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Inconsistent informartion on SATA + NMVe support by R1000W Server systems in TPS 1.2

STurc
New Contributor I
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Intel® Server System R1000WF Product Family Technical Product Specification 1.2 (lastest at the moment) ( https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000023750/server-products/server-boards.html Technical Specifications for the Intel® Server Board and Intel®... ) provides inconsistent informartion on SATA and NMVe drives installed on the backplane.

In 5.3 3rd paragraph reads:

The 8x2.5" drive combo backplane has support for different drive configurations including SAS or SATA only,

NVMe only, or a combination of both SAS and NVMe. Mixing of SATA and SAS devices within a common hot

swap backplane is not supported. Hard disk drives (HDDs) and solid state srives (SSDs) can be supported

within a common backplane.

From that one can infer that SATA + NMVe is not supported.

(By the way what does "not supported" mean? It will not work at all or it will work but Intel provides not assitance in solving problems with this configuration?)

But later in 5.3 5th paragraph reads:

The backplane and backplane management features can support drives installed in any order when

populating mixed SATA/NVMe or SAS/NVMe drive configurations. However, when mixing NVMe and

SATA/SAS within a common backplane, Intel recommends drive types be populated together and not in an

intermixed order. ...

Now this paragraph says that combination of SATA/NVMe drives is supported.

So what is the actual status of mixing SATA and NVMe drives on a single backplane?

P.S. These inconsistencies continue throughout 6.4:

6.4.4.1

* Combining an NVMe drive with a SAS/SATA drive within a defined drive pair is not supported.

o Example: With an NVMe drive installed to drive connector 0, drive connector 1 cannot be

populated with a SAS/SATA drive. The same rule applies to all other drive pairs on the

backplane.

From that one can assume that SATA drive can be populated alongside with NVMe provided that it is in different drive pair?

Whereas Figure 51 shows only SAS as a possible variant.

6.4.4.2

The same...

With best regards,

Sergei.

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4 Replies
idata
Employee
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Hello SergeiTurchanov,

 

 

Yes, the information might look pretty confusing. But a summary is:

 

• You can have only SATA or SAS not both at the same time.

 

• You can mix HDD or SSD

 

• You can mix SATA and NVMe or SAS and NVMe.

 

• But when using NVMe cannot be on the same pair.

 

 

This is because the type of communication between SATA and SAS is different and the backplane manager will detect the communication protocol.

 

The same reason why you can not pair mix NVMe with SATA or SAS this is what it states on 6.4.4.1, we have seen some customer that they have mixed the same pair with NVMe with either SATA or SAS using Intel and none intel RAID controllers. This is the reason of none supported by Intel. You can try it but Intel will not provide any tech support to the configuration.

 

 

If there is anything else we can help please feel free to ask.

 

 

Best regards,

 

 

Henry A.
idata
Employee
368 Views

Hello SergeiTurchanov,

 

 

I just will like to follow if the information provided helps you or if there is something else I can help you.

 

 

Best regards,

 

 

Henry A.
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STurc
New Contributor I
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Hello!

Yes, your information was very helpful.

I thought that I marked this question as solved but now I see it has 'unsolved' status, don't know why.

Thank you very much for a prompt response.

With best regards,

Sergei.

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idata
Employee
368 Views

Hello SergeiTurchanov,

 

 

I am glad the information helped. Just please double check and resolve the question and please help us and rate it.

 

 

Best regards,

 

 

Henry A.
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