®

USER’S
GUIDE

ServeRAID M1015
SAS/SATA Controller

September 2010

IBM P/N: 60Y1431

 Second Edition (September 2010)

© Copyright International Business Machines Corporation 2009-2010. All rights reserved.

US Government Users Restricted Rights – Use, duplication or disclosure

restricted by GSA ADP Schedule Contract with IBM Corp.

ii
 Preface

This book is the primary reference and user’s guide for the ServeRAID
M1015 SAS/SATA controller, and it contains installation instructions and
specifications for the adapter.

For details on how to configure the storage adapter, refer to the

ServeRAID-M Software User’s Guide. For information about the
operating system drivers, refer to the ServeRAID-M Device Driver
Installation User’s Guide.

Audience

This document assumes that the reader is familiar with RAID controllers
and related support devices. The people who benefit from this book are:

 Engineers who are designing a system that will include a ServeRAID

M1015 SAS/SATA controller
 Anyone installing a ServeRAID M1015 SAS/SATA controller in a
RAID system
 Anyone installing a ServeRAID M1000 Series Advanced Feature Key
in a RAID system

Organization

This document has the following chapters and appendices:

 Chapter 1, Overview, provides a general overview of the ServeRAID

M1015 SAS/SATA controller.

ServeRAID M1015 SAS/SATA Controller User’s Guide iii

  Chapter 2, ServeRAID Controller Hardware Installation, describes
the procedures for installing the ServeRAID M1015 SAS/SATA
controller.
 Chapter 3, ServeRAID M1015 SAS/SATA Controller
Characteristics, provides the characteristics and technical
specifications for the ServeRAID M1015 SAS/SATA controller.
 Appendix A, Getting Help and Technical Assistance, contains
information about help and technical assistance available for IBM
hardware and software products. This includes documentation, web
sites, and phone support.
 Appendix B, Notices, contains information about warranties,
trademarks, particulate contamination, and electronic emission
notices.
 Appendix C, Glossary of Terms and Abbreviations, lists and
explains the terms and abbreviations used in this manual.

Related Publications

ServeRAID-M Device Driver Installation User’s Guide

IBM Document Number: 46M1382

This document explains how to install the ServeRAID-M device driver for
your operating system. The information in this document is independent
of the back-end bus and applies to the ServeRAID-M controllers.

ServeRAID-M Software User’s Guide

IBM Document Number: 46M1381

This document explains how to use the MegaRAID Storage Manager,

WebBIOS, and Command Line Interface (CLI) utilities to configure,
monitor, and maintain the ServeRAID-M controller and the
storage-related devices connected to them.

IBM Systems Safety Notices

IBM Document Number: G229-9054-01

This book contains safety notices from IBM Systems documentation. The
safety notices include danger and caution notices.

iv Preface
Notices and Statements in This Document

The caution and danger statements in this document are also in the
multilingual IBM Systems Safety Notices document, which is on the
ServeRAID M Support CD. Each statement is followed by a reference
number that you can use to locate the corresponding statement in your
language in the IBM Systems Safety Notices document. The following
notices and statements are used in this document:

Note: These notices provide important tips, guidance, or advice.

Important: These notices provide information or advice that might help

you avoid inconvenient or problem situations.

Attention: These notices indicate potential damage to programs,

devices, or data. An attention notice is placed just before
the instruction or situation in which damage might occur.

CAUTION: These statements indicate situations that can be potentially

hazardous to you. A caution statement is placed just before
the description of a potentially hazardous procedure, step,
or situation.

DANGER: These statements indicate situations that can be poten-

tially lethal or extremely hazardous to you. A danger
statement is placed just before the description of a
potentially lethal or extremely hazardous procedure
step or situation.

Revision History

Edition/Date Remarks
Second Edition Updated the information about the cache policy and the
September 2010 SAS array limitations.
First Edition Initial release of document.
September 2009

Preface v
IBM Customer Support

Web site: http://www.ibm.com/systems/support/

Note: Record your controller serial number in a safe location in

case you need to contact IBM.

Safety Instructions

Use the following safety guidelines to help protect your computer system
from potential damage and to ensure your own personal safety.

Note: Use your ServeRAID M1015 SAS/SATA controller

with UL-listed Information Technology Equipment (ITE)
products only.

vi Preface
 DANGER
When working on or around the system, observe the following precautions:
Electrical voltage and current from power, telephone, and communication
cables are hazardous. To avoid a shock hazard:
 Connect power to this unit only with the provided power cord. Do not use
the provided power cord for any other product.
 Do not open or service any power supply assembly.
 Do not connect or disconnect any cables or perform installation,
maintenance, or reconfiguration of this product during an electrical storm.
 The product might be equipped with multiple power cords. To remove all
hazardous voltages, disconnect all power cords.
 Connect all power cords to a properly wired and grounded electrical
outlet. Ensure that the outlet supplies proper voltage and phase rotation
according to the system rating plate.
 Connect any equipment that will be attached to this product to properly
wired outlets.
 When possible, use one hand only to connect or disconnect signal cables.
 Never turn on any equipment when there is evidence of fire, water, or
structural damage.
 Disconnect the attached power cords, telecommunications systems,
networks, and modems before you open the device covers, unless
instructed otherwise in the installation and configuration procedures.
 Connect and disconnect cables as described in the following procedures
when installing, moving, or opening covers on this product or attached
devices.
To disconnect:
1. Turn off everything (unless instructed otherwise).
2. Remove the power cords from the outlets.
3. Remove the signal cables from the connectors.
4. Remove all cables from the devices.
To connect:
1. Turn off everything (unless instructed otherwise).
2. Attach all cables to the devices.
3. Attach the signal cables to the connectors.
4. Attach the power cords to the outlets.
5. Turn on the devices.
(D005)

Preface vii
 Protecting against Electrostatic Discharge – Static electricity can
harm delicate components inside your computer. To prevent static
damage, discharge static electricity from your body before you touch any
of your computer’s electronic components, such as the microprocessor.
You can do so by touching an unpainted metal surface, such as the
metal around the card-slot openings at the back of the computer.

As you continue to work inside the computer, periodically touch an

unpainted metal surface to remove any static charge your body may
have accumulated. In addition to the preceding precautions, you can also
take the following steps to prevent damage from electrostatic discharge:

 When unpacking a static-sensitive component from its shipping

carton, do not remove the component from the antistatic packing
material until you are ready to install the component in your
computer. Just before unwrapping the antistatic packaging, be sure
to discharge static electricity from your body.
 When transporting a sensitive component, first place it in an
antistatic container or packaging.
 Handle all sensitive components in a static-safe area. If possible, use
antistatic floor pads and workbench pads.

viii Preface
 Contents

Chapter 1
Overview
1.1 Overview 1-1
1.2 ServeRAID M1015 Controller Descriptions and Limitations 1-2
1.2.1 Controller Limitations 1-3
1.3 General Description 1-3
1.4 Configuration Scenarios 1-5
1.4.1 Number of Physical Disks Supported 1-6
1.5 Benefits of the SAS Interface 1-7
1.5.1 PCI Express Architecture 1-7
1.5.2 Operating System Support 1-8
1.6 Benefits of the ServeRAID M1015 Controller 1-8
1.6.1 SAS Features 1-9
1.6.2 SAS Array Limitations 1-9
1.6.3 SATA II Features 1-10
1.6.4 PCI Express Performance 1-11
1.6.5 Usability Features 1-11
1.6.6 Flexibility Features 1-11
1.6.7 Drive Roaming 1-12
1.6.8 Drive Migration 1-13
1.7 Hardware Specifications 1-14
1.8 Technical Support 1-15

Chapter 2
ServeRAID Controller Hardware Installation
2.1 Requirements 2-1
2.2 Quick Installation 2-2
2.3 Detailed Installation 2-2

ServeRAID M1015 SAS/SATA Controller User’s Guide ix

 2.4 SAS Device Cables 2-6
2.4.1 Connecting the ServeRAID M1015 SAS/SATA Controller
to Physical Drives 2-8
2.5 After Installing the Controller 2-10

Chapter 3
ServeRAID M1015 SAS/SATA Controller Characteristics
3.1 ServeRAID M1015 SAS/SATA Controller Descriptions 3-1
3.1.1 Board Layout and Connector Information 3-1
3.2 Characteristics of the ServeRAID M1015 Controller 3-3
3.3 Technical Specifications 3-3
3.3.1 Controller Specifications 3-4
3.3.2 Array Performance Features 3-4
3.3.3 Fault Tolerance 3-5
3.3.4 Power Supply Requirements for the ServeRAID M1015
Controller 3-5
3.3.5 Operating and Non-operating Conditions 3-6
3.3.6 Safety Characteristics 3-6

Appendix A Getting Help and Technical Assistance

A.4 Before you call A-1
A.5 Using the documentation A-2
A.6 Getting help and information from the World Wide Web A-2
A.7 Software service and support A-2
A.8 Hardware service and support A-3
A.9 IBM Taiwan product service A-3

