HP ProLiant s6500 User manual

Configuring SATA and SAS in HP ProLiant
SL6000 servers
How to
Abstract.............................................................................................................................................. 2
Introduction......................................................................................................................................... 2
SL6000 Scalable System ...................................................................................................................... 2
SL6000 cabling options ....................................................................................................................... 3
SATA cables ....................................................................................................................................... 5
SAS cables ......................................................................................................................................... 5
Connector types .................................................................................................................................. 6
SL6000 System disk drive installation kits ............................................................................................... 7
P212 SAS cable installation kit .......................................................................................................... 7
P410 SAS cable installation kit .......................................................................................................... 8
SL2x170z SATA cable installation kit ............................................................................................... 10
For more information.......................................................................................................................... 11
Call to action .................................................................................................................................... 11

Abstract
This paper provides guidance for users reconfiguring hard disk drives in any of the SL6000 Scalable
System server nodes. The SL6000 server nodes are primarily intended for SATA hard drives, but SAS
options are available. The hardware required to connect the disk drives depends on the type of server
node, the type of drive (SATA or SAS), the drive form factor (LFF or SFF), and the number of hard
drives in the configuration. The paper describes the required controllers, cables, and components for
each SL6000 server node and disk drive configuration.
Introduction
The SL6000 Scalable System is optimized for extreme scale-out computing applications, such as High
Performance Computing, large-scale enterprise server deployments, and the latest web and cloud
computing applications. Based on industry-standard components, these servers provide extreme
density and high performance at low acquisition costs. The SL6000 server family consists of the
SL160z, SL170z, and SL2X170z server nodes. Installed in easily serviceable 1U server trays, these
nodes are optimized for power and cooling efficiency. For more information on the SL6000 Scalable
System, refer to the HP ProLiant SL6000 Scalable System technology brief at
http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bc/docs/support/SupportManual/c01938587/c01938587.pdf.
SL6000 server nodes can be configured for high storage densities. While this ultra dense, relatively
low cost rack environment is primarily intended for LFF SATA drives. SFF drives, SAS controllers and
SAS disk drives are optional configurations.
SL6000 Scalable System
A ProLiant SL6000 Scalable System consists of a 2U ProLiant z6000 G6 chassis and two
self-contained 1U server trays, each with its own industry-standard processors, Double Data Rate-3
(DDR3) memory, I/O, and storage (Figure 1). The rack-mountable chassis includes a modular power
and cooling infrastructure that supports the slide-in pluggable server trays.
2

Figure 1. HP ProLiant SL6000 Scalable System
SL6000 cabling options
The SL160z, SL170z, and SL2X170z server nodes all have an embedded SATA controller and
include SATA cabling for standard LFF SATA drive configurations. Optional Smart Array P212 or
P410 SAS controllers are available for each SL6000 server node.
Each SL6000 server node disk drive configuration depends on the server node, the type of disk drives
used, the number of disk drives to be installed, and the disk drive form factor. SFF disk drives require
the SFF disk drive kit to convert the server tray from LFF to SFF support. Cable kits may require some
or all the components supplied in the SFF disk drive kit. Each SFF disk drive kit contains one Y Power
Distribute Cable and one stacked, two drive SFF cage. The Y Power Distribute Cable connects two
SFF disk drive power cables to a single power connector on the server node personality board.1The
SFF drive kit is an option and is purchased separately.
Table 1 is a matrix detailing the required SATA and SAS cable kits for SL6000 server node
configurations and, where needed, the SFF disk drive kit. Each cable kit contains the required cables
for the specified server node and hard drive configuration. The cables included with standard SATA
configurations are compatible with LFF and SFF SATA drives. Table 1 also specifies when SFF disk
drive kits are required and how many SFF disk drive kits are needed for each installation.
1The personality board or module provides connectivity for peripheral components and interface connectors. In this case, the personality board
provides connections between the hard drives and the voltage regulator.
3

Table 1. SL6000 SAS/SATA hard disk drive (HDD) cable options
Server
node
Controller Max HDD
supported
Required cable kit Qty Required number of
SFF disk drive kits
SL170z
P410 6 LFF HP z6000 P410 / SAS 4HDD Cable Kit
(PN- 583997-B21) 1 None
P410 8 SFF HP z6000 P410 / SAS 4HDD Cable Kit
(PN- 583997-B21) 1 4
P212 4 LFF HP P212 / SAS 4HDD Cable Kit
(PN-574001-B21) 1 None
SAS
P212 4 SFF HP P212 / SAS 4HDD Cable Kit
(PN-574001-B21) 1 2
Embedded 6 LFF Use the cables that come with the server 6 NoneSATA
Embedded 6 SFF Use the cables that come with the server 6 3
SL2X170z
P212 4 LFF HP P212 / SAS 2HDD 2x170 Cable Kit
(PN- 589234-B21) 1 None
SAS
P212 4 SFF HP P212 / SAS 2HDD 2x170 Cable Kit
(PN- 589234-B21) 2 2
Embedded 6 LFF Use the cables that come with the server 2 NoneSATA
Embedded 6 SFF HP SATA / PW CBL SL160/170 G6 KIT
(PN- 574005-B21) 1 3
SL160z
P212 2 LFF HP P212 / SAS 4HDD Cable Kit
(PN- 574001-B21) 1 None
SAS
P212 4 SFF HP P212 / SAS 4HDD Cable Kit
(PN- 574001-B21) 1 2
Embedded 2 LFF Use the cables that come with the server 2 NoneSATA
Embedded 4 SFF HP P212 / SAS 4HDD Cable Kit
(PN- 574001-B21) 1 2
SL165z
P212 2 LFF HP P212 / SAS 4HDD Cable Kit
(PN- 574001-B21) 1 None
SAS
P212 4 SFF HP P212 / SAS 4HDD Cable Kit
(PN- 574001-B21) 1 2
Embedded 2 LFF Use the cables that come with the server 2 NoneSATA
Embedded 4 SFF HP SATA / PW CBL SL160/170 G6 KIT
(PN- 574005-B21) 4 2
For more information on the Smart Array P212 and P410 controllers, go to
www.hp.com/products/smartarray.
4

