Question about server hard drives
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@obsolesce said in Question about server hard drives:
The important part is that they are enterprise drives, that they have the Dell firmware in them.
Right and I get that. I'm just not really clear on if it's ok to use, for example, a mix of older drives from PowerVault MD and R720 servers with a new R640.
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@dave247 said in Question about server hard drives:
@obsolesce said in Question about server hard drives:
The important part is that they are enterprise drives, that they have the Dell firmware in them.
Right and I get that. I'm just not really clear on if it's ok to use, for example, a mix of older drives from PowerVault MD and R720 servers with a new R640.
It's fine, because the drives aren't really "from" those servers. They are just drives.
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@scottalanmiller said in Question about server hard drives:
@dave247 said in Question about server hard drives:
@obsolesce said in Question about server hard drives:
The important part is that they are enterprise drives, that they have the Dell firmware in them.
Right and I get that. I'm just not really clear on if it's ok to use, for example, a mix of older drives from PowerVault MD and R720 servers with a new R640.
It's fine, because the drives aren't really "from" those servers. They are just drives.
I know they aren't actually "from those servers", but they are listed as choices under those servers, as stated in my original post. If I want to replace a drive from the R720, I have to specify that when purchasing. I just wanted to know why it was like this. Is it just to help corral customers or is there actually some level of compatibility or something involved?
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@rojoloco said in Question about server hard drives:
@obsolesce said in Question about server hard drives:
The important part is that they are enterprise drives, that they have the Dell firmware in them.
Newer Dell servers are far less picky about that firmware. We frequently order cheap drives from Amazon that work fine in 12th and 13th generation machines.
edit: the hot swap trays might be different, watch for that.
There are a lot of things that "work fine", that shouldn't be done, or done sparingly. Things tend to work fine until they don't.
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@obsolesce said in Question about server hard drives:
@rojoloco said in Question about server hard drives:
@obsolesce said in Question about server hard drives:
The important part is that they are enterprise drives, that they have the Dell firmware in them.
Newer Dell servers are far less picky about that firmware. We frequently order cheap drives from Amazon that work fine in 12th and 13th generation machines.
edit: the hot swap trays might be different, watch for that.
There are a lot of things that "work fine", that shouldn't be done, or done sparingly. Things tend to work fine until they don't.
Yeah, trays I can understand.. lol
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@dave247 said in Question about server hard drives:
@scottalanmiller said in Question about server hard drives:
@dave247 said in Question about server hard drives:
@obsolesce said in Question about server hard drives:
The important part is that they are enterprise drives, that they have the Dell firmware in them.
Right and I get that. I'm just not really clear on if it's ok to use, for example, a mix of older drives from PowerVault MD and R720 servers with a new R640.
It's fine, because the drives aren't really "from" those servers. They are just drives.
I know they aren't actually "from those servers", but they are listed as choices under those servers, as stated in my original post. If I want to replace a drive from the R720, I have to specify that when purchasing. I just wanted to know why it was like this. Is it just to help corral customers or is there actually some level of compatibility or something involved?
This is just a guess, but may have to do with server specific HCLs or it may have to do with marketing.
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@dave247 said in Question about server hard drives:
I know they aren't actually "from those servers", but they are listed as choices under those servers....
Right, but presumably you aren't attaching them to your server, but to a RAID card, right?
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@scottalanmiller said in Question about server hard drives:
@dave247 said in Question about server hard drives:
I know they aren't actually "from those servers", but they are listed as choices under those servers....
Right, but presumably you aren't attaching them to your server, but to a RAID card, right?
Right. I did also consider that so I didn't think it would matter since it's not directly connecting to the server, but then I considered that maybe there was some firmware that had to do with the motherboard of the server, and thus would still indirectly be tied to that model (or range of models).
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@dave247 said in Question about server hard drives:
@scottalanmiller said in Question about server hard drives:
@dave247 said in Question about server hard drives:
I know they aren't actually "from those servers", but they are listed as choices under those servers....
Right, but presumably you aren't attaching them to your server, but to a RAID card, right?
Right. I did also consider that so I didn't think it would matter since it's not directly connecting to the server, but then I considered that maybe there was some firmware that had to do with the motherboard of the server, and thus would still indirectly be tied to that model (or range of models).