Appendix B Notices
B.1 Trademarks B-2
B.2 Important Notes B-3
B.3 Particulate Contamination B-4
B.4 Electronic emission notices B-5
B.4.1 Federal Communications Commission (FCC) statement
B-5
B.4.2 Industry Canada Class A emission compliance
statement B-6

x Contents
 B.4.3 Avis de conformité à la réglementation d'Industrie
Canada B-6
B.4.4 Australia and New Zealand Class A statement B-6
B.4.5 United Kingdom Telecommunications safety requirement
B-6
B.4.6 European Union EMC Directive conformance statement
B-6
B.4.7 Taiwanese Class A warning statement B-7
B.4.8 Germany Electromagnetic Compatibility Directive B-7
B.4.9 People's Republic of China Class A warning statement
B-9
B.4.10 Japanese Voluntary Control Council for Interference
(VCCI) statement B-9
B.4.11 Korean Class A warning statement B-9

Appendix C
Glossary of Terms
and Abbreviations

Contents xi
xii Contents
Figures
1.1 Example of a SAS Direct-Connect Application 1-5
1.2 Example of a ServeRAID Controller Configured with an
LSISASx12 Expander 1-6
2.1 ServeRAID M1015 Controller Installation in a PCI Express Slot
2-4
2.2 Internal SAS Cable for Connection to SAS Physical Drives or
SATA II Physical Drives 2-7
2.3 SATA II Connectors 2-7
2.4 SAS Plugs, SATA II Plugs, and SAS Backplane Receptacle
Connector 2-8
2.5 Connecting the ServeRAID M1015 Controller Internal Connectors
to a Physical Drive 2-9
3.1 Card Layout for the ServeRAID M1015 RAID Controller 3-2

Contents xiii
xiv Contents
Tables
1.1 Physical Devices Required for Each RAID Level 1-6
1.2 ServeRAID M1015 SAS/SATA Controller Array Limitations 1-9
1.3 ServeRAID M1015 SAS/SATA Controller
Specifications 1-14
3.1 ServeRAID M1015 Controller Connectors 3-2
3.2 ServeRAID M1015 SAS/SATA Controller Characteristics 3-3
3.3 ServeRAID M1015 SAS/SATA Controller Specifications 3-4
3.4 Array Performance Features 3-5
3.5 Fault Tolerance Features 3-5
3.6 Power Supply for the ServeRAID M1015 Controller 3-6
B.1 Limits for Particulates and Gases B-5

Contents xv
xvi Contents
 Chapter 1
Overview

This section provides a general overview of the ServeRAID M1015

SAS/SATA controller, which have RAID control capabilities. It consists of
the following sections:

 Section 1.1, “Overview”

 Section 1.2, “ServeRAID M1015 Controller Descriptions and
Limitations”
 Section 1.3, “General Description”
 Section 1.4, “Configuration Scenarios”
 Section 1.5, “Benefits of the SAS Interface”
 Section 1.6, “Benefits of the ServeRAID M1015 Controller”
 Section 1.7, “Hardware Specifications”
 Section 1.8, “Technical Support”

1.1 Overview
The ServeRAID M1015 Serial Attached SCSI (SAS)/Serial ATA II (SATA
II) controller is a high-performance intelligent PCI Express-to-SAS/SATA
II adapters with RAID control capabilities. This controller provides
reliability, high performance, and fault-tolerant disk subsystem
management. It is an ideal RAID solution for the storage of workgroup,
departmental, and enterprise systems. This controller offers a
cost-effective way to implement RAID in a server.

SAS technology brings a wealth of options and flexibility with the use of
SAS devices and SATA II devices within the same storage infrastructure.
However, SAS devices and SATA devices bring individual characteristics
that make each one a more suitable choice depending on your storage

ServeRAID M1015 SAS/SATA Controller User’s Guide 1-1

 needs. MegaRAID® gives you the flexibility to combine these two similar
technologies on the same controller and within the same enclosure.

Note: You cannot mix SAS drives and SATA drives within the
same virtual disk(s).

The ServeRAID M1015 controller is based on the MegaRAID

first-to-market SAS IC technology and proven technology. As a
second-generation PCI Express controller, it addresses the growing
demand for increased data throughput and scalability requirements
across midrange and enterprise-class server platforms. IBM offers a
family of SAS controller to address the needs for both internal solutions
and external solutions.

The controller supports the SAS protocol as described in the Serial

Attached SCSI Standard, version 2.0. It also supports the Serial ATA II
(SATA II) protocol defined by the Serial ATA Specification, Version 1.0a,
and the Serial ATA II; Extension to the Serial ATA Specification, Version
1.1. SATA II is an extension to SATA 1.0a. The ServeRAID M1015
controller is a versatile controller that provides the backbone of both
server and high-end workstation environments.

Each port on the controller supports SAS devices and/or SATA II devices
using the following:

 SAS Serial SCSI Protocol (SSP), which enables communication with

other SAS devices
 SATA II, which enables communication with other SATA II devices
 Serial Management Protocol (SMP), which communicates topology
management information directly with an attached SAS expander
device
 Serial Tunneling Protocol (STP), which enables communication with
a SATA II device through an attached expander

1.2 ServeRAID M1015 Controller Descriptions and

Limitations
The ServeRAID M1015 SAS/SATA controller is a PCI-Express 2.0, half-
size, half-height RAID controller based on the LSISAS2008 PCI Express-

1-2 Overview
 SAS/SATA I/O Processor chip. The ServeRAID M1015 SAS/SATA
controller controls eight internal 6-Gb/s SAS/SATA ports through two
SFF-8087 x4 internal mini SAS connectors. The controller is available
with eight PHYs.

1.2.1 Controller Limitations

The ServeRAID M1015 controller has the following limitations:

 You can connect only one device per SAS PHY unless you use an
expander
 You can use a maximum cable length of six feet (using shorter
cables is preferred)
 Cables have to meet the SAS specification
 You cannot mix SAS drives and SATA drives in the same virtual disk
 You cannot mix SAS or SATA Solid State Drives (SSDs) and legacy
mechanical drives (SAS or SATA) in the same virtual disk
 You cannot mix Solid State SAS drives and Solid State SATA drives
in the same virtual disk
 See Section 3.3.4, “Power Supply Requirements for the ServeRAID
M1015 Controller,” for information about the power requirements,
and Section 3.3.5, “Operating and Non-operating Conditions” for
information about the minimum and the maximum temperature
ranges

1.3 General Description

The ServeRAID M1015 controller brings 6.0 Gb/s Serial Attached SCSI
and 3.0 Gb/s Serial ATA II performance to host adapter, workstation, and
server designs. The controller supports internal storage devices, which
allows you to use a system that supports enterprise-class SAS drives,
and desktop-class SATA II drives. The controller can connect to drives
directly. Simplified cabling between devices is an additional benefit.

The controller is based on the LSISAS2008 ROC device. This device is

compliant with the Fusion-MPT architecture and provides a PCI Express
x8 interface.

General Description 1-3

 The controller integrates eight high-performance SAS/SATA II PHYs and
a PCI Express bus master DMA core. Each of the eight PHYs is capable
of 6.0 Gb/s SAS link rates and 3.0 Gb/s SATA II link rates.

The LSISAS2008 ROC device provides an eight-lane, 5-Gb/s PCI

Express host interface, eight 6.0 Gb/s SAS or 3.0 Gb/s SATA ports, and
a full-featured, hardware-based RAID implementation. The LSISAS2008
ROC device provides the maximum benefits of a RAID system and
enables you to configure the system to satisfy your system requirements.

The LSISAS2008 ROC device increases system performance and

provides fault-tolerant data storage. The LSISAS2008 supports data
striping across multiple disks, which reduces disk access time because
multiple disks simultaneously read or write data. The LSISAS2008 ROC
device backs up data with either data mirroring or a parity block. Either
backup method enables you to recover lost data in the event of a disk
failure. You can select the data backup method that best suits your
needs. A hardware RAID assist exclusive-OR (XOR) engine speeds
parity generation and checking and reduces system-access times.

The controller supports the SAS protocol as described in the Serial

Attached SCSI Standard, version 2.0. In addition, it supports the Serial
ATA II (SATA II) protocol defined by the Serial ATA Specification,
Version 1.0a, and the Serial ATA II; Extension to the Serial ATA
Specification, Version 1.1. SATA II is an extension to SATA 1.0a. The
controller supports the following SATA II features:

 3 Gb/s SATA II
 Staggered spin-up
 Hot plug
 Native command queuing
 Activity and fault indicators for each PHY
 Port Selector (for dual-port drives)

Each port on the ServeRAID M1015 controller supports SAS devices,

SATA II devices, or both using SSP, SMP, STP, and SATA II. SSP
enables communication with other SAS devices. SATA II enables the
controller to communicate with other SATA II devices.

1-4 Overview
1.4 Configuration Scenarios
There are two main scenarios in which you can use this ServeRAID
controller:

 Low-end, internal SATA II configuration: In this configuration, use

the ServeRAID controller as a high-end SATA II compatible
controller that connects to several SATA disks. This configuration is
mostly for low-end or entry servers. Enclosure management is
provided through out-of-band I2C bus. Side bands of both types of
internal SAS connectors support the SFF-8485 (SGPIO) interface.
 Midrange, internal SAS configuration: This is like the internal
SATA II configuration, but with high-end disks. This is more suitable
for low-range to midrange servers.

Figure 1.1 shows a direct-connect configuration. The Inter-IC (I2C)

interface communicates with peripherals. The external memory bus
provides a 32-bit memory bus, parity checking, and chip select signals
for pipelined synchronous burst static random access memory
(PSBRAM), nonvolatile static random access memory (NVSRAM), and
Flash ROM.

