IBM eX5 Implementation Guide

158 IBM eX5 Implementation Guide

4.9.6 Drive combinations

The x3690 X5 drive subsystem is divided into four backplanes; each backplane can connect

to either four 2.5-inch drives or eight 1.8-inch SSDs. This section describes the supported

combinations.

A configuration with four drives

Figure 4-28 shows a four-drive configuration that uses one 4x HDD backplane. This

configuration uses one SAS cable.

Figure 4-28 x3690 with one IBM 4x 2.5-inch HS SAS HDD backplane

Configurations with eight drives

Figure 4-29 shows two 4x HDD backplanes in use. This configuration requires two SAS

cables.

Figure 4-29 x3690 with two IBM 4x 2.5-inch HS SAS HDD backplanes

Figure 4-30 on page 159 shows a configuration that uses one 8x HDD backplane instead of

two 4x HDD backplanes. Two SAS cables are needed.

Firmware update and installation order:

򐂰 You might need a firmware update to the ServeRAID B5015 SSD Controller if you

intermix 2.5-inch drives with 1.8-inch SSDs.

򐂰 When mixing 2.5-inch backplanes and 1.8-inch backplanes, always install the 2.5-inch

backplanes to the left and all 1.8-inch backplanes to the right (as seen when facing the

front of the server).

򐂰 Not all of these configurations are orderable in a configure-to-order (CTO)

configuration.

Chapter 4. IBM System x3690 X5 159

Figure 4-30 x3690 X5 with one IBM 8x 2.5-inch HS SAS HDD backplane

Figure 4-31 illustrates the IBM eXFlash 8x SAS SSD backplane, which requires two SAS

cables. With the eXFlash, eight drives can be used in the same space as four 2.5-inch drives.

Figure 4-31 x3690 with one IBM eXFlash 8x 1.8-inch HS SAS SSD backplane

Configurations with 12 drives

Figure 4-32 shows three 4x HDD backplanes. This configuration requires three SAS cables.

Figure 4-32 x3690 with three IBM 4x 2.5-inch HS SAS HDD backplanes

Figure 4-33 shows one 8x and one 4x HDD backplane resulting in 12 drives. This

configuration also requires three SAS cables.

Figure 4-33 x3690 with one 8x 2.5-inch HS SAS HDD and one 4x 2.5-inch HS SAS HDD backplane

Figure 4-34 on page 160 shows a mixture of 2.5-inch HDDs and 1.8-inch SSDs. This

configuration requires three SAS cables.

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Figure 4-34 x3690 with one 8x 2.5-inch backplane and one eXFlash 8x 1.8-inch SSD backplane

Configurations with 16 drives

Figure 4-35 and Figure 4-36 both show the full sixteen 2.5-inch drive configuration. Both

configurations require four SAS cables.

Figure 4-35 x3690 with four IBM 4x 2.5-inch HS SAS HDD backplanes

Figure 4-36 x3690 with two IBM 8x 2.5-inch HS SAS HDD backplanes

Figure 4-37 illustrates another 16-drive configuration with one 8x and two 4x backplanes.

Also, you can configure this system with the two 4x backplanes for bays 0 - 7 and the 8x

backplane for bays 8 - 15. Four SAS cables are required.

Figure 4-37 x3690 with one 8x 2.5-inch backplane and two 4x 2.5-inch backplanes

Figure 4-38 on page 161 shows two 4x backplanes and one eXFlash backplane. You can use

one 8x backplane instead of the two 4x backplanes that are shown here. Four SAS cables are

used in this configuration.

Chapter 4. IBM System x3690 X5 161

Figure 4-38 x3690 with two 4x 2.5-inch backplanes and one IBM eXFlash 8x 1.8-inch SSD backplane

Figure 4-39 shows two 8x eXFlash backplanes. Using these two backplanes requires four

SAS cables. Figure 4-39 also shows the use of a single SATA drive.

Figure 4-39 x3690 X5 with two IBM eXFlash 8x 1.8-inch SSD backplanes and a single SATA drive

Configurations with 20 drives

Figure 4-40 shows a full complement of drives using three 4x backplanes and one 8x eXFlash

backplane. Also, you can achieve this configuration with one 8x backplane, and one 4x and

one 8x eXFlash. Either configuration uses five SAS cables.

Figure 4-40 x3690 X5 with three 4x 2.5-inch backplanes and one IBM eXFlash 8x 1.8” SSD backplane

Figure 4-41 shows one 4x backplane and two 8x eXFlash backplanes. Five SAS cables are

needed.

Figure 4-41 x3690 X5 with one 4x 2.5-inch backplane and two IBM eXFlash 8x 1.8” SSD backplanes