Dell PowerEdge 2900 Server with SCSI problem

3vil0n3

I've got some friends that want me to setup their server, a dell PowerEdge 2900. They got a SCSI tape backup with it and it is a backplane controller. Problem is I can't find anywhere on the backplane for the SCSI cable to connect to. Anyone have any experience with these servers? The card has almost no markings. On the memory slot it says CN-0GT281-13740-787-01DZ. It does not have SCSI plugs but it has a connector from it to the backplane.

This card also came with what I think is a battery. Where the hell am I supposed to put that once I plug it in?

vonPoonBurGer

My father had an old Dell PowerEdge 2400, which I upgraded last year to a 2900 (he does digital mapping in a small office, in case you're wondering why I had my Dad buying servers). For both of those units, there was no extra built-in interface for SCSI devices beyond the drives that fit in the hard drive cages, at least not that I could find. So for both of them, I had to add a separate SCSI adapter card in order to get some SCSI ports on the back of the machine for a tape backup drive. Basic SCSI adapters without RAID aren't too expensive, generally speaking. You also don't need the most ultrahypermega fast interface (U320, etc.), since the I/O bottleneck is going to be writing to the actual tape. Just be certain to get one that has a plug on the back that's compatible with the cable you've got for that tape drive. There are many different shapes, sizes and pin counts for SCSI ports. This page can be really handy for identifying which style of plug you need.

3vil0n3

This is an internal SCSI tape drive that Dell sent with the server. I thought I was just crazy not being able to find the SCSI plug. I just wonder why they would sell them all of that together and not the SCSI card.

I finally figured out that that card I mentioned earlier appears to be a replacement backplane controller. It does have a memory module like a SCSI controller though. I'm starting to wonder what it is for.

I'll see if I can get a hold of Dell and find out if they didn't ship them a card or didn't sell them one.

Thanks for the help.

Ruckus

In my experience with servers (mostly HP, but some powerEdge and Supermicro) the backplane is usually a dumb circuit that is normally connected to an onboard or expansion card drive controller (be it SCSI RAID or SATA). Are you sure that the backplane is not connected to a SCSI controller on the mainboard or the additional card you have is an additional SCSI controller for the Tape Drive?

A picture of the parts on a table together would probably make this instantly solvable too.