- NOTE: Unless noted otherwise,
all references to Shared PERC 8 throughout the document see both Internal
and External Shared PERC 8 cards.
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
- Shared PERC Internal card
- heat sink
- battery cable
- 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
- external cable connectors
- Shared PERC External card
- heat sink
- battery cable
- battery