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Hard disk compatibility (ST32000444SS)
Hi,
first - I am a completely newbie regarding EMC products so please excuse my lack of knowledge.
Second - I recently acquired a couple of 2TB 7200 RPM SAS drives (ST32000444SS) on a well known marketplace...
The seller unfortunately failed to mention that those drives were from an EMC storage array and included an EMC drive Caddy and probably EMC Bios.
So now I think I have several options:
1. Return the drives - possibly the easiest solution, I've contacted the seller regarding this
2. Sell the drives on - possible too - I've paid around $180 per disc - is that a reasonable price or cheap or a ripoff?
3. Try to remove the caddy and force flash a regular Seagate bios on them to get them recognized by a regular SAS controller - Is that even possible?
4. Try to get hold of an EMC storage unit to use them as they are...
a. Which storage Units support these drives - and which one is the oldest and thus possibly cheapest?
b. Which components do I need to get this running? I suppose the regular list would include Storage Processor, Drive Array, SAN switch and FC HBA? I believe one can leave the SAN switch out - but do I need a storage processor or can I directly attach a drive array to a FC HBA in a server?
Any comments/help or link to documentation regarding this would be greatly appreciated:)
Regards,
Thomas
dynamox
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May 2nd, 2012 13:00
like you mentioned earlier, you will need a controller (service process) to take advantate of these drives. This is what CX4 looks like
trottig
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May 1st, 2012 05:00
No, wanted to put them in an IntelServer with an IBM M5015 SAS Raid Controller.
And i forgot to mention that the drive caddy has a FC connector (if that makes a difference for EMC products).
dynamox
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May 1st, 2012 05:00
did you buy these drives to use them in a PC or something ?
dynamox
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May 1st, 2012 06:00
i took one of the EMC supplied drives (1TB) and put it in a PC, they only thing that i had to do was reformat the drive because the default format on EMC drives is 512k. Did not have to flash any firmware, anything like that.
trottig
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May 1st, 2012 06:00
unfortunately not:(
trottig
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May 1st, 2012 06:00
Hi,
ok, that sound good - any idea how to remove the drive caddy? its not attached with screws and i didnt want to break it...
dynamox
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May 1st, 2012 06:00
there should be screws on the side
trottig
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May 1st, 2012 07:00
Here is an image of the caddy side
trottig
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May 1st, 2012 10:00
Well basically i need storage for a small ESXi installation (2 or 3 severs max) in my home lab .
If i can run those drives internally i probably can share them via iScsi/openfiler or sth similar, but haveing a proper SAN would oc be a nice alternative;)
dynamox
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May 1st, 2012 10:00
there is nothing cheap about EMC storage
, what are you trying to build ?
trottig
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May 1st, 2012 10:00
Ok.i found it - open the blue lever on the backside (right in above pic)... fairly simple if you know it.
So i'll see whether i can repartition/format them.
Anyhow, my original question regarding a "cheap" compatible Storage Array still stands - any info on that?
Thanks,
Thomas
dynamox
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May 1st, 2012 10:00
openfiler/freenas is your best bet, proper SAN requires fiber channel switches, fiber channel cards (HBAs) ..etc. Not worth the money, power and cooling just for a lab.
dynamox
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May 1st, 2012 12:00
i mean you can look on Ebay for an old Clariion array and attach directly, bypassing the switch. Need to make sure the drives that you have would work in an old array like that.
trottig
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May 1st, 2012 12:00
Hm ok...
As i said i thought i could ignore the switch for such a small environment and the HBAs are not that expensive (1/2gb ones at least), but if you say i need a switch and the storage array and probably a storage processor than i suppose thats a little too much.
I run an old IBM EXP400 directly attached to a SCSI controller and i thought something similar would be possible for FC SAN.
Thx a lot for your help:)
trottig
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May 1st, 2012 13:00
Its 118032750.