Fellow server-builders out there, this is for you. :) I was trying to build a cheap JBOD type storage solution running CentOS. Ended up snagging a Supermicro SC826TQ-R800LPB 2U case (12 drives slots) and a Supermicro X7DBE-O motherboard. Unfortunately, without thinking I snagged a 3ware 9650SE-12ML SATA RAID card which is a full height card and thus does not fit in my case.
I have a few options here:
- Go with a 3U case instead. Now I have a 16-drive case with only a 12-way card. :-) - Return the 3Ware and order two of the 8-way cards which are half-height. This means I love some of my space now however as I have to have an extra spare drive per card. - Get a PCI-E riser.
The riser option I like, except I also have the BBU unit for my RAID card meaning I need to ensure that I have enough clearance and support for it when the card is mounted horizontally. You can mount the battery elsewhere, but not the logic module...
Most of the PCI-E 8x risers I've seen out there seem to be pretty small profile and I'm not sure if they'd give the clearance needed (see the Supermicro provided CSE-RR1U-E8). It looks like I need around 35mm of clearance to get the card in sideways with the BBU attached...
Another solid option would looke to be a 2U riser, but I am having a harder time finding somethign reasonably priced. The RSC-R2UE-A3E8 from Supermicro looks perfect and would definitely give me the clearance I need, but is priced 10x higher than the 1U riser!
Any advice?
Apologies for the off-topic post.. this *will* be running CentOS however and there doesn't seem to be a more appropriate mailing list for general stuff like this.. :-)
TIA, Ray
On Fri, Dec 12, 2008 at 03:53:42PM -0700, Joseph L. Casale wrote:
Any advice?
Only that PCIe in my experience needs a quality riser for signal interference. If this is a server running anything important, I would be leery about "engineering" my own setup from generic components.
I think that's why the SuperMicro riser I found was $150. Others were cheaper, but probably suspect.
I'm going to return my 12-way card and get two 8-way cards instead.
Thanks for the reply, Ray
On Fri, Dec 12, 2008, Ray Van Dolson wrote:
Fellow server-builders out there, this is for you. :) I was trying to build a cheap JBOD type storage solution running CentOS. Ended up snagging a Supermicro SC826TQ-R800LPB 2U case (12 drives slots) and a Supermicro X7DBE-O motherboard. Unfortunately, without thinking I snagged a 3ware 9650SE-12ML SATA RAID card which is a full height card and thus does not fit in my case.
I have a few options here:
- Go with a 3U case instead. Now I have a 16-drive case with only a 12-way card. :-)
- Return the 3Ware and order two of the 8-way cards which are half-height. This means I love some of my space now however as I have to have an extra spare drive per card.
- Get a PCI-E riser.
The riser option I like, except I also have the BBU unit for my RAID card meaning I need to ensure that I have enough clearance and support for it when the card is mounted horizontally. You can mount the battery elsewhere, but not the logic module...
You might check with Silicon Mechanics as they build a lot of Supermicro boxes with 3Ware cards. I have a couple of 2U boxes here that I'm preparing to deliver to a customer which have them.
http://www.siliconmechanics.com/
You may be able to find Supermicro parts on eBay as well. I have a 2U server here that I got on eBay which is working nicely.
Bill
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Bill Campbell -
Joseph L. Casale -
Ray Van Dolson