I wouldn't put it past most vendors to pull such stunts. I've never had an issue running any sort of drives in a Dell, including those I really shouldn't have been (REDs and Seagate NAS).
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@travisdh1 said in Question about server hard drives:
@dave247 said in Question about server hard drives:
@scottalanmiller said in Question about server hard drives:
@dave247 said in Question about server hard drives:
I know they aren't actually "from those servers", but they are listed as choices under those servers....
Right, but presumably you aren't attaching them to your server, but to a RAID card, right?
Right. I did also consider that so I didn't think it would matter since it's not directly connecting to the server, but then I considered that maybe there was some firmware that had to do with the motherboard of the server, and thus would still indirectly be tied to that model (or range of models).
I wouldn't put it past most vendors to pull such stunts. I've never had an issue running any sort of drives in a Dell, including those I really shouldn't have been (REDs and Seagate NAS).
Yeah and now that I think of it, I believe one of these relevant things is that if you use non-Dell drives, the LED wont blink on predicted failure, or something along those lines.
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@dave247 said in Question about server hard drives:
@travisdh1 said in Question about server hard drives:
@dave247 said in Question about server hard drives:
@scottalanmiller said in Question about server hard drives:
@dave247 said in Question about server hard drives:
I know they aren't actually "from those servers", but they are listed as choices under those servers....
Right, but presumably you aren't attaching them to your server, but to a RAID card, right?
Right. I did also consider that so I didn't think it would matter since it's not directly connecting to the server, but then I considered that maybe there was some firmware that had to do with the motherboard of the server, and thus would still indirectly be tied to that model (or range of models).
I wouldn't put it past most vendors to pull such stunts. I've never had an issue running any sort of drives in a Dell, including those I really shouldn't have been (REDs and Seagate NAS).
Yeah and now that I think of it, I believe one of these relevant things is that if you use non-Dell drives, the LED wont blink on predicted failure, or something along those lines.
Right, if not similar reasoning in that no Dell firmware means less diag/monitoring/etc will work with Dell's stuff, like iDRAC, OMSA, or their RAID cards and such.
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We make you specify the server model, so we can include the correct tray.
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@bradfromxbyte said in Question about server hard drives:
We make you specify the server model, so we can include the correct tray.
Because @BradfromxByte is awesome.
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Your old SAS drives should work. Just need 14th generation trays.
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@bradfromxbyte said in Question about server hard drives:
We make you specify the server model, so we can include the correct tray.
If that's the only reason, I'd think it would be better to just let someone choose the drive they want (interface/speed/capacity) first and then at the end, choose the type of server it will go with.
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@dave247 said in Question about server hard drives:
@bradfromxbyte said in Question about server hard drives:
We make you specify the server model, so we can include the correct tray.
If that's the only reason, I'd think it would be better to just let someone choose the drive they want (interface/speed/capacity) first and then at the end, choose the type of server it will go with.
When ordering from xByte, just email them what you want. Then the order or process is whatever you like.
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Drive reliability goes down with age, a lot. I wouldn't buy used drives to put in a new machine, not HDDs at least.
SSDs maybe - if I would know manufacturing date and how many TBWs they had before purchase. It would have to be something that's a year old or so, not 3-5 years old.
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@pete-s said in Question about server hard drives:
Drive reliability goes down with age, a lot. I wouldn't buy used drives to put in a new machine, not HDDs at least.
xByte doesn't sell used drives. Did someone recommend used? I think just old.
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@scottalanmiller said in Question about server hard drives:
xByte doesn't sell used drives. Did someone recommend used? I think just old.
Aaah, I automatically though used when I read old. My bad!
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For me it would depend on the redundancy level of the RAID along with the age of the drives. I'd also make sure they're all the same speed (and ideally size). If you're using older drives then I would at least dedicate one hot spare and have at least another spare offline, ready as a replacement.
If you're not under time pressure then why not just order it and see if the hard drives work with it? If there is a firmware issue then you'll find out right there.
I've seen enterprise level hard drives last in excess of 10 years (although I can't vouch for their performance at that point, it may be affected), so I think it's worth a shot.
