Frequently Asked Questions
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Q: Can I divide my server's SCSI hotswap backplane into more than one SCSI channel?

A: The following table indicates the number of possible channels by standard configurations offered on Gateway® servers.

Server Model Potential Channels
on SCSI Backplane
7000/7000R 1
7200 1
7210/7210R 1
7250R 1
7300 1
7400R 1
7450R 1
8000* 3
8200/8200R* 2
8300* 2
8400/8400R** 1
8450R 1
850 2
9000/9000R* 2
9200/9200R 1
9250R 1
930/930R 1
935 1
955 1
960 1
975 1
980** 1
995 1
QHS Drawer** 2
Datastation Ultra8 2
Datastation Ultr11** 2
Datastation 8U2 2
* These servers may have had additional 3-bay SCSI backplanes added at the point of sale in addition to their standard 6-bay cages.
** By design, these servers contained more than one backplane.

Configuration Notes for Multi-Channel Capable SCSI Backplanes

8000 server - 3 Channels 12600315 3-Channel RAID backplane

  • In this RAID cage, drive bays start from bottom to top, regardless of how many channels you are using.
  • In a single channel configuration, the bottom connector is used with no jumper on JP15, and bridges A, B, and C jumpered.
  • In a dual channel configuration, the bottom connector (chl 1) and top connector (chl 2) are used with JP15 pins 1 and 2 jumpered and no jumper on pins 3 and 4. Bridges A and C need to be jumpered. Remove the jumper from B.
  • In a triple channel configuration, all three connectors are used, giving two drives per channel. Jumper block JP15 needs pins 3 and 4 jumpered, while 1 and 2 do not matter. Remove the jumpers from bridges A and C. B needs to be jumpered.
  • If you want to change the SCSI IDs on your drives, use jumpers JP12 and JP13.

SCSI ID info

  • Single Ch1 0-5 (JP13)*either* (JP12) no jumper
  • Single Ch1 8-13 (JP13)*either* (JP12) jumper
  • Dual ch1 0-2 ch2 0-2 (JP13) no jumper (JP12) no jumper
  • Dual ch1 8-10 ch2 8-10 (JP13) no jumper (JP12) jumper
  • Dual ch1 0-2 ch2 3-5 (JP13) jumper (JP12) no jumper
  • Dual ch1 8-10 ch2 11-13 (JP13) jumper (JP12) jumper
  • Triple ch1 0-1 ch2 0-1 ch3 0-1 (JP13) no jumper (JP12) no jumper
  • Triple ch1 8-9 ch2 8-9 ch3 8-9 (JP13) no jumper (JP12) jumper
  • Triple ch1 0-1 ch2 2-3 ch3 4-5 (JP13) jumper (JP12) no jumper
  • Triple ch1 8-9 ch2 10-11 ch3 12-13 (JP13) jumper (JP12) jumper

8200, 8300, 9000 Servers

  • This backplane can be configured into either a single or dual channel mode. In single mode, all of the drives are on the same controller. In dual channel mode, half of the drives are on each channel.
  • Switch 1 and 2 configure the backplane for single or dual channel.

    • Single channel sw1 off sw2 off
    • Dual Channel sw1 off sw2 on

Quick HotSwap (QHS) Drawer - Yes

  • To enable dual channel mode, remove all of the jumpers on JP3. You can assign SCSI IDs to the upper three drive bays using jumper block JP15. Plug a SCSI cable into the P1 connector to access the upper three drives. You can assign SCSI IDs to the lower three drive bays using jumper block JP19. Plug a SCSI cable into the P2 connector to access the lower three drives.
  • To enable single channel mode, jumper the entire JP3 jumper block.

Datastation Ultra 8 - Yes

  • This document discusses Single Cabinet mode only. If you would like to know more about Dual Cabinet mode, reference the user manual on www.gateway.com.
  • By default, the Ultra 8 ships in dual bus configuration. The lower four drive bays are connected to channel 0 on the bottom interface card in the rear of the system. The upper four drives are connected to channel 1 on the bottom interface card in the rear of the system. Both bays use SCSI IDs 0-4 starting from the bottom of the system going up with ID 3 being reserved for the SAF-TE processor.
  • Termination is handled by the interface cards using jumpers JP1 and JP2. Removing the jumpers enables SCSI bus termination. The bottom interface card needs JP1 and JP2 jumpered. The top interface card needs to have the jumper removed from JP1 and JP2. This applies to both Dual and Single bus mode (Single Cabinet).
  • To switch to Single bus mode, open the rear of the case and locate and remove the Dual bus module on the backplane PCB. After the Dual board is removed, insert the Single bus module. This is keyed and can only be inserted one way. With the Single board inserted, all eight drives bays are now on one channel (Chl0 bottom interface card) with SCSI IDs 0-9. ID 3 is assigned to the SAF-TE processor and ID 7 is assigned to the RAID controller.

Datastation Ultra 11 - Yes

  • By default, the Ultra 11 ships in dual configuration mode. In this configuration there is a 68-pin SCSI cable plugged into the upper 68-pin connector located on the top 5-bay RAID cage that goes to the channel 1 connector on the inside rear of the unit. There is also a 68-pin SCSI cable plugged into the upper 68-pin connector located on the bottom 6-bay RAID cage that goes to the channel 0 connector on the inside rear of the unit.
  • Each backplane contains a JP5 jumper for termination. The jumper needs to be removed on both backplanes. Both backplanes contain a JP6 jumper so you can set the SCSI IDs. The top backplane is 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, if the jumper is removed. The bottom backplane has SCSI ID 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6, if the jumper is removed and 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, and 14, if the jumper is on.
  • To switch the unit to a single backplane, remove the SCSI cable from the 68-pin connector on the bottom backplane and from the channel 0 connector on the inside rear of the unit. Attach the bridge cable to the upper 68-pin connector on the top RAID cage (5-bay) and the upper 68-pin connector on the bottom RAID cage (6-bay). Remove the JP5 jumper on the bottom back plane to enable proper SCSI termination and enable the JP5 jumper on the top backplane.
  • In single channel mode, the bottom 6-bay RAID cage is SCSI ID 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6, so you need to remove the jumper on JP6. The top 5-bay RAID cage is SCSI ID 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12, which requires the JP6 to be jumpered.

    Note: The termination jumper JP9 on both backplanes should have the jumper installed on pins 1 and 2 for both configuration modes.

Datastation 8U2

  • Single Bus Configuration:

    • Top backplane - (JP5) Install, (JP6) Install
    • Bottom backplane - (JP5 Removed, (JP6) Removed

  • Dual Bus Configuration

    • Top backplane - (JP5) Removed, (JP6) Removed if SCSI ID = 0, 1, 2, 3, 4; Installed if SCSI ID = 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
    • Bottom backplane - (JP5) Removed, (JP6) Removed if SCSI ID = 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 6; Installed if SCSI ID = 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14