Has Anyone tried the "Lenovo SA120" Disk array as a JBOD?

[burgemaster]

Wow!! What SAS cards are you using?

Dell SAS 6GB HBA Cards. (Make sure you get the non perc versions)

Some cheap SAS drives..

Lenovo 67Y2617 Lenovo hard drive - 450 GB - SAS-2 Shop UK : Ballicom.co.uk : Buy

[localzuk]

Dell SAS 6GB HBA Cards. (Make sure you get the non perc versions)

Some cheap SAS drives..

Lenovo 67Y2617 Lenovo hard drive - 450 GB - SAS-2 Shop UK : Ballicom.co.uk : Buy

 

What on earth?! Why are those disks so cheap!?

[PotNoodleTech]

They're out of stock on the disks. Must be aggressively clearing out old Lenovo kit!

[burgemaster]

Just incase anyone is thinking of throwing in 12 x old Dell SAS disks in, it may not work. All drives need to be SCSI Persistent Reservation (SCSI-PR) compatible and if they are out of production then Dell wont have updated the firmware for them

[PotNoodleTech]

Hrrmmph. How old are those disks?

[burgemaster]

Dell said anything produced before late 2013 will need a FW update. These are 5 x 146gb 15k SAS produced 2008 I think.

[ddivine4]

Well, I'd made a very nice private message to ask this question and was then informed that I needed to post something before writing PMs...so, anyway:

 

Did those drive caddies (part number 03X3969 I believe) work out? I just got an SA120 and made the same disappointing discovery that you did. Still, even after having to buy a bunch of caddies, the price was hard to beat...*if* I can get the right caddies.

[chrisjones]

Interesting to find this thread. I bought my SA120 2-3 months ago only to find that the front ports are SAS only, which if I'd been in less of a hurry snapping it up I'd have noticed in the spec, although the mention of SATA was there too, but referred to the rear 2.5" bays only.

 

That said, for ~£70 for the dual controller version it was a bargain (Ballicom).

 

I've run 4TB SATA through the front ports using a Dell SAS/SATA interposer but it was an old spec interposer thus only 2TB support. I'm hoping at some point Lenovo will release a SATA supporting firmware for the backplane, or the source will become available, or the OEM will release a version which will flash onto the SA120.

 

Not tried a NLSAS drive without an interposer, anybody tried this? I'm guessing as they're SAS controllers but slower RPM they should work out of the box.

 

If anybody happens to know a Dell part number (or any other manufacturer) for an interposer supporting 4TB, I've love to know. I used PN939.

 

Thanks

Chris

[chrisjones]

*if* I can get the right caddies.

For what its worth, when mine was standing vertically (not using the vertical kit which you can get for it), i found drives slid in and mated perfectly easily without a caddy. To pull them out was a case of removing the blank above/below it though.

[ddivine4]

For what its worth, when mine was standing vertically (not using the vertical kit which you can get for it), i found drives slid in and mated perfectly easily without a caddy. To pull them out was a case of removing the blank above/below it though.

 

Thanks for the note! I have to slot this into a cabinet in ye olde data center so I'm afraid horizontal is not just a stylish option, but the law! I could probably get the drives to seat without caddies but I always worry about vibration, etc.

 

Note to mention the scary Frankenbox effect can scare management (though the data center is tucked away in another building away from headquarters, so that's less likely).

 

Since the caddies are not terribly expensive and I've got the funds budgeted, I'm hoping that will work.

[burgemaster]

The eBay Caddies fitted perfectly

[ddivine4]

The eBay Caddies fitted perfectly

 

Great! Thanks for leading the way! I can now move ahead with our purchase.

[supawat1]

Got it about a month ago, It's bloody super loud!!!

[ddivine4]

Got it about a month ago, It's bloody super loud!!!

 

I am, as they say, not surprised! But, since I am installing it in that already super-loud giant data center...not an issue!