Figure 1.1 Example of a SAS Direct-Connect Application

SAS/SATA II Device
32-Bit Memory
Address/Data
SAS Bus Flash ROM/
SAS/SATA II Device PCI Express PSBRAM/
RAID Controller NVSRAM
I2 C
SAS/SATA II Device Interface
I2 C

SAS/SATA II Device

PCI Express Interface

Figure 1.2 shows an example of a ServeRAID controller configured with

an LSISASx12 expander that is connected to SAS disks, SATA II disks,
or both.

Configuration Scenarios 1-5

 Figure 1.2 Example of a ServeRAID Controller Configured with an
LSISASx12 Expander

PCI Express Interface

8
Peripheral
SAS RAID Controller Bus Flash ROM/
NVSRAM/
I2C/UART
LSISAS2008 72-bit DDR/DDR2
PCI Express to SAS ROC with ECC
Interface
SRAM
SDRAM
SRAM

SAS/SATA
LSISASx12 Drives LSISASx12
Expander Expander

SAS/SATA II SAS/SATA II SAS/SATA II SAS/SATA II

Drives Drives Drives Drives

1.4.1 Number of Physical Disks Supported

Your configuration planning for your ServeRAID controller depends in
part on the number of physical disks that you want to use in a RAID
array. The number of drives in an array determines the RAID levels that
can be supported by this controller. Only one RAID level can be assigned
to each virtual disk. Table 1.1 shows the minimum number and the
maximum number of drives required for each RAID level.
Table 1.1 Physical Devices Required for Each RAID Level

RAID Minimum # of Maximum # of

Level Physical Devices Physical Devices

0 1 16

1 2 2

5 3 16

10 4 16

1-6 Overview
 Note: To enable RAID level 5, use the ServeRAID M1000 Series
Advanced Feature Key. For more information about the
Advanced Feature Key, see the ServeRAID M1000 Series
Advanced Feature Key Quick Install Guide on the
ServeRAID M Support CD.

1.5 Benefits of the SAS Interface

SAS is a serial, point-to-point, enterprise-level device interface that
leverages the proven SCSI protocol set. SAS combines the advantages
of SATA II, SCSI, and Fibre Channel, and is the future mainstay of the
enterprise and high-end workstation storage markets. SAS offers a
higher bandwidth per pin than parallel SCSI, and it improves signal and
data integrity.

The SAS interface uses the proven SCSI command set to ensure reliable
data transfers, while providing the connectivity and flexibility of
point-to-point serial data transfers. The serial transmission of SCSI
commands eliminates clock-skew challenges. The SAS interface
provides improved performance, simplified cabling, smaller connectors,
lower pin count, and lower power requirements when compared to
parallel SCSI.

The ServeRAID M1015 controller leverages a common electrical and

physical connection interface that is compatible with Serial ATA
technology. The SAS protocols and SATA II protocols use a thin, 7-wire
connector instead of the 68-wire SCSI cable or 26-wire ATA cable. The
SAS/SATA II connector and cable are easier to manipulate, allow
connections to smaller devices, and do not inhibit airflow. The point-to-
point SATA II architecture eliminates inherent difficulties created by the
legacy ATA master-slave architecture, while maintaining compatibility
with existing ATA firmware.

1.5.1 PCI Express Architecture

PCI Express is a local bus system designed to increase data transfers
without slowing down the central processing unit (CPU). You can install
your ServeRAID M1015 PCI Express SAS/SATA controller in PCI
Express computer systems with a standard bracket type. With this

Benefits of the SAS Interface 1-7

 controller in your system, you can connect SCSI devices and SATA II
devices over the bus.

PCI Express goes beyond the PCI specification in that it is intended as

a unifying I/O architecture for various systems: desktops, workstations,
mobile, server, communications, and embedded devices.

1.5.2 Operating System Support

To check for the latest list of supported operating systems and to
download the drivers for those operating systems, see
http://www.ibm.com/systems/support/.

The ServeRAID M1015 controller uses Fusion-MPT™ architecture for all

major operating systems, thinner drivers, and better performance.

1.6 Benefits of the ServeRAID M1015 Controller

This section provides a summary of the features and benefits of the
ServeRAID M1015 controller. It contains information on SAS features,
SATA II features, PCI performance, integration, usability, and flexibility.

The ServeRAID M1015 controller offers the following features:

 PCI Express x8 lane width

 PCI Express performance up to 5 Gb/s per lane
 Two internal connectors
 Support for RAID levels 0, 1, 5, and 10
 Advanced array configuration and management utilities
 Online RAID level migration
 Drive migration
 Drive roaming
 Media scan
 No reboot necessary after expansion
 More than 200 Qtags per array
 User-specified rebuild rate

1-8 Overview
  32-Kbyte nonvolatile random access memory (NVRAM) for storing
RAID system configuration information; the MegaRAID SAS firmware
is stored in flash ROM for easy upgrade.

1.6.1 SAS Features

The following list describes the SAS features of the ServeRAID M1015
controller:

 Provides eight fully independent PHYs

 Supports 6.0 Gb/s SAS data transfers per PHY
 Supports SSP to enable communication with other SAS devices
 Supports SMP to communicate topology management information
 Provides a serial, point-to-point, enterprise-level storage interface
 Simplifies cabling between devices
 Supports wide ports consisting of 2, 3, or 4 PHYs within a single
quad port
 Supports narrow ports consisting of a single PHY
 Transfers data using SCSI information units

1.6.2 SAS Array Limitations

This section describes the array limitations of the controller. These
include limitations such as the number of physical disks supported, the
maximum number of disks per controller, and the maximum number of
virtual disks allowed per controller.

Table 1.2 lists the array limitations for the ServeRAID M1015 controller.

Table 1.2 ServeRAID M1015 SAS/SATA Controller Array

Limitations

ServeRAID M1015
Specification SAS/SATA Controller
Maximum virtual disks per controller 16
Maximum arrays per controller 16
Maximum virtual disks per array 16
Maximum physical devices per array 16

Benefits of the ServeRAID M1015 Controller 1-9

 Table 1.2 ServeRAID M1015 SAS/SATA Controller Array
Limitations

ServeRAID M1015
Specification SAS/SATA Controller
Maximum physical devices per controller 16
Note: Can support up to
64 devices, but only
16 can be used in a
RAID configuration.
Maximum hot spares per controller 8
Maximum spans per virtual disk 8
Maximum ports 2

Note: The maximum number of hot spares per array is equal to

the maximum number of physical drives per array.

The controller supports 64-bit logical block addressing (LBA), which

makes it possible to connect a large number of drives to the RAID
controller, directly and through expanders. However, the actual number
of drives that you can attach depends on the limits listed in Table 1.2
rather than by the actual RAID volume capacity.

The maximum numbers in Table 1.2 depend on how many physical

devices you have connected to the controller. For example, the
maximum number of arrays per controller is equal to the number of
physical disks supported by the controller up to the limit of 16 arrays per
controller. In addition, though you can have up to 16 virtual disks per
array, and up to 16 arrays per controller, there is a limit of 16 virtual disks
per controller.

1.6.3 SATA II Features

The following list describes the SATA II features of the ServeRAID
ServeRAID M1015 controller:

 Supports SATA II data transfers of 3.0 Gbs/s

 Supports STP data transfers of 3.0 Gbs/s
 Provides a serial, point-to-point storage interface
 Simplifies cabling between devices
 Eliminates the master-slave construction used in parallel ATA

1-10 Overview
  Allows addressing of multiple SATA II targets through an expander
 Allows multiple initiators to address a single target (in a fail-over
configuration) through an expander

1.6.4 PCI Express Performance

The following list describes the PCI Express performance features of the
ServeRAID M1015 controller:

 Provides a PCI Express interface that:

– Supports a dedicated PCI Express bus
– Supports x8 lane configuration
– Supports transfer rates of up to 5 Gb/s per lane
– Complies with the PCI Express Specification, Revision 2.0
 Provides unequaled performance through the Fusion-MPT
architecture
 Provides high throughput and low CPU utilization to offload the host
processor

1.6.5 Usability Features

The following list describes the usability features of the ServeRAID
M1015 controller:

 Simplifies cabling with point-to-point, serial architecture

 Supports smaller, thinner cables that do not restrict airflow
 Provides drive spin-up sequencing control
 Provides up to two LED signals for each PHY to indicate link activity
and faults
 Provides an I2C interface for enclosure management
 Supports the external SAS Sideband signal SFF-8485 (SGPIO)
interface

1.6.6 Flexibility Features

These features increase the flexibility of the ServeRAID M1015
controller:

Benefits of the ServeRAID M1015 Controller 1-11

  Supports a Flash ROM interface, a nonvolatile static RAM
(NVSRAM) interface, and a pipelined synchronous burst SRAM
(PSBRAM) interface
 Offers a flexible programming interface to tune I/O performance
 Allows mixed connections to SAS targets or SATA II targets
 Leverages compatible connectors for SAS connections and SATA II
connections
 Allows grouping of up to four PHYs in a single quad port to form a
wide port
 Allows programming of the World Wide Name

1.6.7 Drive Roaming

Drive roaming occurs when the physical disks are changed to different
ports on the same controller. When the drives are placed on different
channels, the controller detects the RAID configuration from the
configuration data on the drives.

