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Running IT Firmware on LSI HBA 9211-8i - FS-30TB


DigitalDaz
23-03-2015, 14:27
Quote Originally Posted by Adam
Howdy,

I noticed on the webpage, https://www.ovh.ie/dedicated_servers/storage/, it shows that the FS-30TB comes with a 1 x LSI HBA 9211-8i. Is this going to be using the IT firmware (and not IR firmware)?

I *need* it to be the IT firmware as I plan on running ZFS. The IT firmware will provide raw access to the drives where IR will not. If it is not running the IT firmware, what is the process of getting it to run the IT firmware?

Thanks,
-Adam
Adam,

I know the IT firmware is more desirable and I would personally, being a risk taker, work out a way of flashing it myself.

On the other hand, you should be able to get it working perfectly fine in ZFS using IR mode.

I have a half rack in the UK and have a couple of boxes with ASUS motherboards andM1015s flashed to IT firmware and a couple of ASUS motherboards with PIKE cards in using the IR firmware. Apart from the fact that one set has PIKE with IR and the others have M1015 with IT firmware, the servers are identical, disk configuration etc. There is no noticable performance difference between either and they are just ZFS storage servers.

alvaroag
22-03-2015, 05:39
Hi. Don't really know what firmware it comes with, Apparently, the IR is the default, so it may be reasonable to assume that the card will come with it.

OVH themselves don't offer the service, at least on their page, and most probably, they won't offer it at all. However, you can do it yourself: http://brycv.com/blog/2012/flashing-...si-sas9211-8i/. But note the following:

- You need a USB stick on your server. OVH charges for that: https://www.ovh.ie/dedicated_servers/usb_key.xml. Or you can get to boot DOS by other means, maybe network, but not sure about that can be done.
- As DOS is not network enabled, you may need a server with KVM/IP. It's included on all current OVH servers.
- As any firmware flashing, it's risky. You can turn the controller unusable, and I don't know if OVH would charge you for the damage. As experience, I messed up a mainboard at work some years ago
- You'd rather ask OVH support on the phone if that's allowed, or if they offer the service.

Adam
21-03-2015, 20:46
Howdy,

I noticed on the webpage, https://www.ovh.ie/dedicated_servers/storage/, it shows that the FS-30TB comes with a 1 x LSI HBA 9211-8i. Is this going to be using the IT firmware (and not IR firmware)?

I *need* it to be the IT firmware as I plan on running ZFS. The IT firmware will provide raw access to the drives where IR will not. If it is not running the IT firmware, what is the process of getting it to run the IT firmware?

Thanks,
-Adam