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12 Replies Last post: Feb 29, 2008 9:28 AM by chiefmojo  

Dell sc1430 - can integrated SATA controller be used for VMFS? posted: Jan 12, 2008 6:20 PM

Click to view HarisB's profile Enthusiast
HarisB
93 posts since
Feb 12, 2006

Hi all,

I'm planning to get 8 core Dell sc1430 and would like to know if anyone out there is using integrated dual channel SATA controller for VMFS. I have 4 spare SATA disks that I'd like to configure as RAID 10. If that's not going to fly, I'd like an advice on the second option, getting SATA controller that works with ESX. And as a third option, most expensive one, I'm looking at getting Dell PERC SAS RAID5 controller and 3-4 SAS drives. Obviously if I can get by using my spare SATA disks that would be nice.

So at a very minimum I need to confirm whether integrated SATA controller works or not.

Cheers


Re: Dell sc1430 - can integrated SATA controller be used for VMFS?

1. Jan 12, 2008 6:52 PM in response to: HarisB
Click to view RParker's profile Champion
RParker
5,270 posts since
Dec 6, 2006

Of course, why wouldn't it?

The SC 1430 isn't on the HAL anyway, so any use you could have for ESX isn't relevant, so if you are just using it for testing, go for it.

Re: Dell sc1430 - can integrated SATA controller be used for VMFS?

2. Jan 12, 2008 6:55 PM in response to: HarisB
Click to view uslacker99's profile Expert
uslacker99
275 posts since
Sep 26, 2005
I'm using the box now for ESX 3.5. The onboard SATA works. I'm not sure about the SAS RAID 5 controller.

Re: Dell sc1430 - can integrated SATA controller be used for VMFS?

3. Jan 12, 2008 9:21 PM in response to: uslacker99
Click to view HarisB's profile Enthusiast
HarisB
93 posts since
Feb 12, 2006

Great news - anyone know how SATA RAID 10 compares to SAS performance wise - I'm planning to use 80GB 7200 RPM disks, and need at least 3MBps sustained throughput, random read / write IO - I know 4 18GB SCSI disks in RAID5 will do about 5-7 MBps in another slightly older server I have. I'm aware this depends on million factors, I'm looking to get assurance RAID 10 in SATA doesn't suck in a big way :-)

Thanks all


Re: Dell sc1430 - can integrated SATA controller be used for VMFS?

4. Jan 13, 2008 1:40 AM in response to: uslacker99
Click to view Dave.Mishchenko's profile Guru
Dave.Mishchen…
8,948 posts since
Nov 15, 2005
What controller does ESX list your system as having?

Re: Dell sc1430 - can integrated SATA controller be used for VMFS?

5. Jan 13, 2008 3:17 AM in response to: Dave.Mishchen…
Click to view HarisB's profile Enthusiast
HarisB
93 posts since
Feb 12, 2006

I don't have the server yet, this is what I want to buy, dual channel SATA is integrated on board :

http://www.dell.com/content/products/productdetails.aspx/pedge_sc1430?c=us&cs=04&l=en&s=bsd


Re: Dell sc1430 - can integrated SATA controller be used for VMFS?

6. Feb 21, 2008 4:29 AM in response to: HarisB
Click to view djmasters's profile Enthusiast
djmasters
38 posts since
Jun 12, 2006

I assume ESX didn't have any problem with the on-board NICs on the SC1430? I'm not concerned about the SATA thing really, I have a PCI based RAID card I would add. But with only one PCI slot, I wouldn't be able to add another PCI NIC.

Thanks!

Re: Dell sc1430 - can integrated SATA controller be used for VMFS?

7. Feb 21, 2008 11:30 AM in response to: djmasters
Click to view HarisB's profile Enthusiast
HarisB
93 posts since
Feb 12, 2006
Onboard was fine in terms of beign able to install ESX and run VMFS on it, the only thing is even though you have 4 SATA port on board, only 2 can be used for disk drives, other 2 for tape or other devices (according to the manual, didn't test the truthfulness of that statement) and the only trace of RAID is one option in BIOS that reads "fail over" on / off. Nothing else.

In any case I've got the server, and put Dell 2610SA SATA RAID card in there, 4 drives in RAID10 and it's all good.

Cheers

Re: Dell sc1430 - can integrated SATA controller be used for VMFS?

8. Feb 21, 2008 1:56 PM in response to: HarisB
Click to view Rumple's profile Master
Rumple
1,264 posts since
Jan 6, 2005
The problem with those SATA controllers is they do not have battery backup units on them typically (the 2610sa models do not) and so your write performance is crap.

With a RAID 1 160scsi drive with battery backup I can write a 1GB file in 57 seconds. 2610SA controller 4 drives RAID 10 - 4 minutes. Using RAID 10, 0 or RAID 5 makes no difference. the writes to the disk is the limit, not the disks themselves.

Re: Dell sc1430 - can integrated SATA controller be used for VMFS?

9. Feb 21, 2008 2:16 PM in response to: HarisB
Click to view AllenL's profile Enthusiast
AllenL
133 posts since
Aug 4, 2005

I have a Dell SC1430 running Vmware Server. I thought about ESX as well but dont really know the answer.

However I do know that the hardware manual is wrong where it says to add a 3rd drive you must go SAS. The fact is the onboard SATA is good for 3 HD's and 1 optical drive. The last SATA port 4 is not used for HD. So if you're going for 4 drives, I think you have to go SAS. The 3rd port is one used for SAS.

This is what I got from working with Dell support. You may want to try SATA port 4 for HD but I'm told its only for optical. I've seen this before in Dell SC400 that I have so I kinda believe them.

Re: Dell sc1430 - can integrated SATA controller be used for VMFS?

10. Feb 28, 2008 5:49 PM in response to: AllenL
Click to view chiefmojo's profile Novice
chiefmojo
6 posts since
Nov 3, 2006
Actually you can use all four SATA ports for hard drives, but Dell does recommend installing a special fourth hard drive carrier that has an integrated fan to help with possible overheating issues. One caveat with the SC1430 though is that ESX (3.5 at least, haven't tested older versions) doesn't detect VT support so you'll be unable to run 64 bit guests.

Re: Dell sc1430 - can integrated SATA controller be used for VMFS?

11. Feb 29, 2008 9:17 AM in response to: chiefmojo
Click to view AllenL's profile Enthusiast
AllenL
133 posts since
Aug 4, 2005
The inability to detect VT, is that the fault of the BIOS or ESX? Centos 4 and 5 definitely detects it.

Re: Dell sc1430 - can integrated SATA controller be used for VMFS?

12. Feb 29, 2008 9:28 AM in response to: AllenL
Click to view chiefmojo's profile Novice
chiefmojo
6 posts since
Nov 3, 2006
It's almost certainly a problem with the ESX kernel. I'm able to install 64 bit operating systems on this server without problem (CentOS included) -- it's only ESX thusfar that hasn't been picking up VT support. Apparently this is also affecting at least some PowerEdge 2950 servers, which are definitely on VMware's HCL.

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