Daisy-Chaining Multiple Powervault Md1Xxx Family Storage Enclosures - Dell PowerVault MD1120 Optimization Manual

A REFERENCE GUIDE FOR OPTIMIZING DELL™ POWERVAULT™ MD1XXX FAMILY SAS SOLUTION
Split mode is useful in deployments where a single PowerVault MD1xxx Family storage enclosure
provides limited amounts of storage each for two different servers.
Note: In split mode, each host server can see its own physical disks but not the other server's
physical disks.
Note: Split mode does not support daisy-chaining.
Note: A system with a single EMM set in split mode will function properly, but the server will only
be able to see the physical disks that are connected to the EMM.
Dual Hosts
Figure 3: Split mode configuration

Daisy-Chaining Multiple PowerVault MD1xxx Family Storage Enclosures

In unified mode, up to three enclosures may be daisy-chained together from a single PERC 5/E or
PERC 6/E controller port. A maximum of six PowerVault MD1xxx Family storage enclosures (3
enclosures per port) may be connected to a single PERC 5/E or PERC 6/E controller. (Note:
Although this is a supported configuration, one should consider total solution availability before
attaching this quantity of storage to a single-controller solution.). When connecting multiple
enclosures, the first enclosure is connected to the PERC 5/E or PERC 6/Econtroller via the In port
of the primary EMM. The second enclosure is connected from the Out port of the primary EMM on
the first enclosure to the In port of the primary EMM on the second enclosure. The connection is
made with a standard SAS cable. The third enclosure is connected in the same manner as the
second enclosure.
Note: Mixing MD1xxx Family storage enclosure types in a daisy-chain is not supported.
Note: Mixing enclosure types on different channels of a single host controller is not supported.
Only one MD1xxx Family storage enclosure type is supported on a host controller at one time.
Two host controllers can support two enclosure types: one enclosure type on each controller.
Figure 4: Max configuration on a single PERC 5/E or PERC 6/E controller port
PAGE 12
MD1xxx Family Primary EMM
Storage Enclosure Physical Disks
MD1000 7 through 14
MD1120 12 through 23
VER A02
Secondary EMM
Physical Disks
0 through 6
0 through 11
6/16/2008