Supermicro X11SSL-CF question

[billhickok]

I just purchased this motherboard (X11SSL-CF-O) with the intention to connect 11 HDD's, and a bit confused now that I have the board in my possession. Excuse the ignorance... I must have been careless and misread the specs, as I assumed I would be able to connect all 11 hard drives directly to this board via the LSI3008? The spec for this board that reads "LSI3008 controller for 8 SAS3 (12Gbps) ports" was the part that confused me, and I just figured I needed a couple of SATA adapters to make it work. I just naturally assumed they were miniSAS ports so I ordered 3 miniSAS (SFF8087) to 4x SATA cables from Monoprice.

I only see 2 miniSAS HD ports on this board...so how exactly do I connect all 11 HDD's to it?

Do I need to order a completely separate HBA?

Or do I utilize the 2 miniSAS HD ports using 2 miniSAS-HD-to-4x-SATA cables, and connect the remaining 3 drives via the SATA ports?

Please help!

 

[Jailer]

Or do I utilize the 2 miniSAS HD ports using 2 miniSAS-HD-to-4x-SATA cables, and connect the remaining 3 drives via the SATA ports?

This is how you do it. FreeNAS doesn't care where the drives are attached as long as it has direct access to them. Just make sure to flash the controller to IT mode.

 

[Ericloewe]

I only see 2 miniSAS HD ports on this board...so how exactly do I connect all 11 HDD's to it?

You don't. Not without an SAS expander.

Do I need to order a completely separate HBA?

You could do that, too.

Or do I utilize the 2 miniSAS HD ports using 2 miniSAS-HD-to-4x-SATA cables, and connect the remaining 3 drives via the SATA ports?

Probably a better idea.

 

[billhickok]

OK great. I couldn't recall reading whether or not splitting the HDD's between the SAS ports on the LSI chip and the SATA ports on in the Intel chip would be problematic or cause stability problems.

Just for reference, why does Supermicro list "LSI3008 controller for 8 SAS3 (12Gbps) ports" / "8x SAS3 (12Gbps) via LSI 3008" on the specs sheet for this specific motherboard? What & where exactly are those 8 ports? I don't see anything of the sort anywhere on the actual motherboard. I found a couple other models on their website that specify this feature but didn't see them anywhere either...

 

[Ericloewe]

OK great. I couldn't recall reading whether or not splitting the HDD's between the SAS ports on the LSI chip and the SATA ports on in the Intel chip would be problematic or cause stability problems.

Just for reference, why does Supermicro list "LSI3008 controller for 8 SAS3 (12Gbps) ports" / "8x SAS3 (12Gbps) via LSI 3008" on the specs sheet for this specific motherboard? What & where exactly are those 8 ports? I don't see anything of the sort anywhere on the actual motherboard. I found a couple other models on their website that specify this feature but didn't see them anywhere either...

Each physical connector has four ports.

 

[zamana]

Hi!

Old thread, I know, but I'm about to buy this exactly same motherboard, and I would like to know if you had any success with those cables.

By the way, is it confirmed that the connectors on the board are SFF-8087? I'm asking because I'm planning to buy this cables:

CableCreation Mini SAS 36Pin

This picture shows that it is compatible with motherboards:

How was your experience?

Thanks.
Regards.

 

[Ericloewe]

No. The X11SSL-CF, like most SAS3 devices, uses SFF-8643.

You don't specify what you're trying to do, but if you want to connect individual disks to the SAS controller, you'll need a forward breakout cable like the one you listed (in SFF-8643).

 

[zamana]

Hi!

Thanks fo reply!

I would like to connect 8 SATA drives to these SAS3 ports by using this "one to four" cables.

Do you know any other way to do this?

UPDATE: I guess this one would work:
CableCreation Internal HD Mini SAS (SFF-8643 Host) - 4x SATA (Target) Cable

Thanks.
Regards.

 

[Ericloewe]

Yes, that should work, assuming it's not mislabeled and they don't mix them up during processing. It's fairly easy, since forward and reverse breakout cables are generally visually indistinguishable.

 

[Stux]

And as should be obvious, you need two of those cables to connect 8 drives.