Improving Networks Worldwide.

UNH InterOperability Lab

Serial Attached SCSI (SAS)Use Cases

Improving Networks Worldwide.

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SAS Use Cases

Presentation Topics

• Types of SAS Devices• SAS/SATA Interoperability• Cables and Connector Types

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SAS Use Cases

SAS Device Types• Initiators

– Host Bus Adaptors (HBA)

• Targets– Hard Disk Drives, Tape Drives, other SCSI

Devices

• Edge Expanders– Enclosures

• Fanout Expanders– SAS Switches

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SAS Use Cases

SAS Initiators

• Allows the computer to communicate with media

• Interfaces with computer system via– PCI– PCI-X– PCI-Express

Computer SystemSAS Initiator

Network Interface

Soundcard

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SAS Use Cases

SAS Targets

• Hard Disk Drives (HDD)– Spinning Magnetic media– 10,000 or 15,000 rotations per minute

• Solid State Drives (SSD)– IC based media

• Tape Drives– Thin, magnetic media– Typically DAT or LTO

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SAS Use Cases

SAS Targets

• Stores Information• Most SAS Targets have two data

interfaces• Interfaces with the computer

system via the SAS Initiator

Computer SystemSAS InitiatorSAS Target

SAS Target

SAS Target

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SAS Use Cases

Edge Expanders

• Found inside enclosures• Allows multiple targets to be

connected to a initiator via one cable

Computer SystemSAS Initiator

SAS Enclosure

SAS Target

SAS Target

SAS Target

SAS Target

SAS Target

SAS Target

SAS Target

SAS Target

Edge ExpanderEdge Expander

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SAS Use Cases

Fanout Expanders

• Also called a SAS Switch• Allows multiple Edge Expanders to

be connected to a initiator

Computer SystemSAS Initiator

SAS EnclosureSAS EnclosureSAS Enclosure

Switch

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SAS Use Cases

SAS/SATA Interoperability

• SAS is designed to Interoperate with SATA devices

• SATA targets can be connected to SAS Initiators and Expanders.

• SAS targets and expanders can NOT be connected to SATA Initiators.

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SAS Use Cases

SAS/SATA Interoperability

Computer SystemSAS Initiator

SAS Enclosure

SAS Target

SATA Target

SAS Target

SAS Target

SAS Target

SATA Target

SAS Target

SATA Target

SATA Drives can be used in most SAS Enclosures or connected directly to most SAS initiators.

SATA Target

SAS Target

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SAS Use Cases

SAS/SATA Interoperability

Computer SystemSATA Initiator

SAS Targets cannot be connected to SATA Initiators

SAS Expanders cannot be connected to SATA Initiators.

SAS Target

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SAS Use Cases

SAS Connectors• Numerous connectors defined

– Male/Female Drive Connectors– Two Types of 4x Internal Connectors

• 4i Wide (Legacy)• 4i Mini (aka Mini-SAS Internal, added with SAS2.0,

Industry Standard Now)– External 4x Connectors

• Infiniband Style (Legacy)• iPass Style (aka Mini-SAS, added with SAS2.0, Industry

Standard Now)• QSFP Under development for Optical and Active Cable

solutions

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SAS Use Cases

Male Drive Connector

Source: SAS-2 rev15a, Page 145

Top view

Bottom view

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SAS Use Cases

Male Drive Connector

Top view

Bottom view

Note: Two signal connectors.

From S1 to S7 and from S8 to S14

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SAS Use Cases

Male Drive Connector

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SAS Use Cases

Female Single-Port Drive Connector

Source: SAS-2 rev15a, Page 145

Top view

Bottom view

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SAS Use Cases

Female Dual-Port Drive Connector

Source: SAS-2 rev15a, Page 146

Top view

Bottom view

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SAS Use Cases

Female Backplane Drive Connector

Source: SAS-2 rev15a, Page 146

Top view

Bottom view

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SAS Use Cases

Male 4i Wide Cable Connector

Source: SAS-2 rev15a, Page 149

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SAS Use Cases

Female 4i Wide Cable Connector

Source: SAS-2 rev15a, Page 149

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SAS Use Cases

Female 4i Wide Cable Connector

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SAS Use Cases

Male 4i Mini-SAS Cable Connector

Source: SAS-2 rev15a, Page 152

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SAS Use Cases

Female 4i Mini-SAS Cable Connector

Source: SAS-2 rev15a, Page 152

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SAS Use Cases

Male 4x Infiniband Style Cable Connector

Source: SAS-2 rev15a, Page 155

Note: This is a legacy connector

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SAS Use Cases

Male 4x Infiniband Style Cable Connector

Note: This is a legacy connector

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SAS Use Cases

Female 4x Infiniband Style Cable Connector

Source: SAS-2 rev15a, Page 156

Note: This is a legacy connector

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SAS Use Cases

Male 4x Mini-SAS Cable Connector

Source: SAS-2 rev15a, Page 158

• 4 Variations• Untrained 1.5 and

3.0 Gbps In/Out• Trained 1.5, 3.0,

and 6.0 Gbps In/Out

• Keyed and marked to distinguish

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SAS Use Cases

Male 4x Mini-SAS Cable Connector

Source: SAS-2 rev15a, Page 159

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SAS Use Cases

Male 4x Mini-SAS Cable Connector

Source: SAS-2 rev15a, Page 160

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SAS Use Cases

Male 4x Mini-SAS Cable Connector

Source: SAS-2 rev15a, Page 160

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SAS Use Cases

Male 4x Mini-SAS Cable Connector

Source: SAS-2 rev15a, Page 161

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SAS Use Cases

Male 4x Mini-SAS Cable Connector

Note: Non-keyed, universal connector

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SAS Use Cases

Male 4x Mini-SAS Cable Connector

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SAS Use Cases

Female 4x Mini-SAS Cable Connector

Source: SAS-2 rev15a, Page 162