| Sun Blade 6000 Disk Module Configuration Guide | 
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| C H A P T E R 2 |
If you do not see your server blade listed in this chapter, or if you think there might have been recent changes to the system requirements, drivers, or firmware for your server blade, you can find the latest version information in the Sun Blade 6000 Disk Module Product Notes (820-1809, found here:
http://docs.sun.com/app/docs/coll/blade6000dskmod
Alternatively, to find the most recent versions and download them, go to the Sun Blade 6000 disk module download site:
At the time of initial release, the Sun Blade 6000 Disk Module works with the combinations of server blades and operating systems shown in TABLE 2-1. For later combinations, look online (see Latest System Requirements Are Online ).
At the time of initial release, the supported SAS RAID controllers are shown in TABLE 2-2. For later combinations, look online (see Latest System Requirements Are Online ).
For supported RAID controllers and HBAs, note the following
The on-board LSI 1068E chip, the T6320 RAID 0/1 Expansion Module, and the Sun Blade RAID 0/1 G2 Expansion Module are functionally equivalent. The latter two are REMs that use the LSI 1068E chip. Each of the three can create two RAID volumes that are RAID 0, 1, or 1E. Documentation for these LSI host bus adapters can be found in the Sun LSI 106x RAID User’s Guide (part number 820-4933).
The Sun Blade RAID 5 Expansion Module is a REM with Intel circuitry and Adaptec firmware. It can create 24 RAID volumes that are RAID 0, 1, 1E, 10, 5, 5EE, 50, 6, or 60. See the Sun Intel Adaptec BIOS RAID Utility User’s Manual (part number 820-4708) and the Sun StorageTek RAID Manager Software User’s Guide (part number 820-1177).
For servers using the on-board LSI 1068E chip, firmware upgrades for the chip are done when upgrading the server’s system BIOS and ILOM firmware.
Support for Solid State Drives (SSD) requires compatible firmware on both the HBA and the disk blade. For more on upgrading firmware, see Drivers, Firmware and Software.
The Sun Blade 6000 Disk Module requires, at minimum, a SAS-NEM in NEM slot 0 for communication with server blades. For dual paths to SAS disk drives, a SAS-NEM is also required in NEM slot 1. SAS-NEMs also include firmware, which may be upgraded using the Sun Common Array Manager, see Drivers, Firmware and Software. The following SAS-NEMs are supported for use with the disk blade:
Sun Blade 6000 Multi-Fabric Network Express Module (abbreviated Multi-Fabric NEM)
Sun Blade 6000 10GbE Multi-Fabric Network Express Module (abbreviated 10GbE Multi-Fabric NEM)
Sun Blade 6000 Virtualized Multi-Fabric 10GbE Network Express Module (abbreviated Virtualized 10GbE Multi-Fabric NEM)
You can mix SAS-NEMs as follows:
You can use two Multi-Fabric NEMs, two 10GbE Multi-Fabric NEMs, or two Virtualized 10GbE Multi-Fabric NEMs.
You can mix a Multi-Fabric NEM and a 10GbE Multi-Fabric NEM. It does not matter which type is in slot NEM 0.
You can not mix a Virtualized 10GbE Multi-Fabric NEM with any other type of NEM.
You can use a plain NEM (one without SAS connectivity) in slot NEM 1, but not in slot NEM 0. However, in this configuration you lose the redundant second path to SAS disks.
The expander firmware version on each of the SAS-NEMs and the disk blade module must be the same.
If you are using two SAS-NEMs for redundant paths to SAS disks, an LSI controller, and you have disks that are not in hardware RAID volumes, you must enable multipathing at the OS level on all active server blades in the chassis. This ensures that the primary path to disks is not lost, which can cause an OS panic. Sun does not support dual paths to SAS disks if OS multipathing is not enabled.
For all operating systems, if you put your boot disk on the disk blade, it must be in a hardware RAID volume.
For SPARC blades, you must either put the OS on a single disk in your server blade or in a RAID 1 volume with both member disks in your server blade.
For the Solaris OS, you must create RAID volumes before enabling mpxio. Once mpxio is enabled, you can no longer create RAID volumes or change RAID configurations.
SUSE Linux can manage dual paths to disk drives at the OS level, except for boot disks. You should either create a RAID volume for your OS with the SAS host bus adapter firmware or put the OS on a disk or volume on your server. The disks on the server blades have only one path.
RHEL 4 Linux can manage dual paths to disk drives at the OS level, except for boot disks. You should either create a RAID volume for your OS with the SAS host bus adapter firmware or put the OS on a disk or volume on your server. The disks on the server blades have only one path.
RHEL 5.0, 5.1, and 5.2 can manage dual paths to disk drives either at the OS level (including the boot disk) or through the SAS host bus adapter firmware. Installation might require special boot parameters passed to the kernel for dual-path disks to be recognized correctly.
Windows 2008 includes an MPIO utility and supports dual-pathing at the OS level. It can also handle multipathing through the SAS host bus adapter firmware.
Windows 2003 does not include an MPIO utility at this time, although one is being developed, so dual paths are not supported at the OS level. However, Windows 2003 can manage dual-pathing through the SAS host bus adapter firmware, which means that RAID volumes need to be created by the adapter.
This section lists the drivers, firmware and software you need for your installation. Refer to the Sun Blade 6000 Disk Module Product Notes (part number 820-1709) for the most current versions.
The latest LSI firmware if there is an on-board 1068E chip (X6220, T6300)
The latest Adaptec REM firmware if the RAID 5 REM is supported
The latest LSI mpt drivers for each OS version supported when using LSI 1068E chip or RAID 0/1 REM
The latest Adaptec drivers for each supported OS when using the RAID 5 REM
For servers running Windows, the Sun Blade 6000 Disk Module enclosure driver is required.
Installations utilizing multipath, refer to the Sun Blade 6000 Disk Module Administration Guide (820-4922) for adding the multipath drivers to your operating system.
Support for Sun Blade 6000 Disk Modules and Sun Blade 6000 supported SAS-NEMs is available beginning with CAM version 6.1.2.8. Use CAM to upgrade the firmware on the disk module and SAS-NEMs. To obtain the latest CAM software and firmware, go to the Sun software download site:
This software is used create and manage hardware RAID volumes on LSI host bus adapters. Version 2.63 is required for use with disk blades and SAS-NEMs.
MSM runs on Windows and Linux platforms only. To download it, go to
http://www.sun.com/servers/blades/downloads.jsp#6000dm
and navigate to the latest downloads for your server blade.
The Solaris utility raidctl performs many of the same functions as MSM on all platforms, including SPARC.
The MegaRAID Storage Manager and raidctl are both documented in the Sun LSI 106x RAID User’s Guide (820-4933).
This software is used to create and manage hardware RAID volumes on Adaptec host bus adapters. Version 17530 is required for use with disk blades and SAS-NEMs.
The Sun StorageTek RAID Manager runs on Windows, Linux, and the Solaris OS on all platforms, including SPARC. To download it, go to
http://www.sun.com/servers/blades/downloads.jsp#6000dm
and navigate to the latest downloads for your server blade.
The Sun StorageTek RAID Manager is documented in the Sun StorageTek RAID Manager Software User’s Guide (820-1177).
| Sun Blade 6000 Disk Module Configuration Guide | 820-6547-14 |
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