Dell is pissing me off with their RAID!

[Oyeve]

Story:

We needed a new server for some proprietary SW at work. Specs were 4x300GB drives in 2 mirrors. So, 2x300gb x2. Server 2012 R2, 6 core proc. I ordered a Dell server with this stuff and customized with an S130 RAID card (SW), configured it all up, installed server 2012 R2 all was working fine. Now, this SW company with their proprietary config says that we need 2 VMs and RAID 5. So, I said ok, let me order a HW RAID card from dell and I will reconfigure it all up. Called Dell tech support, was on the phone with the server tech for nearly 2 hours, finally found the part # and then proceeded to call Dell sales. On phone for yet another hour when they came back and said that I cant install a HW RAID card in this system (An R730 server BTW) because it was already configured with a SW raid and the only thing to do is to send it all back and order the correct reconfiguration! Why? Why cant I just order the part myself? This server needs to be fully up and running in 1 week! Is what they say true? Im still waiting for a higher level tech top call back!

 

[dave_the_nerd]

Maybe user parts installation would probably void some support agreement or warranty? That's not atypical.

Lame, though, yeah.

I have to scold you a little bit - how come you didn't know about the config requirements BEFORE you ordered the hardware for your application?

 

[Oyeve]

Maybe user parts installation would probably void some support agreement or warranty? That's not atypical.

Lame, though, yeah.

I have to scold you a little bit - how come you didn't know about the config requirements BEFORE you ordered the hardware for your application?

I may have forgot to add to the OP but I was given the requirements. They just happened to change them today. The server has been up for a month.

 

[mxnerd]

According S370 spec, you should be able to install several hardware controllers.

http://www.dell.com/us/business/p/poweredge-r730/pd

RAID Controllers

Internal:
PERC S130
PERC H330
PERC H730
PERC H730P

External:
PERC H830

 

[Oyeve]

According S370 spec, you should be able to install several hardware controllers.

http://www.dell.com/us/business/p/poweredge-r730/pd

RAID Controllers

Internal:
PERC S130
PERC H330
PERC H730
PERC H730P

External:
PERC H830

I know! This is whats pissing me off! I'm considering Hyper V.

 

[mxnerd]

I know! This is whats pissing me off! I'm considering Hyper V.

Maybe you didn't speak to the right technician? Try to get another one.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

I may have forgot to add to the OP but I was given the requirements. They just happened to change them today. The server has been up for a month.

Ugh. Lame.

Why would an application care if you had software/hardware RAID, or RAID5 vs. RAID10? What application is this? (So I can avoid it...)

Good luck.

 

[mxnerd]

Intel software RAID (in this case, PERC S130 uses Intel x99 chipset) is a bad choice to begin with. Move to hardware controller ASAP.

Don't know if Intel chip is better now, but I don't remember how many times INTEL motherboard software RAID keep losing even simple RAID 1 mirrors with a reboot.

And like what dave said, never heard of any software that requires RAID5.

Whether you will be using VMware or Hyper-V, you better run them on hardware RAID controller too.

Get the right tech to speak with. I don't understand why if software RAID being installed will affect the ability to install hardware RAID?

 

[master_shake_]

lol can't use hardware raid because software raid.

what a crock.

sounds like they want to sell you something you do not need.

just buy the raid card and move on.

since dell doesn't make their own get an lsi (avago)that's their oem.

 

[mxnerd]

Probably found why Dell wants you send back the server.

The R730 server has a dedicated RAID card slot and probably the S130 controller sits on it.

http://www.dell.com/us/business/p/poweredge-r730/pd

Slots
Slot configuration #1:
Slot 1: Half Length, Half Height, PCIe Gen3 x8 (x16 connector) low profile brackett
Slot 2: Half Length, Half Height, PCIe Gen3 x8 (x16 connector) low profile brackett
Slot 3: Half Length, Half Height, PCIe Gen3 x8 (x16 connector) low profile brackett
Slot 4: Full Length, Full Height, PCIe Gen3 x16 (x16 connector)
Slot 5: Full Length, Full Height, PCIe Gen3 x8 (x16 connector)
Slot 6: Full Length, Full Height, PCIe Gen3 x8 (x16 connector)
Slot 7: Full Length, Full Height, PCIe Gen3 x8 (x16 connector)
Dedicated RAID card slot

Slot configuration #2:
Slot 1: Half Length, Half Height, PCIe Gen3 x8 (x16 connector) low profile bracket
Slot 2: Half Length, Half Height, PCIe Gen3 x8 (x16 connector) low profile bracket
Slot 3: Half Length, Half Height, PCIe Gen3 x8 (x16 connector) low profile bracket
Slot 4: Full Length, Full Height, PCIe Gen3 x16 (x16 connector)
Slot 5: Full Length, Full Height, PCIe Gen3 x8 (x16 connector)
Slot 6: Full Length, Full Height, PCIe Gen3 x16 (x16 connector)
Dedicated RAID card slot

Dell maybe wants customers to believe a dedicated slot for RAID has better performance? So if there is a PERC S130 sits on that slot, and you want a hardware RAID controller, Dell will pull the S130 and install one of the hardware controller there. Your 2012 server will be lost unless Dell restores it for you.

