Poweredge HBA / RAID; SAS2308

Just guessing... maybe the HBA was flashed with a Non-RAID Firmware to enable a real passtrough to a Hypervisor or a VM in the past?  Or it is a a real Non-Raid HBA.  You can check on dell.com/support and with the STAG how the Server leave the factory 10 years ago. Otherwise just open the case and take a look to the Card.

For example

H330= Low End Raid controller (can be flashed to HBA only)

HBA330 = Non RAID HBA

Hi,

I was wondering what it could be. And considering configure RAID in BIOS or Alternatively, you can use the Dell lifecycle controller to configure RAID. It also made sense to me that it could be what @Joerg thought. Thank you for your always good contributions. And I wish everyone a happy new year! 

Hello, thanks for answers, suggestions.

At the moment, cannot be sure about the HBA Card, which level it is HBA only or it can be reflashed to the RAID.

Here is the Controller:

I went to the Dell pages, searching for the tag of the device and I found software, details, but I am not sure where exactly is the information how server left the factory (which components were included).

At those Lifecycle Controller pages, when accessing the Server, only the DVD/CD PERC S110 is accessible at the moment.

At the other side, I saw that the command line for managing the server itself (direct access thru ssh, it's not an access thru Hypervisor) is proprietary somehow, seems that I may need to learn more about it. The user command prompt "/admin1->" should have a extended possibilities for inspecting hardware, probably to get more details about the HBA itself.

As already mentioned, I was able to get the Hypervisor to manage all SAS HDDs, and to create the Hypervisor's RAID (ZFS), based on the 8 discs bay.

Thank you, have a great New 2025!

Hello, could you please DM @DELL-Erman O with your service tag if you want to know the original configuration when it left the factory when you first purchased?

Respectfully,

Hello, found it, based on the Service Tag;
Overview -> Quick Links -> View Product specs:

Also, found more details using command line.

From R620 command line (accessing directly to the device, there are some very useful commands):

/admin1-> racadm hwinventory

-------------------------HARDWARE INVENTORY------------------------

**********

[InstanceID: Unknown.Integrated.1-1]
Device Type = PCIDevice
SlotType = Unknown
SlotLength = Unknown
DataBusWidth = Unknown
Description = SAS2308 PCI-Express Fusion-MPT SAS-2
Manufacturer = Broadcom / LSI
PCISubDeviceID = 1F38
PCISubVendorID = 1028
PCIDeviceID = 0087
PCIVendorID = 1000
FunctionNumber = 0
DeviceNumber = 0
BusNumber = 3
DeviceDescription = Unknown.Integrated.1-1
FQDD = Unknown.Integrated.1-1
InstanceID = Unknown.Integrated.1-1
LastUpdateTime = 2024-12-28T18:58:05
LastSystemInventoryTime = 2025-01-02T01:09:02

**********

And from Hypervisor command line:

root@pve:~# lspci
**********
03:00.0 Serial Attached SCSI controller: Broadcom / LSI SAS2308 PCI-Express Fusion-MPT SAS-2 (rev 05)

**********

I included only those details related to the exact Controller.

As visible on screenshots, not all parts, software delivered for this one, from factory.

Based on that info, how to fix the "Unknown." issue, would I flash the Firmware .bin file from the Downloads page for the device, is it possible to have this Controller to work as RAID one (it should be as it needs to be reprogrammed?)?

Thanks a lot.

Hi,

Unfortunately, I can't officially help with flash PERC or reverse. But I found some articles below might be helpful for you.

Flashing your Dell PERC H310 to IT firmware (UEFI) - https://dell.to/41Tvm1X

Introduction - Fohdeesha Docs

Hello,

Thanks a lot, I already saw that tutorial, as it is being mentioned at many pages in relation to Poweredge's Controller.

I have to say that, today I spoke to seller of the R620, which I bought from him, explained the issue.

He suggested two possibilities, to leave the configuration and HW as it is, and other one, replacement of the HBA with the RAID Controller and use HW RAID.

So, Controller was replaced, I placed the Server to it's place, connected cables, probably, the first time, after boot (I did not do that yet), it will recognize the change, I'll configure the RAID and immediately install the Hypervisor from USB, overwriting previous installation. 

During the weekend, I'll go thru that, step by step.

Thanks again.

The shipping list shows a H710 which is a real HW RAID Controller with Cache and Battery.  Based on the foto iam not sure what it is.

But if the CTRL-D displays a H330 than its a el`cheapo RAID which maybe is flashed with a non standard FW.

Regards,

Joerg

Hello,

As the Controller is replaced, I was able to configure RAID now, I configured RAID 6, for 8 SAS HDDs total, so the storage is now ~5.5TB.

