Confused about SFF-8643 to 4 x SATA breakout cables : forward, reverse, straight , crossover etc.

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Sep 10, 2019
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So bought the Silverstone CS381 (which also Servethehome featured a while ago)

SilverStone CS381 INTRODUCTION

https://www.servethehome.com/silverstone-cs381-review/

This NAS box has 8 drives and they are connected 4 and 4 to 2 cage/back-planes.

Now i apparently got the wrong SFF-8643 to 4 x SATA breakout cables as the drives are not detected and they dont spin up.

Now i researched a bit and see there is forward, and reverse and straight and crossover types of this cable.

It seems the more i read results on this from google there more unclear it becomes.

1) I see Silverstone them self has the cable but its not in stock anywhere at all in Europe and I am not paying another 180 USD for 2 cables when the box already costs 370 plus USD (tax and import toll to Europe from the US) SilverStone CPS05-RE INTRODUCTION

2) So are there 4 versions of this cable so reverse and forward (straight versions) and then both also exists in cross over versions ? or are there only 2 kind of cables so forward and reverse and the word "crossover" that some resellers use is the same as reverse ?

Really confused about all the forum posts i found about this where it seams everyone is in fact mixing up the terminology or them self not understanding it properly.

Really appreciate to get this cleared up by someone that actually understands it and can explain it clearly.

Thank You
 

BlueFox

Legendary Member Spam Hunter Extraordinaire
Oct 26, 2015
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I've not seen the word "crossover" used when it comes to SFF cables before. I thought there were only two types. You presumably got forward cables (the more common type) and need reverse ones.

Forward = HBA has SFF connectors
Reverse = drive backplane has SFF connectors
 
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Reactions: dawsonkm
Sep 10, 2019
40
9
8
I've not seen the word "crossover" used when it comes to SFF cables before. I thought there were only two types. You presumably got forward cables (the more common type) and need reverse ones.

Forward = HBA has SFF connectors
Reverse = drive backplane has SFF connectors
If you look in many manufacturers web pages it seems there is 4 types and several of them use the word crossover.
 

JediAcolyte

Active Member
May 29, 2020
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Thanks for this thread. I was trying to remember and I should have known that someone else would have had the same issue.