SATA cables
LFF SATA drives are the default configuration for storage in the SL6000 and SATA cables are
supplied with each server node.
SAS cables
Multi-drive cables connect SAS drives in the various configurations identified in the Table 1 cabling
matrix. Each SL6000 server node hard drive configuration requires cables with specific cable lengths
and connector types to permit adequate air flow and accommodate space restrictions within the
server node. The example in Figure 2 shows a SAS cable with a straight Mini SAS connector and four
SAS disk drive connectors.
Figure 2. Example of SAS cable with a straight Mini SAS connector
1
2
3
4
Each of the SAS disk drive connectors is labeled with the number of the drive to be connected. Each
SAS disk drive connector also has a power cable. The power cable uses the same number and is
attached to the corresponding connector on the server node personality board.
5

Connector types
To accommodate space constraints, cable assemblies may have unique mini SAS connectors.
Figure 3 displays the available Mini SAS connector types for SL6000 server nodes. The Mini SAS
connector types are specified to accommodate each server node configuration and are determined by
the cable kit SKU.
Figure 3. Mini SAS connector types
Straight connector Right angle connector U connector
6

SL6000 System disk drive installation kits
Each kit contains SAS or SATA cables with power cables and installation instructions. This section
provides example illustrations from some of the available installation kits.
NOTE:
The installation kits contain the SAS cables for the specific hard drive configuration
and the instructions. The installation kits do not include the SFF disk drive kit. The SFF
disk drive kit must be purchased separately and the configuration being considered
may require more than one kit. Consult Table 1 to verify the number of SFF hard drive
kits required for each hard drive configuration.
P212 SAS cable installation kit
Figure 4 is a sample illustration from the P212 Smart Array controller SAS disk drive installation kit.
The kit includes Illustrations and detailed instructions for installing SAS cables in HP ProLiant
SL160z/SL170z/SL2x170z G6 servers. The installation kit covers all available hard drive
configurations employing SAS disk drives and the P212. Figure 4 shows an example installation for
connecting the SAS cables for four SFF disk drives with a X4 riser card in an SL160z server node.
Figure 4. Connecting the SAS cables for four SFF disk drives with a X4 riser card in an SL160z server node
7

P410 SAS cable installation kit
Figure 5 is a sample illustration from the P410 Smart Array controller SAS disk drive installation kit.
The kit includes Illustrations and detailed instructions for installing SAS cables in the HP ProLiant
SL170z G6 server, the only SL6000 server node to support the P410. The installation kit covers all
available hard drive configurations employing SAS disk drives and the P410. Figure 5 shows an
example installation for connecting the SAS cables for six LFF disk drives in an SL170z server node.
Figure 5. Connecting the SAS cables for six LFF disk drives in an SL170z server node
Figure 6 is another illustration from the P410 Smart Array controller SAS disk drive installation kit
showing the installation of eight SFF SAS drives in an SL170z server node.
8

Figure 6. Connecting the SAS cables for eight SFF disk drives in an SL170z server node
This installation also requires the use of the stacked, two drive SFF cage shown in Figure 7.
Figure 7. Stacked, two drive SFF cage
9

SL2x170z SATA cable installation kit
SATA cable installation kits are available for all SL6000 server nodes. Figure 8 is a sample illustration
from the SATA option installation kit showing connection of the SATA cables to LFF SATA disk drives
on each of the two SL170z server nodes. This installation requires additional SATA cables included in
the cable kit. The kit includes Illustrations and detailed instructions for installing SATA cables in the
SL2x170z server.
Figure 8. Connecting the cables for LFF SATA disk drives for two SL170z server nodes
10

For more information
For additional information, refer to the resources listed below.
Resource description Web address
Smart Array controllers www.hp.com/products/smartarray
HP hard disk drive products www.hp.com/products/harddiskdrives
HP ProLiant servers www.hp.com/go/proliant
HP SAS Technology www.hp.com/go/serial
HP Smart Array Controller technology, 2nd
edition
http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bc/docs/support/SupportMan
ual/c00687518/c00687518.pdf
Serial Attached SCSI storage technology,
2nd Edition
http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bc/docs/support/SupportMan
ual/c01613420/c01613420.pdf
Configuring Arrays on HP Smart Array
Controllers Reference Guide
http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bc/docs/support/SupportMan
ual/c00729544/c00729544.pdf
HP Smart Array controllers for HP ProLiant
Servers User Guide
http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bc/docs/support/SupportMan
ual/c01608507/c01608507.pdf?jumpid=reg_R1002_USEN
Call to action
Send comments about this paper to [email protected].
© 2009 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. The information contained
herein is subject to change without notice. The only warranties for HP products and
services are set forth in the express warranty statements accompanying such
products and services. Nothing herein should be construed as constituting an
additional warranty. HP shall not be liable for technical or editorial errors or
omissions contained herein.
TC091105HT, November 2009