The C6100 2.5" version...6 drives per node usable without add on cards?

[Dajinn]

I've been dying to try and find out how exactly you can make the 2.5" disk version of the C6100 work without wasting either the mezzanine slot or the PCIe slot on a controller card.

Does anyone know if it's possible? From what I can tell the node itself has 3 onboard sata connectors that connect to the "mid-backplane" which is what the node itself plugs into. That "mid-backplane" has 6 SATA ports which I'm assuming, the other 3 were meant to be used in conjunction with one of the controller add on cards. Is that a necessity or is there something I'm missing here?

 

[Dajinn]

Okay so I found the other 3 onboard SATA ports hiding under the riser card...are they actually usable without removing the card? Or is it physically not possible to get cables installed?

 

[PigLover]

Quite usable. You need thin/flexible cables.

 

[Dajinn]

Oh man please tell me you can answer this next question. For the onboard sata controller how do you hook up the SPGIO connector that's next to all 6 ports on the board itself to the SPGIO connector on the daughterboard that plugs into the backplane?

From what I read its responsible for the drive activity and health LED indicators. I've looked at 6 different dell part numbers for the c6100 sata cables and I haven't seen any that are just 3 sata cables plus the sideband sas connector. I've only seen cables meant for the controller cards or from the front backplane to the mid backplane.

Do the front drive LEDs function without them?