MD3420 - Does it have a faster controller?

So leveraging the MD3220 Technical Guide Book, it's probably safe to say that the MD32xx are using the LSI SAS 2108 6Gb/s SAS RoC and the MD34xx are using the LSI SAS 3108 12Gb/s SAS RoC?

If so, do you publish any IOPs improvements for the new dual-core controllers?  

Also, in the table above it says "Dual 6G" expansion interfaces for the new 34xx, but from the photos of the new 34xx controllers online, there appear to be 4x 12G (mini-SAS) "SAS Out" ports.  I would assume the SAS out ports support 12G, right?

Hello jeffhoward014,

With the new MD34xx / MD 38xx units here is some info about the differences. http://i.dell.com/sites/doccontent/shared-content/data-sheets/en/Documents/SS694_PowerVault_MD3_SAS_012214.pdf

Here is a little bit more of a break down about the differences as well:

Please let us know if you have any other questions.

Hello jeffhoward014,

So leveraging the MD3220 Technical Guide Book, it's probably safe to say that the MD32xx are using the LSI SAS 2108 6Gb/s SAS RoC and the MD34xx are using the LSI SAS 3108 12Gb/s SAS RoC? Yes that is correct.

If so, do you publish any IOPs improvements for the new dual-core controllers? I personally haven’t seen the IOPS #’s myself so I am unsure of those numbers to know if they have changed or not.

Also, in the table above it says "Dual 6G" expansion interfaces for the new 34xx, but from the photos of the new 34xx controllers online, there appear to be 4x 12G (mini-SAS) "SAS Out" ports. I would assume the SAS out ports support 12G, right? No that is not correct, as only the SAS in (Host Ports) are 12G on the MD34xx/ MD38xx. The SAS out (to connect an MD1200 enclosure) are 6G SAS connections. In the picture I can see where you might think that the SAS out ports is 12G by the label, but that label is referring to the SAS in ports.

Please let us know if you have any other questions.

What's the difference between the 34xx and 38xx?

Will controllers from the 34xx line works in the 32xx chassis?

Will the md32xx line still receive firmware updates?

Will the md32xx share the same firmware as the md34xx (receiving updates at the same time?

Is it possible to update the controller from an md3220 to one with a bigger cache ? The pdf located here says that the md3220 has also a controller with 4gb cache : i.dell.com/.../BRO018_PowerVault_MDStorageFamilyBrochure_012214.pdf

When will the powervault support odx?

Hello iverson_it,

What's the difference between the 34xx and 38xx? The main difference is that the MD34xx is a beginner SAN while the MD38xx is typical purchased by larger customers.  Also the starting pricing is cheaper for an MD34xx than an MD38xx.

Will controllers from the 34xx line works in the 32xx chassis? No the controllers from MD34xx line will not work with the MD32xx line due to the connection to the backplane in the MD34xx is a 12gb backplane & the MD32xx is a 6gb backplane.

Will the md32xx line still receive firmware updates? Yes the MD32xx will still receive product updates till it is EOL.  I am not sure when the EOL data is as it has not been set yet to my knowledge.

Will the md32xx share the same firmware as the md34xx (receiving updates at the same time? I am not sure if it will share the same exact firmware as the 34xx, but both firmware will be released close to the same time if not at the same time until the MD32xx is EOL which I don’t have a date for the MD32xx EOL.

Is it possible to update the controller from an md3220 to one with a bigger cache ? The pdf located here says that the md3220 has also a controller with 4gb cache : i.dell.com/.../BRO018_PowerVault_MDStorageFamilyBrochure_012214.pdf  Yes you can upgrade the MD32xx controller to the 4GB cache controller if you are currently using the 2GB controller as we sell both a 2GB cache & a 4GB cache controller for the MD32xx systems.  

When will the powervault support odx?  I am not sure about ODX but I am looking into that & once I have an answer I will post that information back here.

Please let us know if you have any other questions.

Is it possible to update the controller from an md3220 to one with a bigger cache ? The pdf located here says that the md3220 has also a controller with 4gb cache : i.dell.com/.../BRO018_PowerVault_MDStorageFamilyBrochure_012214.pdf  Yes you can upgrade the MD32xx controller to the 4GB cache controller if you are currently using the 2GB controller as we sell both a 2GB cache & a 4GB cache controller for the MD32xx systems.  

Hi Sam,

Regardign the above, what is the part number for the controller with 4gb cache? is it also a faster controller as well? Can we upgrade only the cache instead of the whole controller? is there an upgrade scenario where you take back the old controller?

Hope it won't be EOL soon as customers just purchasing the MD32XX line would be quite furious if the firmware development stopped soon after purchase. Some of our customers just did and optioned the MD wit 5 year prosupport. Will wonder in 2-3 years what will happened when their MD won't even support then the current operating systems.

Hello iverson_it,

Here is the Dell part# JYTHW for the 4gb controller.  The controller is not any faster than the 2GB controller it just has an increased cache memory.  Dell doesn’t sell just the Cache memory upgrade for the controller so you would need to get the new controller.  No there is no upgrade scenario that I know of where we take back the old controller.  If it was me I would just keep the older controller just in case I had one stop working and I can us it as a replacement until my replacement controller arrived under warranty replacement, or if I had an MD32xx that was no longer under warranty then I would keep it for spare parts for that system.

On average most of our systems have a life expectancy of 5 years. This isn't based on time as much as it is based on warranty hardware availability. Once they start to EOL, meaning they are no longer sold online, it is all a basis of warranty parts availability.  Once exhausted the system finishes EOL.

Please let us know if you have any other questions.