Terminology

The following terminology is used in this document.

disk module or disk blade	The Sun Blade 6000 Disk Module (blade), the subject of this document The terms “disk module” and “disk blade” are used interchangeably.
server module or server blade	Any server module (blade) that will inter-operate with the disk module. The terms “server module” and “server blade” are used interchangeably
chassis	The Sun Blade 6000 Modular System blade enclosure.
CMM	Chassis Monitoring Module. An Integrated Lights Out Manager component of the Sun Blade 6000 Modular System used to access and manage blades in a chassis.
NEM	Any Network Express Module that plugs into a Sun Blade 6000 chassis
NEM 0, NEM 1	The slots for Network Express Modules on the rear of the chassis. NEM 0 is the lower slot and NEM 1 is the upper slot.
SAS-NEM	A Network Express Module that supports SAS inter-connectivity. For example, the Sun Blade Multi-Fabric Network Express Module (abbreviated Multi-Fabric NEM) or the Sun Blade 10GbE Multi-Fabric Network Express Module (abbreviated 10GbE Multi-Fabric NEM).
REM	A RAID Expansion Module. Also refered to as a Host Bus Adapter (HBA). Supports the creation of RAID volumes on disks in the server and disk blades.

Note - From time to time, this document refers to SAS-NEMs. SAS-NEM is a general category: it includes Sun Blade 6000 Multi-Fabric NEMs, as well as other NEMs with SAS connectivity such as the Sun Blade 6000 10GbE Multi-Fabric NEM. From the standpoint of connecting server blades with disk blades, all SAS-NEMs provide the same functionality.

Overview of the Sun Blade 6000 Disk Module

The Sun Blade 6000 Disk Module is a disk module for the Sun Blade 6000 Modular System.

As a disk module, the Sun Blade 6000 Disk Module does not contain a CPU or Service Processor. It does, however, contain SAS expanders, which are switching circuits that can connect disks in complex patterns.

A fully loaded Sun Blade 6000 Disk Module consists of eight SAS disks, with each disk connected to SAS expanders. The SAS expanders, in turn, connect to a Sun Blade 6000 Modular System chassis’ SAS-NEMs.

The disk module works only with a SAS-NEM. It does not work with a NEM that lacks SAS connectivity. For the disk module to function, there must be a SAS-NEM in at least slot NEM 0.

FIGURE 1-1 shows a schematic view of the disk module. Each SAS port connects to a single SAS-NEM module.

FIGURE 1-1 The Main Components of the Sun Blade 6000 Disk Module

Figure showing the disk module’s connection
to the chassis NEMs.

Note - Solid State Drives (SSD) are supported for use in the disk module. SSDs perform as SATA disk drives and are single-ported devices. This means that they do not have the capability of providing alternate connection paths. They connect only through the SAS expander on the disk blade that is wired to SAS-NEM 0. Be sure to follow the rule for mixing SAS and SATA drives described in Compatible Disk Drives.

Caution - If you are using SATA drives and SAS-NEM 0 fails, you lose all connectivity to your SATA drives.

FIGURE 1-2 shows the interior of the disk module, fully loaded with eight SAS disks.

FIGURE 1-2 The Interior of the Sun Blade 6000 Disk Module

Graphic showing interior view of disk module.

Figure Legend

1 Disk drives

2 SAS Expanders

3 Connectors to chassis midplane

The Server Module SAS Host Bus Adapter

The disks on a Sun Blade 6000 Disk Module are controlled by a SAS host bus adapter on the server module. This adapter can be either an on-board chip or a RAID Expansion Module card. FIGURE 1-3 shows the key components of a server that are used to control disks. Server modules can have either no disks, or up to four disks of their own. The SAS host bus adapter on the server module controls its own disks as well as disks on the disk module. The disks on the disk module are connected to the SAS host bus adapter through two SAS-NEM modules, providing a dual path to each SAS disk.

FIGURE 1-3 Connection of SAS Host Bus Adapter for Sun Blade Servers

Figure showing a server’s SAS host bus adapter
connection in the chassis.

Server Modules and Disk Modules in a Chassis

The Sun Blade 6000 Disk Module can interoperate with any one of the supported server blades: X6220, X6240, X6250, X6270, X6440, X6450, T6300, T6320, and T6340.

The server blades and disk blades must be placed in the chassis in pairs. The pairs must be in slots 0+1, 2+3, 4+5, 6+7, or 8+9. No other combination of slots can be used. When (facing the front of the system chassis) the server blade is on the left, a server blade in slot n (n is an even number) sees its own on-blade disks and all the disks in a disk blade in slot n+1, but no other disks.

Note - The server blade should be placed on the left.

FIGURE 1-4 shows a Sun Blade 6000 Modular System chassis, fully loaded with server modules and disk modules:

FIGURE 1-4 Front View of Chassis Filled with Server and Disk Module Blade Pairs

Counting from the left, server blades are in slots 0, 2, 4, 6, and 8. Disk blades are in slots 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9.

Using Sun Blade 6000 Disk Modules with Server Modules: An Overview

Terminology

Overview of the Sun Blade 6000 Disk Module

The Server Module SAS Host Bus Adapter

Server Modules and Disk Modules in a Chassis