine is not fully resolved in the HardForum thread, so I am trying to determine if this would be a workable solution for me to consider? In other words, can I put this Expander in my available PCIe-8x slot, and will it work with the AOC-SASLP-MV8 AND, besides giving me all the HDD connections I need for now, would it likely solve the Serial Number issues, since ALL my HDDs would now be controlled by the single AOC-SASLP-MV8? 3. Does anyone know of any Firmware or Driver version issues that I might need to be aware of or that might cause other issues? 4. Has anyone used this Expander before? What problems did you have? What do I need to watch out for? Is this change simpler than it looks? Am I missing something here? Is this a much more common thing to do than I am currently aware of?
I would sure like to hear some stories from some of you guys here that are using Covecube’s products. I do not wish to, nor am I willing to give up the benefits of using DrivePool and/or Scanner – NO WAY, not gonna happen! I am just concerned that I might be getting myself into something that will not work, or that I do not have the skills to make work, that’s really all this is.
Thanks so much for anyone who might be able to help me with this. MUCH appreciated!
Gary
GDogTech
Edited by GDogTech grammer corrections & clarifications
Question
GDog
Sorry for the Length, I trimmed it best I could ...
Hi everyone!
I’ve scoured the forums for some resolution to this Hardware issue, but I cannot find anything. My Server specs are in my Footnote and it is up to date.
I already own and am currently using one of the SuperMicro AOC-SASLP-MV8 controllers:
https://www.supermicro.com/products/accessories/addon/AOC-SASLP-MV8.cfm
This controller is working perfectly for me in my WHS2011 Server, handling Advance Format HDDs just fine up to 4TB (largest I have at present).
My Server Motherboard is the SM X7SBE. It has (besides 2 x 133Mhz PCI-X and 2 x 100MHZ PCI-X slots) 1 x 4x PCIe slot and 1 x 8x PCIe slot.
I am running 2 x SM AOC-SAT2-MV8 Controllers in the 133MHz PCI-X slots. These seem to be working fine with some caveats. In order to use AF HDD’s over 2TB, I am forced to use the Sonnet Driver v4.2.0.0 dated 5/11/2010.
1. This driver does not report the correct Serial Number for the Drives:
Example, Serial Number: WMC301385641
becomes: MW3C10836514
The Controller is DISLEXIC, reversing every 2 characters. Very strange.
2. Also, it assigns the Serial Number for the drive connected to Port 0 on the card, to every drive connected to that same Controller Card.
While DrivePool seems to handle this “Problem” without creating any additional issues of its own, I do not handle it very well at all. The AOC-SASLP-MV8 Controller has none of these issues.
My goals are to solve these 2 issues ASAP and prepare for a Media Center move to PLEX in the near future, which will require more CPU power and a newer Server Mainboard. I need to do all of these things with as little cash investment as possible.
This brings me to my questions for the experts on this Forum:
1. Does anyone know a way to solve these Serial Number issues without ditching the PCI-X controller cards? I may get rid of them anyway if answers to the following questions are workable.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NOTES: I have read on the HardForum that the AOC-SASLP-MV8 is compatible with the HP SAS Expander, which is currently available on eBay dirt cheap, like $15-$20, some including Cables! Here is the Forum Link: https://hardforum.com/threads/hp-sas-expander-owners-thread.1484614/page-51#post-1039192861
This link will take you to page 51 in the thread, because one of the posts there deals with using this combination on a WHS2011/DrivePool machine specifically. It is not hard to navigate from there if you want to however.
Here are links for a couple of these cards listed on ebay. Both from China sellers, but with very high Feedback scores (you can get a US seller for just a few dollars more however):
Brand New: https://www.ebay.com/itm/New-HP-SAS-Expender-Card-24-Port-SAS-PCI-E-Expander-Board-468405-001/191976718410?hash=item2cb2b4404a:g:N70AAOSwPCVX4pxE
With Cables: https://www.ebay.com/itm/HP-468406-B21-24-Bay-SAS-Expander-Card-2-x-SAS-Cables-70CM-487738-001-468405-002/272991770425?hash=item3f8f93d739:g:wHQAAOSwTQtaO8PH
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. The compatibility of this HW combination with DrivePool and Scanner on the WHS2011 machine is not fully resolved in the HardForum thread, so I am trying to determine if this would be a workable solution for me to consider? In other words, can I put this Expander in my available PCIe-8x slot, and will it work with the AOC-SASLP-MV8 AND, besides giving me all the HDD connections I need for now, would it likely solve the Serial Number issues, since ALL my HDDs would now be controlled by the single AOC-SASLP-MV8?
3. Does anyone know of any Firmware or Driver version issues that I might need to be aware of or that might cause other issues?
4. Has anyone used this Expander before? What problems did you have? What do I need to watch out for? Is this change simpler than it looks? Am I missing something here? Is this a much more common thing to do than I am currently aware of?
I would sure like to hear some stories from some of you guys here that are using Covecube’s products. I do not wish to, nor am I willing to give up the benefits of using DrivePool and/or Scanner – NO WAY, not gonna happen! I am just concerned that I might be getting myself into something that will not work, or that I do not have the skills to make work, that’s really all this is.
Thanks so much for anyone who might be able to help me with this. MUCH appreciated!
Gary
GDogTech
grammer corrections & clarifications
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