Note: In a clustering environment, drive roaming is supported

within the same channel only.

Configuration data is saved in both the NVRAM on the RAID controller

and on the drives attached to the controller. This action maintains the
integrity of the data on each drive, even if the drives have changed their
target ID.

Note: If you move a drive that is being rebuilt, the rebuild

operation will restart, not resume.

Follow these steps to use drive roaming:

Step 1. Turn off the power to the server and all physical disks,
enclosures, and system components. Disconnect the power
cords from the system.
Step 2. Open the host system by following the instructions in the host
system technical documentation.
Step 3. Move the drives to different positions on the backplane to
change the targets.
Step 4. Determine the SAS target requirements.

1-12 Overview
 Step 5. Perform a safety check.
a. Make sure that the drives are inserted correctly.
b. Close the cabinet of the host system.
Step 6. Reconnect the power cords to the system.
Step 7. Turn on the power to the system.
The controller then detects the RAID configuration from the
configuration data on the drives.

1.6.8 Drive Migration

Drive migration is the transfer of a set of drives in an existing
configuration from one controller to another. The drives must remain on
the same channel and must be reinstalled in the same order as in the
original configuration. The controller to which you migrate the drives
cannot have an existing configuration.

Note: Only complete configurations can be migrated; individual

virtual disks cannot be migrated.

Note: Drive roaming and drive migration cannot be supported at

the same time.

Follow these steps to migrate drives:

Step 1. Make sure that you clear the configuration on the system to
which you migrate the drives, to prevent a configuration data
mismatch between the drives and the NVRAM.

Note: When you migrate drives, move only the disks that make
up the virtual disk (not all of the physical disks in an array),
so that you do not have an NVRAM mismatch error
(providing a configuration is on the destination controller).
The NVRAM mismatch error appears only if you move all
of the drives to the other controller.
Step 2. Turn off the power to the server and all physical disks,
enclosures, and system components. Disconnect the power
cords from the systems.
Step 3. Open the host system, following the instructions in the host
system technical documentation.

Benefits of the ServeRAID M1015 Controller 1-13

 Step 4. Remove the SAS cable connectors from the internal drives that
you want to migrate.
a. Make sure that pin 1 on the cable matches pin 1 on the
connector.
b. Make sure that the SAS cables conform to all SAS
specifications.
Step 5. Remove the physical disks from the first system, and insert
them into drive bays on the second system.
Step 6. Connect the SAS cables to the physical disks in the second
system.
Step 7. Determine the SAS target requirements.
Step 8. Perform a safety check.
a. Make sure that all of the cables are attached correctly.
b. Make sure that the RAID controller is installed correctly.
c. Close the cabinet of the host system.
Step 9. Reconnect the power cords to the system.
Step 10. Turn on the power to the system.
The controller detects the RAID configuration from the
configuration data on the drives.

1.7 Hardware Specifications

You can install your ServeRAID M1015 controller in a computer with a
mainboard that has a PCI Express slot. Table 1.3 describes the
hardware configuration features of the controller.

Table 1.3 ServeRAID M1015 SAS/SATA Controller

Specifications

Specification ServeRAID M1015 SAS/SATA Controller

RAID Levels 0, 1, 5, and 10
Devices Supported Up to 8 SAS or SATA II devices (such as drives and
per Port expanders)
Ports Eight internal
Data Transfer Rate Up to 6 Gb/s per phy

1-14 Overview
 Table 1.3 ServeRAID M1015 SAS/SATA Controller
Specifications (Cont.)

Specification ServeRAID M1015 SAS/SATA Controller

Bus PCI Express 2.0
Cache Function No1. See Note following this table.
Multiple Virtual Disks Yes. Up to 16 virtual disks per controller.
per Controller
Multiple Arrays per Yes. Up to 8 arrays per controller
Controller
Online Capacity Yes
Expansion
Dedicated and Global Yes
Hot Spares
Hot Swap Devices Yes
Supported
Non-Disk Devices Yes
Supported
Mixed Capacity Yes
Physical Disks
Supported
Number of Internal Two SFF-8087 x4 internal mini SAS connectors
Connectors
Hardware Exclusive Yes
OR (XOR) Assistance
Direct I/O Yes
Architecture Fusion-MPT
1 The ServeRAID M1015 SAS/SATA controller does not support cache
policy, which includes write-back, write-through, adaptive
read ahead, non-read ahead, read ahead, cache I/O, and direct I/O.

Note: The ServeRAID M1015 SAS/SATA controller does not

support cache policy, which includes write-back, write-
through, adaptive read ahead, non-read ahead,
read ahead, cache I/O, and direct I/O.

1.8 Technical Support

See the Important Notices and Warranty Information document for
information about the technical support available for this product.

Technical Support 1-15

1-16 Overview
 Chapter 2
ServeRAID Controller
Hardware Installation

This chapter describes the procedures used to install the ServeRAID

M1015 SAS/SATA controller. It consists of the following sections:

 Section 2.1, “Requirements”

 Section 2.2, “Quick Installation”
 Section 2.3, “Detailed Installation”
 Section 2.4, “SAS Device Cables”
 Section 2.5, “After Installing the Controller”

2.1 Requirements
The following items are required for installation:

 A ServeRAID M1015 SAS/SATA controller

 A host system with an available PCI Express expansion slot
 The ServeRAID M Support CD containing the documentation
 The necessary internal cables
 SAS physical disks or SATA II physical disks (Mechanical or Solid
State Devices, SSDs)

Note: For optimal performance, use an uninterruptible power

supply.

ServeRAID M1015 SAS/SATA Controller User’s Guide 2-1

2.2 Quick Installation
The following steps are for quick installation of your controller. These
steps are for experienced computer users/installers. Section 2.3,
“Detailed Installation,” contains the steps for all others to follow.

Step 1. Review all safety information provided with the server; then,
turn off the power to the server and all of the attached devices,
and unplug the server and the device power cords.
Step 2. Open the cabinet of the host system by following the
instructions in the host system technical documentation.
Step 3. Install the controller in the server and connect the SAS devices
or the SATA II devices to it. Make sure that the cables you use
conform to all specifications.
Step 4. Perform a safety check.
a. Make sure that all cables are properly attached
b. Make sure that the controller is installed correctly
c. Close the cabinet of the host system
Step 5. Reconnect the power cords to the system and to all attached
devices.
Step 6. Turn on the power to the system after you complete the safety
check.

2.3 Detailed Installation

This section provides detailed instructions for installing a ServeRAID
M1015 controller.

Step 1. Unpack the Controller

Unpack and remove the controller. Inspect it for damage. If it
appears damaged, or if any of the following items are missing,
contact your place of purchase. The controller is shipped with
the following items:
– A CD containing an electronic version of this
User’s Guide and other related documentation

2-2 ServeRAID Controller Hardware Installation

 – Warranty information
Step 2. Turn off the Power to the System
Review all safety information provided with the computer; then,
turn off the power to the computer, unplug the power cords
from the power supplies, disconnect the computer from the
network, and remove the computer cover. See the
documentation provided with the computer for instructions.
Before you install the controller, make sure that the computer
is disconnected from the power and from any networks.
Step 3. Review the Controller Connectors
Refer to Chapter 3, “ServeRAID M1015 SAS/SATA Controller
Characteristics” for a diagram of the ServeRAID M1015
controller with its connectors.
Step 4. Review the Controller Limitations
Review Section 1.2.1, “Controller Limitations” before you install
the controller in the system.
Step 5. Install the Controller
Select a PCI Express slot and align the controller’s PCI
Express bus connector to the slot. Press down gently but firmly
to ensure that the card is properly seated in the slot. Secure
the bracket to the computer chassis.
Figure 2.1 shows the installation of the ServeRAID M1015
controller in a PCI Express slot.

Note: Some PCI-E slots support PCI-E graphics cards only. If a

RAID controller is installed one of those slots, the controller
will not function.

Attention: To avoid damage to the computer, always remove the

controller from the PCI Express slot before you relocate or
ship the computer.

Detailed Installation 2-3

 Figure 2.1 ServeRAID M1015 Controller Installation in a
PCI Express Slot

Bracket Screw

Press here

Press here

85061-03

32-bit slots
PCI-e (3.3 V)
Edge of slot
Motherboard

64-bit slots
(3.3 V)

Step 6. Configure and Install the SAS Devices, the SATA II Devices, or
Both in the Host Computer Case
Configure and install SAS devices, SATA II devices, or both, in
the system.

Note: See the documentation for the devices for pre-installation

configuration requirements.
Step 7. Connect the SAS Devices, the SATA II Devices, or Both to the
Controller
Use SAS cables to connect SAS devices, SATA II devices, or
both to the controller. Refer to Section 2.4, “SAS Device
Cables” for SAS cable information. Refer to Section 2.4.1,
“Connecting the ServeRAID M1015 SAS/SATA Controller to
Physical Drives,” for details on connecting the controller to the
physical disks and the expanders.

