IBM eX5 Implementation Guide

Chapter 4. IBM System x3690 X5 145

4.9 Storage

The x3690 X5 has internal capacity of up to sixteen 2.5-inch drives, as shown in Figure 4-20.

The server supports 2.5-inch disk drives or solid-state drives (SSDs), or 1.8-inch SSDs.

Figure 4-20 Front of the x3690 X5 with sixteen 2.5-inch drive bays

This section covers the following topics:

򐂰 4.9.1, “2.5-inch SAS drive support” on page 145

򐂰 4.9.2, “IBM eXFlash and SSD disk support” on page 149

򐂰 4.9.3, “SAS and SSD controller summary” on page 152

򐂰 4.9.4, “Battery backup placement” on page 155

򐂰 4.9.5, “ServeRAID Expansion Adapter” on page 157

򐂰 4.9.6, “Drive combinations” on page 158

򐂰 4.9.7, “External SAS storage” on page 162

򐂰 4.9.8, “Optical drives” on page 163

See the IBM ServerProven website for the latest supported options:

http://www.ibm.com/systems/info/x86servers/serverproven/compat/us/

4.9.1 2.5-inch SAS drive support

The server supports up to sixteen 2.5-inch disk drives. These drives are connected to the

server using hot-swap backplanes, either four-drive backplanes or eight-drive backplanes or a

combination of the two.

Backplanes

Most standard models of the x3690 X5 include one SAS backplane supporting four 2.5-inch

SAS disks, as listed in 4.3, “Models” on page 124. Additional backplanes can be added to

increase the supported number of SAS disks to 16 (using part number 60Y0338 for a 8x

backplane and part number 60Y0369 for a 4x backplane). The database model 7148-3Dx has

two IBM eXFlash 8x 1.8-inch HS SAS SSD backplanes as standard. See 4.3, “Models” on

page 124 for details. The standard backplanes are installed in the leftmost sections.

Table 4-17 on page 146 lists the backplane options. These backplanes support both SAS and

SSD 2.5-inch drives. The specific combinations of the backplanes that are supported are

listed in 4.9.6, “Drive combinations” on page 158.

146 IBM eX5 Implementation Guide

Table 4-17 x3690 X5 hard drive backplanes

As listed in Table 4-17, the backplane option part numbers include the necessary cables to

connect the backplane to the SAS controller. The

short SAS cable is needed when installing a

hard drive backplane for 2.5-inch bays 1 - 8 (the left half of the drive bays in the server, when

looking from the front). The

long SAS cable is used for hard drive backplanes for 2.5-inch

bays 9 - 16 (the right half of the drive bays, when looking from the front).

When configuring an order by using feature codes, for example, with configure-to-order

(CTO), the feature codes for the backplanes do not include the cables. You must order the

cables separately, as listed in Table 4-18.

Table 4-18 x3690 X5 SAS cable options (not needed if ordering backplane part numbers)

Part

number

Feature

code

Backplane Drives supported SAS cables

included

a

a. See the next paragraph for a description of short and long cables. The option part numbers include the cables.

If you order a configuration by using feature codes, use Table 4-18.

60Y0339 9287 IBM 4x 2.5” HS SAS HDD Backplane Four 2.5” SAS drives 1 short, 1 long

60Y0381 1790 IBM 8x 2.5” HS SAS HDD Backplane Eight 2.5” SAS drives 2 short, 2 long

Part number Feature code Description When used

69Y2322 6428 x3690 X5 short SAS cable For backplanes of bays 1 - 8

69Y2323 6429 x3690 X5 long SAS cable For backplanes of bays 9 - 16

Using the ServeRAID Expansion Adapter: When using this adapter, the adapter must be

installed in PCIe slot 1. Short SAS cables are used to connect the two ports of the

ServeRAID controller to the two controller I/O ports on the expander. All four backplane

SAS cable connections are connected to the ServeRAID Expander using the long SAS

cables that are shown in Table 4-18 on page 146.