But since the server has several PCIe slots, I wonder why you can't buy a controller from LSI or other vendors and put it in one of the slots?

====

Since you already have the server running for a month, the softwaer RAID probably is not a problem. And like what master_shake said, buy a controller, and get the extra drives you need for RAID5 configuration, you don't even have to mess with your current setup.

 

[master_shake_]

Probably found why Dell wants you send back the server.

The R730 server has a dedicated RAID card slot and probably the S130 controller sits on it.

http://www.dell.com/us/business/p/poweredge-r730/pd

Slots
Slot configuration #1:
Slot 1: Half Length, Half Height, PCIe Gen3 x8 (x16 connector) low profile brackett
Slot 2: Half Length, Half Height, PCIe Gen3 x8 (x16 connector) low profile brackett
Slot 3: Half Length, Half Height, PCIe Gen3 x8 (x16 connector) low profile brackett
Slot 4: Full Length, Full Height, PCIe Gen3 x16 (x16 connector)
Slot 5: Full Length, Full Height, PCIe Gen3 x8 (x16 connector)
Slot 6: Full Length, Full Height, PCIe Gen3 x8 (x16 connector)
Slot 7: Full Length, Full Height, PCIe Gen3 x8 (x16 connector)
Dedicated RAID card slot

Slot configuration #2:
Slot 1: Half Length, Half Height, PCIe Gen3 x8 (x16 connector) low profile bracket
Slot 2: Half Length, Half Height, PCIe Gen3 x8 (x16 connector) low profile bracket
Slot 3: Half Length, Half Height, PCIe Gen3 x8 (x16 connector) low profile bracket
Slot 4: Full Length, Full Height, PCIe Gen3 x16 (x16 connector)
Slot 5: Full Length, Full Height, PCIe Gen3 x8 (x16 connector)
Slot 6: Full Length, Full Height, PCIe Gen3 x16 (x16 connector)
Dedicated RAID card slot

Dell maybe wants customers to believe a dedicated slot for RAID has better performance? So if there is a PERC S130 sits on that slot, and you want a hardware RAID controller, Dell will pull the S130 and install one of the hardware controller there. Your 2012 server will be lost unless Dell restores it for you.

But since the server has several PCIe slots, I wonder why you can't buy a controller from LSI or other vendors and put it in one of the slots?

:biggrin:

it's like magic, man.

 

[XavierMace]

Or it's because their dedicated RAID controller slots are completely internal so they don't use up slots on the back of the case.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7ap0hP1JV8

That also means, by default, the cards aren't the correct form factor for a standard PCIe slot and won't have a bracket.

You'll also most likely need different cables and routing them can be "interesting" which is why they recommend just getting one configured as needed.

 

[mxnerd]

XavierMace is right.

http://testedtechs.com/2015/06/review-dell-poweredge-r730/

even H730P is just a small board

Still don't understand why that software demands RAID 5? Or it's just recommended by that software company?

 

[yinan]

When you virtualize anything the application loses any visibility into the underlying disk subsystem. I have no idea what RAID any of my 10,000+ VMs is. All that matters is that you have enough IOPS and backups.

 

[ultimatebob]

I know! This is whats pissing me off! I'm considering Hyper V.

You should talk to your Dell sales rep and complain. They can "fix" issues with stubborn support technicians like this if you threaten to go with another vendor.

 

[Oyeve]

You should talk to your Dell sales rep and complain. They can "fix" issues with stubborn support technicians like this if you threaten to go with another vendor.

I have tried several times. I even posted on their forums and they still came back and said that they don't sell any upgrade HW raid cards as the system is preconfigured at dell. They probably assume whomever installs it at the customer site may mess things up and me telling them I have 25+ years in building and configuring servers doesn't seem to matter.

In the end I purchased the HW raid card from amazon and ironically enough it cost 75% less than what dell would have sold it for and it comes with a 3 year dell warranty.