SAS LSI 2008 question

[Sahir Ali]

hello all

I have supermicro x8dt6-f motherboard and CSE-846E16-R1200B chasis (24 bay), using LSI 2008 SAS HBA to get 24 drives working, currently LSI megaraid firmware is IRM,

is there any way i can get these drives in freenas 8.0.4 P1 ?
even in JBOD mode i m not able to see them ( do i need to reinstall or what?), in search i found some hint that i need to flash firmware to IT mode, is it true ? or do i need to install the drivers in freenas if yes please link me to how to as i m very new to this thing.

Thanks in Advance.

link to super micro motherboard
http://www.supermicro.com/products/motherboard/qpi/5500/x8dt6-f.cfm?ipmi=y&sas=y

link to chasis
http://www.supermicro.com/products/chassis/4U/846/SC846E16-R1200.cfm

 

[wussy]

Hi,
Normally there should be an IT firmeware on the supermicro site. Go to your motherboard and click on Drivers Download on the right site. Choose your operating system and that you want to have the SAS drivers (look for IT Firmeware). You have to create an USB DOS Stick or install Windows and then you can flash the SAS Card with the IT firmeware you have downloaded.

In my opinion this is the right one for you:
ftp://ftp.supermicro.com/driver/SAS/LSI/2008/IT/Firmware/

Here is a link for the supermicro x8si6f board and how to flash it. Should be the same with your board.
http://www.servethehome.com/howto-flash-supermicro-x8si6f-lsi-sas-2008-controller-lsi-firmware/

 

[Sahir Ali]

thanks

Thanks bro for replying

I had firmware downloaded from supermicro FTP.

the Question now in my mind is , What i will lose if i flash it from IMR to IT ? ( tried alot googling but no satisfactory results)

 

[wussy]

You will loose all Raid functionality. The SAS Controller will bypass all the discs to freenas. So when you go for ZFS Software Raid, which i would recommand. Than that´s the way to go. I have an Super Micro D-X8SI6-F-O Server Mainboard and it also has a LSI 2008 SAS. It works great and you can see all your discs without any troubles. What i didn´t have is the connection to a backpanel, but in my opinion there shouldn´t be any problems but I´m not sure about it. My discs are connected directly by a SAS to Sata breackout cable.
I think you can just test it out because there is also the original firmeware on the FTP Server. So if you run in troubles you can flush it again with the normal firmeware.

 

[wussy]

One more question: How many SAS ports has the backpanel?