Dell Shared PowerEdge RAID Controller 8 Cards For Dell PowerEdge VRTX Systems User’s Guide

The Dell Shared PowerEdge RAID controller (PERC) 8 card is a storage controller designed specifically for the Dell PowerEdge VRTX System. The Shared PERC 8 card supports Single Root Input Output Virtualization (SR-IOV), which allows multiple systems to share available hardware resources.

The controller allows four server modules to access a local storage. Each server module's operating system (OS) loads a Virtual Function (VF) driver that allows the server module to communicate with the Shared PERC 8 firmware. Virtual disks on the shared storage can then be mapped to a server module. From a single-server module, you can only access the virtual disks that are mapped to that server module. Storage domains are independent on Shared PERC 8 Internal and External cards. That is, the Internal card cannot access disks connected to an External card and vice versa. However, migration of disks from Shared PERC 8 Internal to External cards is possible as long as they have the same firmware.

• The Shared PERC 8 Internal card controls the internal storage enclosure on the VRTX chassis. The Shared PERC 8 Internal cards are connected on the PERC slots labeled PERC1 and PERC2.

  Figure 1. Features of Shared PERC 8 Internal card

  1. Shared PERC Internal card
  2. heat sink
  3. battery cable
  4. battery

• The shared PERC 8 External card extends storage capacity by allowing server modules to access up to two external JBODs. The Shared PERC 8 External cards are connected through PCIe slots 5 and 6 on the VRTX system. Shared PERC 8 External card will support MD1200 or MD1220 JBOD.

  Figure 2. Features of Shared PERC 8 External card

  1. external cable connectors
  2. Shared PERC External card
  3. heat sink
  4. battery cable
  5. battery