2-4 ServeRAID Controller Hardware Installation

 The maximum cable length is six meters. You can connect one
device per SAS PHY unless you use an expander.
System throughput problems can occur if the SAS cables are
not the correct type. To minimize the potential for problems:
a. Use cables no longer than six meters (using shorter cables
is preferred)
b. Use cables that meet the SAS specification
c. Route the SAS cables carefully
Step 8. Turn on the Power to the System
Reinstall the computer cover and reconnect the AC power
cords; then, turn on the power to the computer.
Make sure that the power is turned on to the SAS devices and
the SATA II devices before or at the same time as the host
computer. If the power is turned on to the computer before it is
turned on to the devices, the computer might not recognize the
devices.
For the United Extensible Firmware Interface (uEFI), no BIOS
message displays. Press F1 to enter System Setup. Refer to
your system user’s guide for specific configuration information.
Under other interfaces or operating systems, a BIOS message
appears during boot. The firmware takes several seconds to
initialize. The configuration utility prompt times out after several
seconds. The second portion of the BIOS message displays the
controller number, firmware version, and cache SDRAM size.
The numbering of the controller follows the PCI slot scanning
order used by the host mainboard.
Step 9. Run the WebBIOS Configuration Utility
Run the WebBIOS Configuration Utility to configure the
physical arrays and the logical drives. When the message
Press <Ctrl><H> for WebBIOS appears on the screen, press
CTRL+H immediately to run the utility.
Step 10. Install the Operating System Driver
The controller can operate under various operating systems. To
operate under these operating systems, you must install the
software drivers. You can find and download the latest drivers

Detailed Installation 2-5

 at http://www.ibm.com/support/. For updates, click Downloads
and drivers.
Device driver updates are made available periodically. To
ensure that you have the current version of the driver,
download the latest driver at http://www.ibm.com/support/. See
the readme file that accompanies the driver for any updated
information.
For details on installing the driver, refer to the ServeRAID-M
Device Driver Installation User’s Guide on the ServeRAID M
Support CD. Be sure to use the latest Service Packs provided
by the operating system manufacturer and to review the
readme file that accompanies the driver.

2.4 SAS Device Cables

This section describes the cables used on the controller and provides
step-by-step instructions for connecting SAS physical drives and/or
SATA II physical drives to the controller. The SAS protocols and the
SATA II protocols use a thin, 7-wire connector instead of the 68-wire
SCSI cable or 26-wire ATA cable.

Note: Use only straight SAS cables, not cross-over SAS cables.

Figure 2.2 displays the SAS cable that connects the internal connectors
on the controller to SAS drives.

2-6 ServeRAID Controller Hardware Installation

Figure 2.2 Internal SAS Cable for Connection to SAS Physical
Drives or SATA II Physical Drives

Physical Drive
Connector

Serial Signal
Cables

RAID Controller to HDD

Breakout Cable

4-Lane Internal
Connector
SFF 8484

Figure 2.3 displays the SATA II device plug connector used to connect
a controller with internal connectors to the host receptable connector on
a backplane. A SATA II connector consists of a signal connector and a
power connector.

Figure 2.3 SATA II Connectors

Device Plug
Connector
Serial ATA
Signal Connector
(pin 1)

Serial ATA
Power Connector
(pin 1)

Host Receptacle
Connector

SAS Device Cables 2-7

 Figure 2.4 shows SAS connectors and SATA II connectors on SAS
physical drives and SATA II physical drives, respectively. Cables are
used for connection between internal connectors on the controller and
connectors on SAS drives and/or SATA II drives, respectively. Both SAS
physical drives and SATA II physical drives can connect to SAS
backplane receptable connectors. The difference between the SAS
connector and SATA II connector is the bridge between the SAS primary
physical link and the power connector on the SAS controller, which the
SATA II connector does not have.

Note: SAS backplane connectors can accept SAS physical drives

or SATA II physical drives, but SATA II backplane
connectors cannot accept SAS drives.

Figure 2.4 SAS Plugs, SATA II Plugs, and SAS Backplane

Receptacle Connector

SAS Primary
Physical Link
Serial Attached SCSI

Power
SAS Backplane
Receptacle Connector
SAS Secondary
Physical Link

Power
Serial ATA
SAS Secondary
Physical Link
Power SATA II/SAS
Primary
SATA II Physical Link
Physical Link
Note: SATA II backplane connectors
do not accept SAS drives.

2.4.1 Connecting the ServeRAID M1015 SAS/SATA Controller to

Physical Drives
This subsection provides step-by-step instructions for connecting your
ServeRAID M1015 controller to the SAS physical drives and the SATA II

2-8 ServeRAID Controller Hardware Installation

physical drives. Figure 2.5 shows how to connect the internal SAS cable
from the controller to the drives.

Follow these steps to connect the controller with internal connectors to a

physical drive.

Step 1. Plug the connector on the internal cable into the internal
connector on the controller.
Step 2. Plug the connector on the other end of the internal cable into
the connector on the SAS physical drive or the SATA II physical
drive.
Step 3. If you have another physical drive, connect it to another plug
on the internal cable.
You can connect other devices if the cable has more
connectors.

Figure 2.5 Connecting the ServeRAID M1015 Controller Internal

Connectors to a Physical Drive

SAS Device Cables 2-9

2.5 After Installing the Controller
After the you install the controller, you must configure it and install the
operating system driver. The ServeRAID-M Software User’s Guide
instructs you on the configuration options and how to set them on your
controller. The ServeRAID-M Device Driver Installation User’s Guide
provides detailed installation instructions for operating system drivers.

2-10 ServeRAID Controller Hardware Installation

 Chapter 3
ServeRAID M1015
SAS/SATA Controller
Characteristics
This chapter describes the characteristics of the ServeRAID M1015
SAS/SATA controller. It consists of the following sections:

 Section 3.1, “ServeRAID M1015 SAS/SATA Controller Descriptions”

 Section 3.2, “Characteristics of the ServeRAID M1015 Controller”
 Section 3.3, “Technical Specifications”

3.1 ServeRAID M1015 SAS/SATA Controller Descriptions

The ServeRAID M1015 SAS/SATA controller is dual PHY, SAS
PCI Express adapters and is used in systems with a PCI Express slot.
PCI Express goes beyond the PCI specification in that it is intended as
a unifying I/O architecture for various systems: desktops, workstations,
mobile, server, communications, and embedded devices.

The ServeRAID M1015 controller has one LSISAS2008 ROC (RAID-on-

chip) processor that controls eight internal SAS/SATA ports through two
SFF-8087 x4 internal mini SAS connectors.

3.1.1 Board Layout and Connector Information

This subsection provides the board layout and connector information for
the controller. The following subsections provide graphics and connector
information for the controller.

The controller has eight internal SAS/SATA connectors. Figure 3.1

displays the connectors on the controller, which are described on
Table 3.1.

ServeRAID M1015 SAS/SATA Controller User’s Guide 3-1

 Figure 3.1 Card Layout for the ServeRAID M1015 RAID Controller

U1 J2

J3

J4 J5

J6 85061-00

Table 3.1 ServeRAID M1015 Controller Connectors

Connector Description Type Comments

J2 CPLD header 10-pin Reserved for IBM use.

header

J3 External LED drive 4-pin Connects to external, bi-color

activity/fault header connector LEDs that indicates drive activity
or faults.

J4 Ports 0–3 internal SFF-8087 Connects the cables from the

connector x4 internal controller to SAS drives or SATA
mini SAS II drives, or a SAS expander.
connector

J5 Ports 4–7 internal SFF-8087 Connects the cables from the

connector x4 internal controller to SAS drives or SATA
mini SAS II drives, or a SAS expander.
connector

J6 PCI Express x8 Board edge x8 interface that provides

board edge connector connections on both the top and
connector the bottom of the board.

U1 ServeRAID M1000 2-pin Enables support for RAID 5

Series Advanced shielded configurations and self-
Feature Key header header encrypting disks (SED) when
you connect the ServeRAID
M1000 Series Advanced Feature
Key.

3-2 ServeRAID M1015 SAS/SATA Controller Characteristics

3.2 Characteristics of the ServeRAID M1015 Controller
Table 3.2 shows the general characteristics of the ServeRAID M1015
SAS/SATA controller.
Table 3.2 ServeRAID M1015 SAS/SATA Controller Characteristics

Flash Serial SCSI

ROM1 EEPROM2 SAS Data Transfers SCSI Features Termination

Yes Yes Up to 6 Gb/s per port Plug and Play Active

Scatter/Gather
Activity LED
1. For boot code and firmware.
2. For BIOS configuration storage.

The controller ensures data integrity by intelligently validating the

compatibility of the SAS domain. The controller uses Fusion-MPT
architecture, which allows for thinner drivers and better performance.

3.3 Technical Specifications

The design and implementation of the ServeRAID M1015 SAS/SATA
controller minimize electromagnetic emissions, susceptibility to radio
frequency energy, and the effects of electrostatic discharge. The
controller carries the following marks and certifications:

 CE mark
 C-Tick mark
 FCC Self-Certification logo
 Canadian Compliance Statement
 Korean MIC
 Taiwan BSMI
 Japan VCCI

In addition, the controller meets the requirements of CISPR Class B.

The ServeRAID M1015 SAS/SATA controller is CSA C22.2 No. 60950-1,

UL 60950-1 First Edition listed Accessory, UL file number E257743.

