So i just bought a 2u X10DRU-i+ system off ebay (acutally a SuperServer 6028U-TNRT+), as one of the systems to be part of my new home esx lab, and i found out it has a SM BPN-SAS3-826EL1-N4 , backplane. (sas3 expander on 8 bays, nvme on 4 bays = 12 x 3.5" bays total).
SM BP manual is here: https://www.supermicro.com/manuals/other/BPN-SAS3-826EL1-N4.pdf
I swore off any expander backplanes after a few bad test rigs many years ago, and since then any SM server i have built or managed has used direct attach BPs only (ie xxxA or xxxTQ backplanes).
my questions:
1- can anyone provide some info/experiences with SAS3 SuperMicro BP expanders? (ie which HBA / Raid card are you using, and how do you have the setup configured).
(ie im a bit confused as to how the manual shows 2x sasHD cables going to a single hba/raid card, instead of just 1x)
2- any experiences on this BP or others with some slots NVMe and others expander ?
(im not new to any of this, however there is NO info on the web about this expander beyond this SM manual....and also im to using specifically SM BP expanders, and a bit new to non-pcie slot NVMe drives).
Im planning to use SSDs only on the BP, and would like Raid1.
Ill be running 6.5u2 ESXi, but this is all as a lab setup
thanks!
EDIT (3days after OP)- i figured out from its IPMI that the system is actually a : 6028U-E1CNRT+1 -SG007 )
SM BP manual is here: https://www.supermicro.com/manuals/other/BPN-SAS3-826EL1-N4.pdf
I swore off any expander backplanes after a few bad test rigs many years ago, and since then any SM server i have built or managed has used direct attach BPs only (ie xxxA or xxxTQ backplanes).
my questions:
1- can anyone provide some info/experiences with SAS3 SuperMicro BP expanders? (ie which HBA / Raid card are you using, and how do you have the setup configured).
(ie im a bit confused as to how the manual shows 2x sasHD cables going to a single hba/raid card, instead of just 1x)
2- any experiences on this BP or others with some slots NVMe and others expander ?
(im not new to any of this, however there is NO info on the web about this expander beyond this SM manual....and also im to using specifically SM BP expanders, and a bit new to non-pcie slot NVMe drives).
Im planning to use SSDs only on the BP, and would like Raid1.
Ill be running 6.5u2 ESXi, but this is all as a lab setup
thanks!
EDIT (3days after OP)- i figured out from its IPMI that the system is actually a : 6028U-E1CNRT+1 -SG007 )
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