The issue, when installing the Hypervisor, now seems to be related to previous installations, which R620 has in it's NVRAM somehow written, Proxmox (v8.3) has problem with that, ESXi (v6.5, as suggested for the R620) seems to have some workaround, I was able to install it. As it's described on Dell pages, NVRAM, may be cleared, by jumper (on the mainboard), process is simple.

I tried (and use successfully) the VMware ESXi 6.5 on the Dell Laptop E6530 (with enhanced version of i5 CPU, 16 GB RAM and 250GB SSD, I installed the hypervisor directly, works good).

For educational Labs, years ago, that option would be sufficient, but now, even 64GB RAM has it's limitations.

Hello, do you see H710 in iDRAC? 

Respectfully,

Hello,

At the Dell System Setup, I can see Integrated RAID Controller 1: Dell PERC <PERC H710 Mini> Configuration Utility
**********

Physical Disk Count: 8
Firmware Package Version: 21.3.5-0002

Firmware Build Time: Jun 13 2017; 17:56:44

It's visible at Lifecycle Controller.

Virtual disk has 5586GB (as there are 8 1TB disks in RAID 6), it's visible from ESXi 6.5.

Hi again, and yes, accessing to iDRAC by the IP address:

Battery on Integrated RAID Controller 1
Device Type ControllerBattery
DeviceDescription    Battery on Integrated RAID Controller 1
FQDD    Battery.Integrated.1:RAID.Integrated.1-1
InstanceID    Battery.Integrated.1:RAID.Integrated.1-1
PrimaryStatus    Unknown
RAIDState    Ready

Integrated RAID Controller 1
BootVirtualDiskFQDD    Disk.Virtual.0:RAID.Integrated.1-1
Bus    0
CacheSizeInMB    512 MB
CachecadeCapability    Cachecade Virtual Disk supported
ControllerFirmwareVersion    21.3.5-0002
Device Type Controller
Device    0
DeviceCardDataBusWidth    Unknown
DeviceCardManufacturer    DELL
DeviceCardSlotLength    Unknown
DeviceCardSlotType    Unknown
DeviceDescription    Integrated RAID Controller 1
DriverVersion    7.705.10.00
EncryptionCapability    Local Key Management Capable
EncryptionMode    None
FQDD    RAID.Integrated.1-1
Function    0
InstanceID    RAID.Integrated.1-1
KeyID    Information Not Available
LastSystemInventoryTime    2025-01-07T04:52:00
LastUpdateTime    2025-01-07T04:52:00
MaxAvailablePCILinkSpeed    Generation 2
MaxPossiblePCILinkSpeed    Generation 3
PCIDeviceID    5B
PCISlot    0
PCISubDeviceID    1F38
PCISubVendorID    1028
PCIVendorID    1000
PatrolReadState    Stopped
PersistentHotspare    0
PrimaryStatus    Unknown
ProductName    PERC H710 Mini
RealtimeCapability    Incapable
RollupStatus    Unknown
SASAddress    5848F690EE50CD00
SecurityStatus    Encryption Capable
SlicedVDCapability    Sliced Virtual Disk creation supported
SupportControllerBootMode    Supported
SupportEnhancedAutoForeignImport    Supported
SupportRAID10UnevenSpans    Not supported
T10PICapability    Not supported

  Integrated RAID Controller 1 - PCI Device
BusNumber    0
DataBusWidth    Unknown
Description    PERC H710 Mini (for monolithics)
Device Type PCIDevice
DeviceDescription    Integrated RAID Controller 1
DeviceNumber    0
FQDD    RAID.Integrated.1-1
FunctionNumber    0
InstanceID    RAID.Integrated.1-1
LastSystemInventoryTime    2025-01-05T03:03:20
LastUpdateTime    2025-01-05T03:02:15
Manufacturer    Broadcom / LSI
PCIDeviceID    005B
PCISubDeviceID    1F38
PCISubVendorID    1028
PCIVendorID    1000
SlotLength    Unknown
SlotType    Unknown

Instead of the HBA, now it is RAID Controller, ESXi 6.5 installed.

Great! Any questions left?

Btw. we run ESXi 7.0.3 on 12Gen Hosts.

Regards,

Joerg

Have to say that, the v6.5 seems to be mentioned on official pages that it is to be used on R620 (12Gen). 

I saw that v6.7 was confirmed by number of admins, working well.

About the ESXi v7.0.3, I was told that it is running well, did you experience any issues and what are benefits of running it on the R620?

No issues.

vSphere 7.x gets security patches.  6.x is stone aged.