Characteristics of the ServeRAID M1015 Controller 3-3

3.3.1 Controller Specifications
Table 3.3 lists the specifications for the ServeRAID M1015 SAS/SATA
controller.

Table 3.3 ServeRAID M1015 SAS/SATA Controller Specifications

Specification ServeRAID M1015 SAS/SATA Controller

Processor LSISAS2008 ROC device with Integrated PowerPC
(PCI Express Host processor
Controller to PCI
Secondary I/O
Controller)
Operating Voltage +3.3 V, +12 V
Card Size Low profile PCI Express adapter card size (2.713" x 6.6")
Array Interface PCI Express Rev 2.0
to Host
Type of Drives Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) and Serial ATA II (SATA II)
Supported
PCI Express Bus  Up to 5 Gb/s per lane
Data Transfer Rate  x8 lane width
 Up to 2 Gbytes/s per direction for SAS x4 cards
(4 Gbytes/s total)
Serial Port 3-pin RS232-compatible connector (for manufacturing
use only)
SAS Controller(s) One LSISAS 2008 Single SAS controller
SAS Bus Speed 6 Gb/s
SAS Ports Two SAS connectors with four SAS ports each
Size of Flash ROM 8 Mbytes
for Firmware
Nonvolatile Random 32 Kbytes for storing RAID configuration
Access Memory
(NVRAM)

3.3.2 Array Performance Features

Table 3.4 shows the array performance features for the ServeRAID
M1015 SAS/SATA controller.

3-4 ServeRAID M1015 SAS/SATA Controller Characteristics

 Table 3.4 Array Performance Features

Specification ServeRAID M1015 Controller

PCI Express Host Data Transfer 5 Gb/s per lane

Rate
Drive Data Transfer Rate 6.0 Gb/s per lane
Maximum Scatter/Gathers 26 elements
Maximum Size of I/O Requests 6.4 Mbytes in 64 Kbyte stripes
Maximum Queue Tags per Drive As many as the drive can accept
Stripe Sizes 8, 16, 32, or 64 Kbyte
Maximum Number of Concurrent 255
Commands

3.3.3 Fault Tolerance

Table 3.5 shows the fault tolerance features of the ServeRAID M1015
SAS/SATA controller.

Table 3.5 Fault Tolerance Features

Specification ServeRAID M1015 SAS/SATA Controller

Support for SMART1 Yes

Drive Failure Detection Automatic
Drive Rebuild Using Hot Spares Automatic
Parity Generation and Checking Yes
1. The Self Monitoring Analysis and Reporting Technology (SMART) detects
up to 70 percent of all predictable drive failures. In addition, SMART
monitors the internal performance of all motors, heads, and drive
electronics.

3.3.4 Power Supply Requirements for the ServeRAID M1015 Controller

All power is supplied to the controller through the PCI Express 3.3V rails
and the 12V rail. Onboard switching regulator circuitry operating from the
3.3V rails and the 12V rail provide the necessary voltages. The following
states determine the typical current consumption of the controller:

 State 1: During a hard reset

Technical Specifications 3-5

  State 2: During a disk stress test
 State 3: While sitting idle at the DOS prompt

The supply voltages are 12V ± 8 percent (from PCI edge connector only)
and 3.3V ± - 9 percent (from PCI edge connector only). Table 3.6 lists
the power supply for the controller for each of the three states at the
different voltages.

Table 3.6 Power Supply for the ServeRAID M1015 Controller

PCI Edge Connector State 1 State 2 State 3

3.3V supply 330mA 330mA 330mA

+12V supply 1.00A 1.81A 1.53A
3.3V auxiliary supply 30mA 30mA 30mA

3.3.5 Operating and Non-operating Conditions

The operating (thermal and atmospheric) conditions for the ServeRAID
M1015 SAS/SATA controller are:

 Relative humidity range is 20 percent to 80 percent noncondensing

 Airflow must be at least 200 linear feet per minute (LFPM) to avoid
operating the Intel IOP333 processor above the maximum
ambient temperature
 Temperature range: +0 C to +60 C

The parameters for the non-operating (such as storage and transit)

environment for the controller are:

 Relative humidity range is 5 percent to 90 percent noncondensing

 Temperature range: 30C to +80 C

3.3.6 Safety Characteristics

The ServeRAID M1015 SAS/SATA controller meets or exceeds the
requirements of UL flammability rating 94 V0. Each bare board is also
marked with the supplier name or trademark, type, and UL flammability
rating. The board is installed in a PCI Express bus slot, so all voltages
are lower than the SELV 42.4 V limit.

3-6 ServeRAID M1015 SAS/SATA Controller Characteristics

 Appendix A Getting
Help and Technical
Assistance

If you need help, service, or technical assistance or just want more

information about IBM® products, you will find a wide variety of sources
available from IBM to assist you. This section contains information about
where to go for additional information about IBM and IBM products, what
to do if you experience a problem with your system, and whom to call for
service, if it is necessary.

A.4 Before you call

Before you call, make sure that you have taken these steps to try to
solve the problem yourself:

 Check all cables to make sure that they are connected.

 Check the power switches to make sure that the system and any
optional devices are turned on.
 Use the troubleshooting information in your system documentation,
and use the diagnostic tools that come with your system. Information
about diagnostic tools is in the Problem Determination and Service
Guide on the IBM Documentation CD that comes with your system.
 Go to the IBM support Web site at
http://www.ibm.com/systems/support/ to check for technical
information, hints, tips, and new device drivers or to submit a request
for information.

You can solve many problems without outside assistance by following

the troubleshooting procedures that IBM provides in the online help or in
the documentation that is provided with your IBM product. The
documentation that comes with IBM systems also describes the
diagnostic tests that you can perform. Most systems, operating systems,
and programs come with documentation that contains troubleshooting

ServeRAID M1015 SAS/SATA Controller User’s Guide A-1

 procedures and explanations of error messages and error codes. If you
suspect a software problem, see the documentation for the operating
system or program.

A.5 Using the documentation

Information about your IBM system and preinstalled software, if any, or
optional device is available in the documentation that comes with the
product. That documentation can include printed documents, online
documents, readme files, and help files. See the troubleshooting
information in your system documentation for instructions for using the
diagnostic programs. The troubleshooting information or the diagnostic
programs might tell you that you need additional or updated device
drivers or other software. IBM maintains pages on the World Wide Web
where you can get the latest technical information and download device
drivers and updates. To access these pages, go to
http://www.ibm.com/systems/support/ and follow the instructions. Also,
some documents are available through the IBM Publications Center at
http://www.ibm.com/shop/publications/order/.

A.6 Getting help and information from the World Wide Web
On the World Wide Web, the IBM Web site has up-to-date information
about IBM systems, optional devices, services, and support. The address
for IBM System x™ and xSeries® information is
http://www.ibm.com/systems/x/. The address for IBM BladeCenter®
information is http://www.ibm.com/systems/bladecenter/. The address for
IBM IntelliStation® information is http://www.ibm.com/intellistation/.

You can find service information for IBM systems and optional devices
at http://www.ibm.com/systems/support/.

A.7 Software service and support

Through IBM Support Line, you can get telephone assistance, for a fee,
with usage, configuration, and software problems with System x and
xSeries servers, BladeCenter products, IntelliStation workstations, and

A-2 Getting Help and Technical Assistance

 appliances. For information about which products are supported by
Support Line in your country or region, see
http://www.ibm.com/services/sl/products/.

For more information about Support Line and other IBM services, see
http://www.ibm.com/services/, or see http://www.ibm.com/planetwide/ for
support telephone numbers. In the U.S. and Canada, call 1-800-IBM-
SERV (1-800-426-7378).

A.8 Hardware service and support

You can receive hardware service through your IBM reseller or IBM
Services. To locate a reseller authorized by IBM to provide warranty
service, go to http://www.ibm.com/partnerworld/ and click Find a
Business Partner on the right side of the page. For IBM support
telephone numbers, see http://www.ibm.com/planetwide/. In the U.S. and
Canada, call 1-800-IBM-SERV (1-800-426-7378).

In the U.S. and Canada, hardware service and support is available 24

hours a day, 7 days a week. In the U.K., these services are available
Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

A.9 IBM Taiwan product service

IBM Taiwan product service contact information:

IBM Taiwan Corporation

3F, No 7, Song Ren Rd.

Taipei, Taiwan

Hardware service and support A-3

 Telephone: 0800-016-888

A-4 Getting Help and Technical Assistance

Appendix B Notices

This information was developed for products and services offered in the
U.S.A.

IBM® may not offer the products, services, or features discussed in this
document in other countries. Consult your local IBM representative for
information on the products and services currently available in your area.
Any reference to an IBM product, program, or service is not intended to
state or imply that only that IBM product, program, or service may be
used. Any functionally equivalent product, program, or service that does
not infringe any IBM intellectual property right may be used instead.
However, it is the user's responsibility to evaluate and verify the
operation of any non-IBM product, program, or service.

IBM may have patents or pending patent applications covering subject

matter described in this document. The furnishing of this document does
not give you any license to these patents. You can send license inquiries,
in writing, to:

IBM Director of Licensing

IBM Corporation
North Castle Drive
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U.S.A.

INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION PROVIDES

THIS PUBLICATION “AS IS” WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND,
EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO,
THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF NON-INFRINGEMENT,
MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
Some states do not allow disclaimer of express or implied warranties in
certain transactions, therefore, this statement may not apply to you.

