H700 in SM846 with SAS2-EL backplane issues

[NetWise]

Maybe someone can give me a hand, I'm banging my head on this, and I'm missing something.

Have a Dell C2100 with PERC H700 with dual cables connected to the C2100 backplane.

Now have a X8DTE-F/SM846 with a SAS2-EL1 backplane.

Having grief getting ANY drives seen. Unit shipped with a LSI SAS3081E/SAS1068E controller, with an odd (to me) CBL-0108L-02 cable. Looks like SFF-8087 on both ends, but 8 individual cables between and an 8 pin gray ribbon cable.

Couldn't get the H700 with either original cable to see any drives - the 12 original or 12 new. Just nothing. Not too large, not incompatible, "no drives found".

So I tried the original SAS3081E card. That worked better intermittently.

The CBL-0108L-02 won't reach the top edge mounted SAS ports on the H700. So I can't try that cable with the H700. I've tried the H700 cables with the SAS3081E card, and that also reports no drives.

So... it must be a cable issue?

Any ideas?

 

[Terry Kennedy]

Unit shipped with a LSI SAS3081E/SAS1068E controller, with an odd (to me) CBL-0108L-02 cable. Looks like SFF-8087 on both ends, but 8 individual cables between and an 8 pin gray ribbon cable.

Sounds like a normal SAS w/ sideband cable. Supermicro tends to not use the woven loom cover that you're probably used to seeing on things like the Dell systems, so you see the guts of the cable.

Couldn't get the H700 with either original cable to see any drives - the 12 original or 12 new. Just nothing. Not too large, not incompatible, "no drives found".

Does the H700 cable have Dell firmware on it, or generic? The latest Dell firmware is 12.10.6-0001. If I install a H700 into a Dell R710 (in the integrated slot, but will do the same in a regular PCIe slot) with no cables connected, it will report a "SAS A cable not connected" during POST. Do you see that when no SAS cables are connected to it? Does it change with cables plugged in?

For cables, Dell M246M is a 29" cable with one straight (H700 end) and one right-angle (backplane end) connector. I think that is the longest length from Dell. P110M is about 22".

 

[NetWise]

Sure I could see it not having the loom. That makes sense.

h700 has Dell firmware and it's a few old - 12.10.0-0025 or something. So that needs to be revisioned up.

Definitely did NOT see anything like 'no cable attached' - that would have stood out for me. But it's good to confirm it would behave that way. I'll try it again with no cables to confirm it does that.

I moved it all back to the c2100 and it all came up first try, found the disks and VD's and such. So all good on a failback.

I have a 9265CV at home and a couple other SFF8087 cables to try and see how that behaves. But I'm thinking the firmware is the next logical step.

Thanks for the sounding board!

 

[whitey]

Sounds like a normal SAS w/ sideband cable. Supermicro tends to not use the woven loom cover that you're probably used to seeing on things like the Dell systems, so you see the guts of the cable.


Does the H700 cable have Dell firmware on it, or generic? The latest Dell firmware is 12.10.6-0001. If I install a H700 into a Dell R710 (in the integrated slot, but will do the same in a regular PCIe slot) with no cables connected, it will report a "SAS A cable not connected" during POST. Do you see that when no SAS cables are connected to it? Does it change with cables plugged in?

For cables, Dell M246M is a 29" cable with one straight (H700 end) and one right-angle (backplane end) connector. I think that is the longest length from Dell. P110M is about 22".

I believe I have a couple of these extra cables from a R610 I pulled off a H200 card. Let me know if you are interested as I have no use for them, $10 a piece shipped.

 

[NetWise]

I believe I have a couple of these extra cables from a R610 I pulled off a H200 card. Let me know if you are interested as I have no use for them, $10 a piece shipped.

Thanks, I'll definitely let you know. Heading back tomorrow with my other card and cables to try to get some additional troubleshooting data to narrow down the issue.

And upgrade the firmware.