iXsystems TrueNAS ES12 Manual

TrueNAS®ES12 Expansion Shelf
Basic Setup Guide
Version 1.7

Copyright © 2020 iXsystems, Inc. All rights reserved. All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Contents
1 Unpacking the Unit ������������������������������������������������������������������������� 1
2 Become Familiar with the ES12 System ������������������������������������������������� 2
3 Rail Kit Assembly ���������������������������������������������������������������������������� 3
3�1 Rail Extenders ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 3
3�2 Rail Spring ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 3
3�3 Attaching Rails to the Rack ������������������������������������������������������������������� 4
4 Install Drive Trays ��������������������������������������������������������������������������� 5
5 Connect Power Cords ���������������������������������������������������������������������� 6
6 Connect SAS Cords ������������������������������������������������������������������������� 6
6�1 X-Series ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 6
6�2 M40 ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 7
6�3 M50 ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 8
7 Install Bezel (Optional) ��������������������������������������������������������������������� 9
8 Software Documentation ����������������������������������������������������������������� 9
9 Contacting iXsystems ���������������������������������������������������������������������� 9

Page 1
The TrueNAS ES12 is a 2U, 12-bay, SAS3(12 Gb/s) expansion shelf with dual expansion controllers and redun-
dant power supplies�
ES12 Expansion Shelf
ES12 Bezel
Set of rackmount rails. The rails have a specific front
end, identified by a label visible on the left above. The
front ends of the rails must be installed facing the
front of the rack�
A total of 12 populated or empty “airbaffle” drive trays.
Trays must be installed in all bays to maintain proper
airflow for cooling. Up to ten drive trays are packed
in a cardboard tray� Additional drivetrays are packed
with the accessory kit�
Accessory kit with 2 IEC C13 to NEMA 5-15P power
cords, 2 IEC C14toC14 cords, and a set of velcro cable
ties�
Two 3-meter Mini SAS HD to Mini SAS HD cables�
TrueNAS units are carefully packed and shipped with trusted carriers to arrive in perfect condition� If there is
any shipping damage or any parts are missing, please take photos and contact iXsystems support immediately
at support@ixsystems�com or 855-GREP4-iX (855-473-7449) or 408-943-4100�
Please locate and record the hardware serial numbers on the back of each chassis for quick reference�
Carefully unpack the shipping boxes and locate these components:
1 Unpacking the Unit

Page 2
2 Become Familiar with the ES12
The ES12 has front panel indicators for power, locate ID, and fault� The fault indicator is on during the initial
power-on self-test (POST) and turns o during normal operation. It turns on if the TrueNAS software generates
an alert�
The ES12 has two expansion controllers in a side-by-side configuration:
1-3: HD Mini SAS3 connectors (T1-T3)
4: Debug port (TrueNAS internal use only)
5: Redundant power supplies

Page 3
3 Rail Kit Assembly
On racks that are 30 inches deep or less, skip to “3.2 Rail Spring”�
3.1 Rail Extenders
Racks from 31 to 36 inches deep require installation of the included rail extenders� For these deeper racks,
install cage nuts on the outside rear of the rack� The tabs on the cage nuts must be horizontal as shown�
Using the included bolts, install the rail extender inside the rear of the rack� Repeat the process for the second
extender, which is a mirror image of the first.
3.2 Rail Spring
If not already present, install a spring on the silver posts in the side of each rail�

Page 4
3.3 Attaching Rails to the Rack
Chassis rails are configured to attach to round hole racks. Additional pins are included in the accessory kit to
configure the rails for square or 4mm hole racks. To reset the rails to fit a square or 4mm hole rack, unscrew
the pins at each end of the rails and replace them with the correct pins�
To secure a rail to the rack, open the clamp latches on the ends of each rail� Place the rail in the rack with the
front end toward the front of the rack, aligning the pins on both ends of the rail with the mounting holes in the
rack� Swing the clamp latch closed to hold the rail in place� Use two of the supplied screws to secure the back
end of the rail in place� Repeat the process for the second rail�
Caution: Two people are required to safely lift the chassis for rack installation or removal. Do not install
drives until after the chassis has been installed in the rack, and remove all drives before removing the chassis
from the rack� Carefully place the chassis onto the rails mounted in the rack� Push the chassis in until the ears
are flush with the front of the rack. If needed, attach the bezel. Use two of the supplied screws to secure each
ear to the rack�

Page 5
4 Install Drive Trays
Drive trays are used to mount drives in the chassis� Each drive tray has a status LED which is blue when the
drive is active or a hot spare� The LED changes to amber if a fault has occurred� A tray must be placed in each
drive bay to maintain proper air flow for cooling. If fewer than twelve drives are connected, empty “airbaffle”
trays must be placed in the empty bays. A standard drive tray installation order simplifies support and is strong-
ly recommended:
• SSD drives for write cache (W), if present
• SSD drives for read cache (R), if present
• Hard drives or SSD drives for data storage
• Air baffle filler trays to fill any remaining empty bays
Install the first drive tray in the top left drive bay. Install the next drive tray to the right of the first. Install re-
maining drive trays to the right across the row. After a row is filled with drives, move down to the next row and
start again with the left bay� This example shows the proper order for a write cache (W) SSD, a read cache (R)
SSD, eight hard drives, and two empty air baffle trays.
To load an individual drive tray into a bay, press the blue button to open the latch� Carefully slide the tray into a
drive bay until the left side of the latch touches the metal front edge of the chassis, then gently swing the latch
closed until it clicks into place�

Page 6
5 Connect Power Cords
Do not plug the power cords into a power outlet yet. Connect a power cord to the back of one power sup-
ply� Place the cord in the plastic clamp and press the tab into the latch to lock it in place� Repeat the process for
the second power supply and cord�
6 Connect SAS Cords
Plug the ES12 power cords into power outlets� Wait two minutes for the drives to start. The ES12 is com-
patible with several TrueNAS systems� Typical SAS cable connections for one or two ES12 expansion shelves to
TrueNAS High Availability (HA) systems are shown here�
6.1 X-Series

Page 9
7 Install Bezel (Optional)
The included bezel is not required for operation� If desired, install the bezel by aligning it with the pins on the
bezel ears and pressing it into place�
8 Software Documentation
The TrueNAS Documentation Hub has software configuration and usage articles. It is available by clicking Guide
in the TrueNAS web interface or going directly to https://www�truenas�com/docs�
9 Contacting iXsystems
For assistance, please contact iX Support:
Contact Method Contact Options
Web https://support.ixsystems.com
Email [email protected]
Telephone Monday-Friday, 6:00AM to 6:00PM Pacific Standard Time:
• US-only toll-free: 855-473-7449 option 2
• Local and international: 408-943-4100 option 2
Telephone Telephone After Hours (24x7 Gold Level Support only):
• US-only toll-free: 855-499-5131
• International: 408-878-3140
(International calling rates will apply)
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