Advise for building a file server

normalicy · Post by **normalicy** » Tue Jun 30, 2009 1:29 pm

Pugsley wrote:This case only has SATA connectors on it. There is a different model that has the SAS connectors on it. The one I have just has a SATA connector for every drive.

Oh, hadn't considered that. There are adapters though (SAS to SATA) on ebay.

Pugsley · Post by **Pugsley** » Tue Jun 30, 2009 2:56 pm

the 4220 has SAS connectors inside it I think.

fogus · Post by **fogus** » Tue Jun 30, 2009 5:48 pm

I am planning on using SATA drives (like these) with this server. Is that bad? What is SAS? Will the cables I linked to above work with my PCI-E card? A slightly different cable is listed in my manual. I think the NCIX one (that I linked to) is for one SAS to four SATA and the one in the manual is for one SAS to one SAS (extension to case). If I buy this case, which cable should I get, the CBL-0097L-02 (@NCIX) or the extenders (CBL-0108L-02)?

This is confusing me! I just want to do the right thing.

normalicy · Post by **normalicy** » Tue Jun 30, 2009 10:02 pm

What we're saying is that your controller card uses SAS connectors. What they are are multiple SATA channels in one cable. It keeps clutter down in servers (& makes it easier to wire). Usually, they run the SAS cables straight to a circuit board (backplane) which is where the drives actually plug into (instead of running cables to the drives). This allows the drives to be easily removable & hot swappable. However, the case you're looking at would require you to purchase an adapter cable as well as have the clutter from them. Nothing necessarily wrong with it, but why go through the trouble.

Here's a detailed pic of your case. Note that no cables go through the back plane. It acts as an interface between the front & rear of the case.

fogus · Post by **fogus** » Tue Jun 30, 2009 10:29 pm

Oh. Ohhhhh. Heh. Nice picture.

So, instead I should get the 4220 and use the CBL-0108L-02 cables? Normal (very normal) SATA drives will work with this case, right? Servers make me worried sometimes. At work we have SCSI drives that look really small. This server takes regular hard drives, right?

Pugsley · Post by **Pugsley** » Tue Jun 30, 2009 11:02 pm

yeah. cause its 4x5 drives. As in 4 drives across and 5 drives high. And each board does one row across (4 drives) (and SAS is 4 drives?). so the 4220 would be better. one cable to run one row of drives.

fogus · Post by **fogus** » Wed Jul 01, 2009 12:12 am

Pugsley wrote:(and SAS is 4 drives?)

I am confused out of my _MIND_ about SAS. I don't get it at all. Is SAS a four drive per cable thing? Is this an SAS cable?

I've been thinking about using this case now which has 16 drive bays (which is all I need). Could I use these cables with the original 8 channel card I was thinking of using? I am leaning toward the P5Q Premium with 4GB of RAM and the Intel E8400.

Does anyone have experience with MV RAID in Linux? Can anyone give me some tips on where to look to set up Samba for this Linux machine?

Pugsley · Post by **Pugsley** » Wed Jul 01, 2009 1:18 am

I know noting of SAS. never used it. SATA and ESATA I have used.

normalicy · Post by **normalicy** » Wed Jul 01, 2009 1:29 am

Well, that case also uses regular SATA cables as well.

Anyhow, the connector is called SFF-8087 for SAS cables. Also, SAS to SAS is acceptable (sometimes called mini).

Barely used Linux myself, so I'm the wrong guy.

fogus · Post by **fogus** » Wed Jul 01, 2009 1:46 am

I think I am beginning to get it. SAS is used for a lot of different connections. Then there is SCSI which is confusing. BUT there are different SAS ports: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serial_Att ... Connectors

According to my card's manual, I will have four (two each from two cards) mini-SAS SFF-8087 ports from which I can fan out, using these cables (or these ones or these ones or these ones) right?

normalicy · Post by **normalicy** » Wed Jul 01, 2009 3:30 pm

Don't confuse yourself with SCSI. It's pretty much a dead technology (which is sort of sad).

Yes, there are different SAS ports. Your card uses the SFF-8087. I'm not sure what the case you're looking at is using because they don't say. Also, don't trouble yourself with the external connectors either.

One thing I didn't know (due to lack of experience) is that the SAS drives actually have a propriety connector on the drives. So in that case, you may want to consider the SATA case after all, especially since things are getting pretty confusing. Usually these things are preassambled. Not many people custom making servers any more.

Pugsley · Post by **Pugsley** » Wed Jul 01, 2009 5:28 pm

yeah It looks like the cables fan out to 4 normal SATA connectors, so I would just go with the 4020 (SATA connectors on the back plane) to make it easy.