ServeRAID M1015 SAS/SATA Controller User’s Guide B-1

 This information could include technical inaccuracies or typographical
errors. Changes are periodically made to the information herein; these
changes will be incorporated in new editions of the publication. IBM may
make improvements and/or changes in the product(s) and/or the
program(s) described in this publication at any time without notice.

Any references in this information to non-IBM Web sites are provided for
convenience only and do not in any manner serve as an endorsement
of those Web sites. The materials at those Web sites are not part of the
materials for this IBM product, and use of those Web sites is at your own
risk.

IBM may use or distribute any of the information you supply in any way
it believes appropriate without incurring any obligation to you.

B.1 Trademarks
IBM, the IBM logo, and ibm.com are trademarks or registered trademarks
of International Business Machines Corporation in the United States,
other countries, or both. If these and other IBM trademarked terms are
marked on their first occurrence in this information with a trademark
symbol (® or (™)), these symbols indicate U.S. registered or common
law trademarks owned by IBM at the time this information was published.
Such trademarks may also be registered or common law trademarks in
other countries. A current list of IBM trademarks is available on the Web
at "Copyright and trademark information" at
http://www.ibm.com/legal/copytrade.shtml.

Adobe and PostScript are either registered trademarks or trademarks of

Adobe Systems Incorporated in the United States and/or other countries.

Cell Broadband Engine is a trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment,

Inc., in the United States, other countries, or both and is used under
license therefrom.

Intel, Intel Xeon, Itanium, and Pentium are trademarks or registered

trademarks of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries in the United States
and other countries.

Java and all Java-based trademarks are trademarks of Sun

Microsystems, Inc., in the United States, other countries, or both.

B-2 Notices
 Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds in the United States,
other countries, or both.

Microsoft, Windows, and Windows NT are trademarks of Microsoft

Corporation in the United States, other countries, or both.

UNIX is a registered trademark of The Open Group in the United States

and other countries.

Other company, product, or service names may be trademarks or service

marks of others.

B.2 Important Notes

Processor speeds indicate the internal clock speed of the
microprocessor; other factors also affect application performance.

CD drive speeds list the variable read rate. Actual speeds vary and are
often less than the maximum possible.

When referring to processor storage, real and virtual storage, or channel

volume, KB stands for approximately 1000 bytes, MB stands for
approximately 1 000 000 bytes, and GB stands for approximately
1 000 000 000 bytes.

When referring to hard disk drive capacity or communications volume,

MB stands for 1 000 000 bytes, and GB stands for 1 000 000 000 bytes.
Total user-accessible capacity may vary depending on operating
environments.

Maximum internal hard disk drive capacities assume the replacement of

any standard hard disk drives and population of all hard disk drive bays
with the largest currently supported drives available from IBM.

Maximum memory might require replacement of the standard memory

with an optional memory module.

IBM makes no representation or warranties regarding non-IBM products

and services that are ServerProven(R), including but not limited to the
implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose.
These products are offered and warranted solely by third parties.

Important Notes B-3

 IBM makes no representation or warranties regarding non-IBM products
and services that are ServerProven®, including but not limited to the
implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose.
These products are offered and warranted solely by third parties.

IBM makes no representations or warranties with respect to non-IBM

products. Support (if any) for the non-IBM products is provided by the
third party, not IBM.

Some software might differ from its retail version (if available) and might
not include user manuals or all program functionality.

B.3 Particulate Contamination

Attention: Airborne particulates (including metal flakes or particles)
and reactive gases acting alone or in combination with
other environmental factors such as humidity or
temperature might pose a risk to the device that is
described in this document. Risks that are posed by the
presence of excessive particulate levels or concentrations
of harmful gases include damage that might cause the
device to malfunction or cease functioning altogether. This
specification sets forth limits for particulates and gases that
are intended to avoid such damage. The limits must not be
viewed or used as definitive limits, because numerous
other factors, such as temperature or moisture content of
the air, can influence the impact of particulates or
environmental corrosives and gaseous contaminant
transfer. In the absence of specific limits that are set forth
in this document, you must implement practices that
maintain particulate and gas levels that are consistent with
the protection of human health and safety. If IBM
determines that the levels of particulates or gases in your
environment have caused damage to the device, IBM may
condition provision of repair or replacement of devices or
parts on implementation of appropriate remedial measures
to mitigate such environmental contamination.
Implementation of such remedial measures is a customer
responsibility.

B-4 Notices
Table B.1 Limits for Particulates and Gases

Contaminant Limits
Particulate •The room air must be continuously filtered with 40% atmospheric dust spot
efficiency (MERV 9) according to ASHRAE Standard 52.21.
•Air that enters a data center must be filtered to 99.97% efficiency or greater,
using high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters that meet MIL-STD-282.
•The deliquescent relative humidity of the particulate contamination must be more
than 60%2.
•The room must be free of conductive contamination such as zinc whiskers.
Gaseous •Copper: Class G1 as per ANSI/ISA 71.04-19853
•Silver: Corrosion rate of less than 300 Å in 30 days
1 ASHRAE 52.2-2008 - Method of Testing General Ventilation Air-Cleaning Devices for Re-
moval Efficiency by Particle Size. Atlanta: American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and
Air-Conditioning Engineers, Inc.
2 The deliquescent relative humidity of particulate contamination is the relative humidity at
which the dust absorbs enough water to become wet and promote ionic conduction.
3 ANSI/ISA-71.04-1985. Environmental conditions for process measurement and control sys-
tems: Airborne contaminants. Instrument Society of America, Research Triangle Park,
North Carolina, U.S.A.

B.4 Electronic emission notices

B.4.1 Federal Communications Commission (FCC) statement

Note: This equipment has been tested and found to comply with
the limits for a Class A digital device, pursuant to Part 15
of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide
reasonable protection against harmful interference when
the equipment is operated in a commercial environment.
This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio
frequency energy and, if not installed and used in
accordance with the instruction manual, may cause harmful
interference to radio communications. Operation of this
equipment in a residential area is likely to cause harmful
interference, in which case the user will be required to
correct the interference at his own expense.

Properly shielded and grounded cables and connectors must be used in

order to meet FCC emission limits. IBM is not responsible for any radio
or television interference caused by using other than recommended

Electronic emission notices B-5

 cables and connectors or by unauthorized changes or modifications to
this equipment. Unauthorized changes or modifications could void the
user's authority to operate the equipment.

This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject
to the following two conditions: (1) this device may not cause harmful
interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference received,
including interference that may cause undesired operation.

B.4.2 Industry Canada Class A emission compliance statement

This Class A digital apparatus complies with Canadian ICES-003.

B.4.3 Avis de conformité à la réglementation d'Industrie Canada

Cet appareil numérique de la classe A est conforme à la norme NMB-
003 du Canada.

B.4.4 Australia and New Zealand Class A statement

Attention: This is a Class A product. In a domestic environment this
product may cause radio interference in which case the
user may be required to take adequate measures.

B.4.5 United Kingdom Telecommunications safety requirement

Notice to Customers –

This apparatus is approved under approval number NS/G/1234/J/100003

for indirect connection to public telecommunication systems in the United
Kingdom.

B.4.6 European Union EMC Directive conformance statement

This product is in conformity with the protection requirements of EU
Council Directive 2004/108/EC on the approximation of the laws of the
Member States relating to electromagnetic compatibility. IBM cannot
accept responsibility for any failure to satisfy the protection requirements
resulting from a nonrecommended modification of the product, including
the fitting of non-IBM option cards.

B-6 Notices
 This product has been tested and found to comply with the limits for
Class A Information Technology Equipment according to CISPR
22/European Standard EN 55022. The limits for Class A equipment were
derived for commercial and industrial environments to provide
reasonable protection against interference with licensed communication
equipment.

Attention: This is a Class A product. In a domestic environment this

product may cause radio interference in which case the
user may be required to take adequate measures.

European Community contact:

IBM Technical Regulations

Pascalstr. 100, Stuttgart, Germany 70569

Telephone: 0049 (0)711 785 1176

Fax: 0049 (0)711 785 1283

E-mail: [email protected]

B.4.7 Taiwanese Class A warning statement

B.4.8 Germany Electromagnetic Compatibility Directive

Deutschsprachiger EU Hinweis: –

Electronic emission notices B-7

 Hinweis für Geräte der Klasse A EU-Richtlinie zur Elektromag-
netischen Verträglichkeit –

Dieses Produkt entspricht den Schutzanforderungen der EU-Richtlinie

2004/108/EG zur Angleichung der Rechtsvorschriften über die
elektromagnetische Verträglichkeit in den EU-Mitgliedsstaaten und hält
die Grenzwerte der EN 55022 Klasse A ein.

Um dieses sicherzustellen, sind die Geräte wie in den Handbüchern

beschrieben zu installieren und zu betreiben. Des Weiteren dürfen auch
nur von der IBM empfohlene Kabel angeschlossen werden. IBM
übernimmt keine Verantwortung für die Einhaltung der
Schutzanforderungen, wenn das Produkt ohne Zustimmung der IBM
verändert bzw. wenn Erweiterungskomponenten von Fremdherstellern
ohne Empfehlung der IBM gesteckt/eingebaut werden.

