External Disk Storage Expansion - IBM x3250 M4 Product Manual

External disk storage expansion

The server supports attachment to EXP3000 external storage expansion enclosures using the ServeRAID
M5025 SAS/SATA Controller. The server can also be attached to supported external storage systems,
such as the IBM System Storage® DS3500 series, as described in the next section below.
The ServeRAID M5025 has the following specifications:
Two Mini-SAS external connectors

Supports RAID levels 0, 1, 5, 10, and 50

Supports RAID 6 and 60 with the optional M5000 Advanced Feature Key

Performance optimization for SSD drives with optional M5000 Series Performance Accelerator Key

6 Gbps throughput per port

PCI Express 2.0 x8 host interface

Based on the LSI SAS2108 6 Gbps ROC controller

512 MB of onboard cache

Intelligent Li-Ion-based battery backup unit with up to 48 hours of data retention

For more information about the M5025, see the ServeRAID M5025 SAS/SATA Controller for IBM System
x Product Guide: http://www.redbooks.ibm.com/abstracts/tips0739.html?Open
The ServeRAID M5025 supports connectivity to the IBM System Storage external expansion enclosures
listed in the following table. Up to nine expansion enclosures can be daisy-chained per one M5025
external port. For better performance, distribute expansion enclosures evenly across both M5025 ports.
The external disk storage expansion enclosures listed in the following table are available.
Table 15. External storage expansion enclosures
Part Description
number
172701X IBM System Storage® EXP3000
The external SAS cables listed in the following table support connectivity between external expansion
enclosures and the controller.
Table 16. External SAS cables for external storage expansion enclosures
Part number
39R6531
39R6529
IBM System x3250 M4
Description
IBM 3 m SAS Cable
IBM 1 m SAS Cable
Maximum quantity
supported per one
M5025
18 (9 per port)
Maximum quantity
supported per one enclosure
1
1
28