LSI-9212 4i In HP Microserver Gen8

[NotReallyAnybody]

I have a Gen 8 microserver and an LSI 9212-4i from a workstation, which has 4 SAS ports on the card. The server has an SFF-8087 to connect to the integrated B120 or the P222 that's also in it. Config aside, here is a physical issue - i cannot find any cable to break out from the SFF-8087 that presents 4 SAS cables, and the connectors on the back of the disk bays are all moulded. i can get them out easily enough but i see nothing that's going to help me use this card. Other seem to have mentioned using this card, but no mention of the cabling issue. I could buy an 8i which will directly take the SFF connector, but i'd like to exhaust the options with the hardware I have first.

Thanks

Dave

 

[jgreco]

It's unclear what your actual issue is. "individual" SAS cables exist but are usually somewhat specialist assemblies, and because the secondary SAS pins fill in the gap between what would be power and data on SATA, you typically end up either getting cables that handle both SAS and power, or some intermediate solution. Perhaps you are looking for something like

The usual way I find these kinds of things is just to put in some keywords on eBay and look at the resulting *pictures* for what I'm trying to find. This particular listing is currently $14

Mini SAS SFF-8087 to 4 SATA SFF-8482 Multi-Lane Forward Breakout Splitter Cable | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Mini SAS SFF-8087 to 4 SATA SFF-8482 Multi-Lane Forward Breakout Splitter Cable at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

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which is ugly but workable. There are also cable assemblies like the Dell G8CFY, which break out to four connectors including power, but are designed for 2.5" drives, so if you are doing 3.5's, don't use it since it only has two SATA power inlets.

 

[NotReallyAnybody]

Thanks, yes, that could have been clearer. The server's harness is fundamentally 4 SFF-8482s in the back of the drive shelf, presenting to the controller / mobo as an SFF-8087. 9212-4i has 4 SAS ports, and won't receive an SFF-8087.

What I appear to need is a 'female' SFF-8087 to 4 x SAS if such a thing exists. I spent at least an hour whilst unable to sleep this morning trawling eBay and Amazon looking for something that might work, even stripping the server to see how it was fitted (as it's HP, you might guess it's pretty customised)

I was hoping someone here has faced the same issue and could advise on the outcome, even if it is to buy an 8i. Everyone with a factory-Gen8 should have this issue if they want to run a 9212-4i in it. The 8i has to receivers for the SFF-8087.

 

[jgreco]

So, yes, such things exist, but actually finding one without having a manufacturer's part number is rough, and the prices may be stupid. You also have the option to go with an SFF-8087 female-to-female coupler, but, again, prices may be stupid. The other thing is that "unicorn" hardware or cabling tends to be a problem when it ultimately goes bad/wrong/whatever. My suggestion would be to replace the card.

 

[KrisBee]

@NotReallyAnybody I assume you are trying to use the 9212-4i as you want a HBA in IT mode instead of the HP P222 hardware RAID card. But it's simply the wrong card for the HP microserver, you need a trusty 9211-4/8, or equivalent, and just switch the internal SAS cable from the m/board to the card.

 

[blanchet]

If you have only SATA disks, the internal B120i works very well in AHCI with TrueNAS Core, and you can keep the PCIe slot for something else.