Infortrend EonStor DS Series User manual

Version: 7.3
Updated: April 2019
Abstract:
This guide contains instructions and system limitations for adding expansion
enclosures to Infortrend storage system without affecting its existing storage
operations.
Expansion Enclosure Guide

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Contents
Contents ........................................................................................................................ 2
Introduction................................................................................................................... 3
Overview of Maximum Drives ...............................................................................................................3
Hybrid Expansion Enclosures.................................................................................................................4
Expansion Enclosure Number................................................................................................................4
Expansion Enclosure Connections .................................................................................. 6
SAS 12 Gb/s Storage System ..................................................................................................................6
SAS 6 Gb/s Storage System ....................................................................................................................8
Model Classification (Single and Redundant) ........................................................................................9
Expansion Enclosure On-line Expanding....................................................................... 10
1. Setting the expansion enclosure ID .................................................................................................10
2. Installing the newly-added expansion enclosure ............................................................................10
3. Reconnecting the redundant SAS path (for redundant models only) ..........................................11
4. Connecting new SAS cable...............................................................................................................11
5. Turning on the newly-added expansion enclosure..........................................................................11
6. Installing the newly added drives ....................................................................................................12
EonStor DS 1000/2000/3000 & GS/GSe 1000 SAS 6Gb/s Model Expansion Table ......... 13
Previous G7/G7i Model Expansion Table...................................................................... 14
Previous G6 Model Expansion Table............................................................................. 15

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Introduction
Infortrend storage systems are made of high quality and durable components based on a high-scalable hardware design,
providing support in terms of scalability and upgradeability. You also have the option to expand your storage system's
capacity with Infortrend's expansion enclosures in different form factors, allowing you more storage and provide quicker and
more efficient storage services without downtime.
The sections in this chapter list the expansion rules that you must follow when configuring the expansion enclosures with SAS
12 Gb/s drive-side models.
Overview of Maximum Drives
Infortrend provides various form factors that you can select for storage systems and expansion enclosures. The maximum
number of drives can be calculated based on the different models. Infortrend always uses SAS expansion technology to
implement massive drive scalability. Most of the products have onboard SAS ports to connect expansion enclosures and
some models support SAS expansion board to connect more expansion systems.
Take a look at the table below for Infortrend’s products, the maximum number of drives, and their supported interfaces:
Hybrid SAS Interface
Storage System Drives
On-board SAS Ports
SAS Expansion Board
Maximum Drives
EonStor DS Family
(SAS 12Gb/s)
448 within 15 mixed expansion enclosures
N/A
448
EonStor GS 1000 Gen2
EonStor GSe 1000 Gen2
448 within 15 mixed expansion enclosures
N/A
448
EonStor GS 2000/3000/4000
EonStor GSe 2000/3000
EonStor GSc 2000/3000
448 within 15 mixed expansion enclosures
448 within 15 mixed expansion enclosures
896 (448 + 448)
EonStor GS 5000
EonStor GSc 5000
N/A
N/A
[896 within 15 mixed expansion enclosures]
x 2 expansion boards
1792 (896 + 896)
Hybrid SATA Interface
Storage System Drives
On-board SAS Ports
SAS Expansion Board
Maximum Drives
EonStor GSe Pro 100/200
5 bay, 8 bay
N/A
32 with 4 expansion enclosures
37 (5+32), 40 (8+32)
EonStor GSe Pro 1000
4 bay, 8 bay
N/A
N/A
8
EonStor GSe Pro 3000
8 bay, 12 bay, 16 bay
N/A
448 within 15 mixed expansion enclosures
448
All Flash SAS Interface
Storage System Drives
On-board SAS Ports
SAS Expansion Board
Maximum Drives
EonStor GSa 2000
24 bay
360 with 15 x JB3024
360 with 15 x JB3024
744 (24 + 360 + 360)
EonStor GSa 3000
25 bay
375 with 15 x JB3025
375 with 15 x JB3025
775 (25 + 375 + 375)
EonStor GSa 5000
N/A
N/A
[375 with 15 x JB3025]
x 2 expansion boards
750 (375 + 375)
AI Appliance
Storage System Drives
On-board SAS Ports
SAS Expansion Board
Maximum Drives
EonStor GSi 3016
16 bay
224 with 14 x JB 3016
or 300 with 5 x JB 3060
N/A
316 (16 + 300)
EonStor GSi 5016
16 bay
224 with 14 x JB 3016
or 420 with 7 x JB 3060
N/A
436 (16 + 420)
Storage Server
Storage System Drives
On-board SAS Ports
SAS Expansion Board
Maximum Drives
EonServ 4012
12 bay
N/A
168 with 14 x JB 312
or 300 with 5 x JB 360
312 (12 + 300)
EonServ 4016
16 bay
N/A
224 with 14 x JB 316
or 300 with 5 x JB 360
316 (16 + 300)
EonServ 5012
12 bay
168 with 14 x JB 312
or 300 with 5 x JB 360
N/A
312 (12 + 300)
EonServ 5016
16 bay
224 with 14 x JB 316
or 300 with 5 x JB 360
N/A
316 (16 + 300)
EonServ 7012
12 bay
168 with 14 x JB 312
or 420 with 7 x JB 360
N/A
432 (12 + 420)
EonServ 7016
16 bay
224 with 14 x JB 316
or 420 with 7 x JB 360
N/A
436 (16 + 420)
Table 1: Maximum Drives of Current Models

