Dell 4100 - Chapter 6: Installing SCSI Hard-Disk Drives

Installing SCSI Hard-Disk Drives 6-1
Chapter 6
Installing SCSI Hard-Disk Drives
This chapter describes how to install and configure
small computer system interface (SCSI) hard-disk drives
in the computer’s six internal drive bays.
Dell PowerEdge 4100 systems include a SCSI backplane
board that greatly simplifies cabling and configuration
for SCSI hard-disk drives. All SCSI identification (ID)
and termination for SCSI hard-disk drives is configured
by the SCSI backplane, rather than on individual drives.
In the standard PowerEdge 4100 system configuration,
the Ultra/Wide SCSI host adapter on the system board
controls the SCSI backplane. When used in combination
with an optional PowerEdge Expandable RAID Control-
ler host adapter, the SCSI backplane board allows you to
remove and insert hard-disk drives without shutting
down the system—an invaluable feature for servers that
contain important data and programs for an entire net-
work of users. You can replace a failed drive without
forcing all users on the network to log off and lose
valuable time and possibly data. See “Removing and
Installing a SCSI Hard-Disk Drive With the System Run-
ning” found later in this chapter for details.
CAUTION: Removing or installing hard-disk
drives with the system running is not supported for
systems without a Dell PowerEdge Expandable RAID
Controller host adapter. Removing a drive in this situa-
tion will result in a loss of data.