EN 55022 Klasse A Geräte müssen mit folgendem Warnhinweis

versehen werden: "Warnung: Dieses ist eine Einrichtung der Klasse A.
Diese Einrichtung kann im Wohnbereich Funk-Störungen verursachen; in
diesem Fall kann vom Betreiber verlangt werden, angemessene
Maßnahmen zu ergreifen und dafür aufzukommen."

Deutschland: Einhaltung des Gesetzes über die elektromagnetische

Verträglichkeit von Geräten –

Dieses Produkt entspricht dem "Gesetz über die elektromagnetische

Verträglichkeit von Geräten (EMVG)". Dies ist die Umsetzung der EU-
Richtlinie 2004/108/EG in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland.

Zulassungsbescheinigung laut dem Deutschen Gesetz über die

elektromagnetische Verträglichkeit von Geräten (EMVG) (bzw. der
EMC EG Richtlinie 2004/108/EG) für Geräte der Klasse A –

Dieses Gerät ist berechtigt, in Übereinstimmung mit dem Deutschen

EMVG das EG-Konformitätszeichen - CE - zu führen. Verantwortlich für
die Konformitätserklärung des EMVG ist die IBM Deutschland GmbH,
70548 Stuttgart.

Generelle Informationen: –

Das Gerät erfüllt die Schutzanforderungen nach EN 55024 und EN

55022 Klasse A.

B-8 Notices
B.4.9 People's Republic of China Class A warning statement

B.4.10 Japanese Voluntary Control Council for Interference (VCCI)

statement

B.4.11 Korean Class A warning statement

Electronic emission notices B-9

B-10 Notices
 Appendix C
Glossary of Terms
and Abbreviations

active The electrical connection required at each end of the SCSI bus,
termination composed of active voltage regulation and a set of termination resistors.

array An array of drives combines the storage space on the drives into a single
segment of storage space. A hot spare drive does not actively participate
in an array.

BIOS Acronym for Basic Input/Output System. Software that provides basic
read/write capability. Usually kept as firmware (ROM-based). The system
BIOS on the mainboard of a computer boots and controls the system.
The BIOS on your host adapter acts as an extension of the system BIOS.

configuration Refers to the way a computer is set up, the combined hardware
components (computer, monitor, keyboard, and peripheral devices) that
make up a computer system, or the software settings that allow the
hardware components to communicate with each other.

device driver A program that allows a microprocessor (through the operating system)
to direct the operation of a peripheral device.

domain Domain Validation is a software procedure in which a host queries a

validation device to determine its ability to communicate at the negotiated data rate.

EEPROM Acronym for Electronically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory.

It is a memory chip that typically stores configuration information, as it
provides stable storage for long periods without electricity and can be
reprogrammed. Refer to NVRAM.

external SAS A SAS device installed outside the computer cabinet. These devices are
device connected using specific types of shielded cables.

Fusion-MPT Fusion-MPT (Message Passing Technology) architecture consists of

architecture several main elements: Fusion-MPT firmware, the Fibre Channel and
SCSI hardware, and the operating system level drivers that support

ServeRAID M1015 SAS/SATA Controller User’s Guide C-1

 these architectures. Fusion-MPT architecture offers a single binary,
operating system driver that supports both Fibre Channel and SCSI
devices.

host The computer system in which a storage adapter is installed. It uses the
storage adapter to transfer information to and from devices attached to
the SCSI bus.

host adapter A circuit board or integrated circuit that provides a device connection to
board the computer system.

hot spare An idle, powered on, standby drive ready for immediate use in case of
disk failure. It does not contain any user data. A hot spare can be
dedicated to a single redundant array or it can be part of the global
hot-spare pool for all arrays managed by the controller.

When a disk fails, the controller firmware automatically replaces and

rebuilds the data from the failed drive to the hot spare. Data can be
rebuilt only from virtual disks with redundancy (RAID levels 1, 5, and 10;
not RAID level 0), and the hot spare must have sufficient capacity.

internal SAS A SAS device installed inside the computer cabinet. These devices are
device connected by using a shielded cable.

main memory The part of a computer’s memory which is directly accessible by the CPU
(usually synonymous with RAM).

NVRAM Acronym for Nonvolatile Random Access Memory. An EEPROM

(Electronically Erasable Read-Only Memory chip) that stores
configuration information. Refer to EEPROM.

PCI Acronym for Peripheral Component Interconnect. A high-performance,

local bus specification that allows the connection of devices directly to
computer memory. The PCI Local Bus allows transparent upgrades from
32-bit data path at 33 MHz to 64-bit data path at 33 MHz, and from 32-bit
data path at 66 MHz to 64-bit data path at 66 MHz.

PCI Express Acronym for Peripheral Component Interconnect Express. A

high-performance, local bus specification that allows the connection of
devices directly to computer memory. PCI Express is a two-way, serial
connection that transfers data on two pairs of point-to-point data lines.
PCI Express goes beyond the PCI specification in that it is intended as

C-2 Glossary of Terms and Abbreviations

 a unifying I/O architecture for various systems: desktops, workstations,
mobile, server, communications, and embedded devices.

peripheral A piece of hardware (such as a video monitor, drive, printer, or CD-ROM)

devices used with a computer and under the control of the computer. SCSI
peripherals are controlled through a ServeRAID SAS/SATA controller
(host adapter).

PHY The interface required to transmit and receive data packets transferred
across the serial bus.

Each PHY can form one side of the physical link in a connection with a
PHY on a different SATA device. The physical link contains four wires
that form two differential signal pairs. One differential pair transmits
signals, while the other differential pair receives signals. Both differential
pairs operate simultaneously and allow concurrent data transmission in
both the receive and the transmit directions.

RAID Acronym for Redundant Array of Independent Disks (originally

Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks). An array of multiple independent
physical disks managed together to yield higher reliability and/or
performance exceeding that of a single physical disk. The RAID array
appears to the controller as a single storage unit. I/O is expedited
because several disks can be accessed simultaneously. Redundant
RAID levels (RAID levels 1, 5, and 10) provide data protection.

RAID levels A set of techniques applied to disk groups to deliver higher data
availability, and/or performance characteristics to host environments.
Each virtual disk must have a RAID level assigned to it.

SAS Acronym for Serial Attached SCSI. A serial, point-to-point,

enterprise-level device interface that leverages the proven SCSI protocol
set. The SAS interface provides improved performance, simplified
cabling, smaller connections, lower pin count, and lower power
requirements when compared to parallel SCSI. The SAS controller
leverages a common electrical and physical connection interface that is
compatible with Serial ATA.

The ServeRAID SAS/SATA controller supports the SAS protocol as

described in the Serial Attached SCSI Standard, version 2.0. The
controller also supports the Serial ATA II (SATA II) protocol defined by
the Serial ATA Specification, Version 1.0a, and the Serial ATAII;

C-3
 Extension to the Serial ATA Specification, Version 1.1. SATA II is an
extension to SATA 1.0a.

The ServeRAID M1015 SAS/SATA controller is a versatile controller that

provides the backbone of both server and high-end workstation
environments. Each port on the RAID controller supports SAS devices
and/or SATA II devices.

SAS device Any device that conforms to the SAS standard and is attached to the
SAS bus by a SAS cable. This includes SAS storage adapters
(host adapters) and SAS peripherals.

SATA Acronym for Serial Advanced Technology Attachment. A physical

storage interface standard, SATA is a serial link that provides point-to-
point connections between devices. The thinner serial cables allow for
better airflow within the system and permit smaller chassis designs.

SMP Acronym for Serial Management Protocol. SMP enables communicates

topology management information directly with an attached SAS
expander device. Each PHY on the controller can function as an SMP
initiator.

SSD Acronym for Solid State Devices. A Solid State Device uses solid-state
memory to store data. They have no moving parts and are faster and
more reliable than hard disk drives (HDDs).

SSP Acronym for Serial SCSI Protocol. SSP enables communication with
other SAS devices. Each PHY on the SAS controller can function as an
SSP initiator or SSP target.

STP Acronym for Serial Tunneling Protocol. STP enables communication with
a SATA II device through an attached expander. Each PHY on the SAS
controller can function as an STP initiator.

stripe size The total disk space consumed by a stripe not including a parity disk. For
example, consider a stripe that contains 64 Kbytes of disk space and has
16 Kbytes of data residing on each disk in the stripe. In this case, the
stripe size is 64 Kbytes and the stripe element size is 16 Kbytes. The
stripe depth is four (four physical disks in the stripe). You can specify
stripe sizes of 8 Kbytes, 16 Kbytes, 32 Kbytes, or 64 Kbytes for each
virtual disk. A larger stripe size produces improved read performance,
especially if most of the reads are sequential. For mostly random reads,
select a smaller stripe size.

C-4 Glossary of Terms and Abbreviations

striping Disk striping writes data across two or more disks. Each stripe spans two
or more disks but consumes only a portion of each disk. Each disk,
therefore, may have several stripes. The amount of space consumed by
a stripe is the same on each disk included in the stripe. The portion of a
stripe that resides on a single disk is a stripe element. Striping by itself
does not provide data redundancy; striping in combination with parity
provides data redundancy.

C-5
C-6 Glossary of Terms and Abbreviations
® IBM P/N: 60Y1431