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Hybrid Expansion Enclosures
Infortrend allows some models to support hybrid expansion enclosure connections. The onboard SAS expansion port (either
dual or single port) supports up to 448 drives for each expansion chain, which is limited by the SAS chip used. Infortrend also
offers SAS 12 Gb/s expansion board for some models, which uses the same SAS chip as the onboard expansion ports. You can
use twice the supported number of drives of up to 896 (1792 for EonStor GS/GSc 5000) by cascading the second expansion
chain via the expansion host boards. Do note that not every model supports hybrid expansion enclosures configuration.
For the supported number of drives, see section Overview of Maximum Drives.
Systems that support hybrid expansion enclosures:
EonStor DS/GS/GSe family (12 Gb/s SAS drive-side models)
EonStor GSc family
EonStor GSe Pro 3000 series
Systems that do not support hybrid expansion enclosures:
EonStor DS/GS/GSe family (6 Gb/s SAS drive-side models)
EonStor GSa family
EonStor GSi family
EonServ family
EonStor GSe Pro 100/200/1000 series
Expansion Enclosure Number
Before setting up an extra expansion enclosure to an existing configuration, you must set the rotary ID switch using a
flat-blade screwdriver. Do note that each expansion enclosure must have a unique ID within an expansion chain. Currently,
the expansion enclosure's rotary ID switch is numbered from 1 to 15, which means you can only connect up to 15 expansion
enclosures per expansion chain.
IMPORTANT!
To prevent any ID conflicts, ensure that you set a unique ID to each expansion enclosure when connecting in a multi-array
environment.
Figure 1: Expansion Enclosures ID switch

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Figure 2: Hybrid Expansion Enclosures
Figure 3: Hybrid Expansion Enclosures of EonStor GS/GSc 5000
Expansion Board
896 Drives within
15 Expansion Enclosures
896 Drives within
15 Expansion Enclosures
On-board SAS
Expansion Ports
Expansion Board
448 Drives within
15 Expansion Enclosures
448 Drives within
15 Expansion Enclosures

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Expansion Enclosure Connections
The sections in this chapter discuss the connections between expansions and storage systems with SAS 6 Gb/s and SAS 12
Gb/s technologies. Since the SAS drive-side protocol technology has been upgraded from SAS 6 Gb/s to SAS 12 Gb/s, the
operating storage system can use different SAS protocol for expansion.
SAS 12 Gb/s Storage System
For Infortrend storage systems with SAS 12 Gb/s drive-side, the onboard SAS expansion ports are marked as IN.
Figure 4: SAS 12 Gb/s Storage System Onboard Expansion Port
For any type of expansion enclosure, connect a SAS cable (blue) from the primary controller's SAS expansion port of the
storage system to the primary controller's OUT SAS port of the first expansion enclosure.
To configure the redundant paths in two daisy-chain topology, connect a SAS cable (orange) from the second controller's SAS
expansion port of the storage system to the second controller's SAS OUT port of the last expansion enclosure. Basic
connection rule when connecting systems in this connection type is IN to OUT, from the last expansion enclosure to the first
expansion enclosure.
Figure 6: Connecting dual-controller expansions
using host board’s SAS 12Gb/s expansion ports.
Figure 5: Connecting single-controller expansions
using the onboard SAS 12 Gb/s expansion ports .

