SeveRAID 6i in PC

[terrywilson]

Does anyone know if its possible to use a SeveRAID 6i card in a PC? I have an x235 that I have decomissioned and I am going to use the old U320 disks in a new workstation (I have the 80pin SCA adaptors for them). I was wondering if I would be able to use the ServeRAID adaptor as well in this to give it RAID features - the PCI Adaptec adaptor I have doesn't have RAID support.

Thanks,

 

[goombawaho]

I don't believe it will. It works with the onboard SCSI controller to provide the RAID function and is not as others (4LX, etc) a stand-alone RAID controller. It's kind of weird that way. With that said - give it a shot.

From the article below:
"works with the onboard SCSI chipset of selected xSeries servers"

"The ServeRAID-6i controller is a PCI-X controller that works directly with the onboard LSI 1030 SCSI chipset to provide RAID protected data storage to selected xSeries servers."

http://www-304.ibm.com/jct01004c/sy...ocdisplay?brandind=5000008&lndocid=MIGR-51898

 

[goombawaho]

More evidence from that article pointing to NO:

"Hardware requirements
Installation of the ServeRAID-6i Controller is supported in the systems listed in the table below. The controller must be installed in the slot that is specifically designed for this controller. Supported SCSI de- vices are attached to the connectors or backplane supported by the onboard LSI 1030 SCSI controller in each system. ServeRAID-6i controller supports the same HD options that are supported in these systems.

 

[terrywilson]

Hmmm, thats an interesting point about the LSI Controller, I wonder if I put the same breed of controller into the PC if that would work...will post my success/failure for all those that come after me...

 

[ibmtech65]

The answer is no. The 6i has no physical cable connectors. It uses the LSI onboard controller on the machines that support the 6i card and is used in a dedicated slot.

 

[goombawaho]

Yeah, I never really liked the way that controller worked compared to the other serveraid products. It's sort of an oddball. Do you consider it to be on par with some of the other products or is it the "little brother" to the more "regular" controllers?

 

[terrywilson]

We always found performance to be fairly good on the ServeRAID cards from the 5i's when the removed the connectors from the cards. I am wondering what would happen if I used a SCSI card with an LSI1030 controller on it.

 

[scsiraid]

5i and 6i as well as 8i are called ZCR or Zero Channel RAID controllers. They have to be used in a unique slot which has logic to reroute interrupts from the motherboard storage controller to the ZCR card as well as prevent the motherboard storage controller from being seen by the host processor (degating IDSEL). 6i is basically the same as a 6M except for bus arrangement.