SAS Controller

[aribs]

Hi All,

I am currently running a ASRock C2750D4I with 32 GB of ecc memory. It has 10 4TB hdd with raidz2 configuration and 1 500gb ssd for L2ARC cache. I am planning to move the system to a different system that I own.

System 2 (potential move)
ASrock EPC602D8A with 64 GB of ecc memory. same configuration for storage.

The C2750D4I has 12 sata ports but EPC602D8A has only 6 sata port and it also has an SCU connector where you can connect sas/sata drive.

My question is SCU connector on EPC602D8A is a HBA or it has its own raid controller another words would freenas have direct access to the drives if I attach the extra 4 drives with SAS to SATA forward breakout cable. Does it require any firmware change to the raid controller before it can work?

I realize that with the move I would loose my cache but just wanted to see if it was possible move. I am currently running ESXi on EPC602D8A which I may move to a AMD FX8350 with either ESXi or Citrix (XCP-NG).

Thanks in advance.

 

[Logikgear]

After reading ASRock's spec on the SCU connecter on the board it isn't an HBA but a Intel SATA controller that is just 4 SATA connectors densely packed into a SAS connector. It supports RAID 0, 1, 5, 10 and Intel® Rapid Storage 3.0, NCQ, AHCI and "Hot Plug" functions. You will want the AHCI setting for FreeNAS. It is only SATA2 so I wouldn't use it for SSDs. You are correct that a forward break out cable should do the trick. But, I have never tested it personally.

 

[aribs]

"You will want the AHCI setting for FreeNAS.."

You mean to make sure in the bios that AHCI is selected right?

 

[Logikgear]

So from the manual (link below) Page 56 of the .PDF it looks like defaults should be the correct settings.
http://asrock.pc.cdn.bitgravity.com/Manual/EPC602D8A.pdf

SATA Mode Selection [AHCI Mode]
SCU devices [Enabled]
Onboard SCU Oprom/Driver [Enabled]

With those settings you should be able to see drives connected via A SAS-8087 forward break out cable under "SCU Configuration". You will see a Oprom during Post but you don't want to make any setting changes in it. You should be good to go with FreeNAS seeing the drives.

 

[aribs]

Thank you.