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Figure 7: Connecting single-controller expansions using the onboard SAS 12Gb/s expansion ports
Figure 8: Connecting dual-controller expansions using the onboard SAS 12Gb/s expansion ports

SAS 6 Gb/s Storage System
For SAS 6 Gb/s drive-side storage system, the SAS expansion ports are marked as OUT.
Figure 9: SAS 6 Gb/s Storage System Onboard Expansion Port
For any type of expansion enclosure, attach a SAS cable (blue) from the primary controller's SAS OUT port of the storage
system to the primary controller's IN SAS port of the expansion enclosure.
To ensure redundancy in two daisy-chain topology, connect a SAS cable (orange) from the second controller's SAS expansion
port of the storage system to the second controller's IN SAS port of the last expansion enclosure. Basic connection rule when
connecting systems in this connection type is OUT to IN, from the last expansion enclosure to the first expansion enclosure.
Figure 10: SAS 6 Gb/s Storage System Expansion Connection
NOTE:
1. SAS 6 Gb/s to 12 Gb/s cables are required for SAS 12 Gb/s expansion enclosure connection.
2. Currently this configuration is only supported by the model that is newer than EonStor DS 1000. For G6 and G7/G7i
models, please refer to Previous G7/G7i Model Expansion Table and Previous G6 Model Expansion Table.

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Model Classification (Single and Redundant)
Infortrend products, especially the high-availability models, are also classified by the number of controllers: single and
redundant. Redundant storage models are expandable via the redundant expansion enclosure. Single storage models, on the
other hand, are expandable via the single expansion enclosures. All single models of storage and expansion enclosures are
indentified by two letters: Sand G. Gmodels are not upgradeable to redundant (R) models, while Smodels are upgradeable
to redundant (R) models by installing a second Smodel controller. Take note that not every product supports Smodel.
For more information, refer to the table below:
High Availability Models
Single Model
Redundant Model
Upgradable
EonStor DS 1000/2000
G Model
R Model
No
EonStor DS 3000
DS 3024/3024B
S Model
R Model
Yes
DS 3012/3016
G Model
R Model
No
EonStor DS 4000
DS 4024/4024B
S Model
R Model
Yes
DS 4016
S & G Model
R Model
Yes
(No for G Model)
EonStor GS 1000/2000/3000/4000
EonStor GSc 2000/3000
EonStor GSa 2000/3000
(Except 4U60 form factor)
S Model
R Model
Yes
EonStor GS 3060
EonStor GSc 3060
G Model
R Model
No
EonStor GS 5000
EonStor GSc 5000
EonStor GSa 5000
N/A
R Model
N/A
JB 3000
(Except 4U60 form factor)
S Model
R Model
Yes
JB 3060
G Model
R Model
No
Single Models
Single Model
Redundant Model
Upgradable
EonStor GSe Family
G Model
N/A
N/A
EonStor GSe Pro Family
G Model
N/A
N/A
EonStor GSi Family
G Model
N/A
N/A
EonServ Family
G Model
N/A
N/A
JB Pro 200
G Model
N/A
N/A
JB 300
G Model
N/A
N/A
Table 2: Single and Redundant Models
Figure 11: Upgrade from S Model to R Model

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Expansion Enclosure On-line Expanding
This chapter details the steps of adding expansion enclosures to an already present storage system setup.
Figure 12: Adding an expansion enclosure
1. Setting the expansion enclosure ID
The expansion enclosure ID is located at the front panel of the expansion enclosure. When setting expansion IDs, always set
them in order: Set the first expansion to 1, the second expansion ID in 2, and so on. The newly-added expansion enclosures
must be connected after the current setup's last expansion enclosure. Do take note that the enclosure IDs must be different
from each other.
Figure 13: Expansion enclosure ID
2. Installing the newly-added expansion enclosure
Due to the expansion enclosure's heavy weight, we recommend you to install the hard drives to the expansion enclosure
after the enclosure is already installed to the rack. After the ID assignment and installation of the expansion enclosures to the
rack, you can now connect the added expansion enclosures to the current system assembly via SAS cables.
In connecting the newly-added enclosures, ensure that the SAS cables are long enough to reach between SAS ports. The
longest cable is used to connect the storage system and the last expansion enclosure. In some cases, the expansion
enclosures are not directly installed on top or bottom of the storage system, so the cabling routes may vary. In most cases, at
least one long SAS cable is required.
Storage System
Expansion enclosure 1
Expansion enclosure 2
Expansion enclosure 3
(Newly added)