• Keep an empty drive blanking tray in any unused bays to ensure proper airflow.
• You can mix SAS/SATA hard drives and SAS/SATA SSDs in the same server. However, you cannot
configure a logical volume (virtual drive) that contains a mix of hard drives and SSDs. That is, when
you create a logical volume, it must contain all SAS/SATA hard drives or all SAS/SATA SSDs.
4K Sector Format SAS/SATA Drives Considerations
About this task
• You must boot 4K sector format drives in UEFI mode, not legacy mode. UEFI mode is the system default.
Only if the mode has been changed and must be changed back to UEFI mode, see the following procedure.
• Do not configure 4K sector format and 512-byte sector format drives as part of the same RAID volume.
• Operating system support on 4K sector drives is as follows: Windows: Win2012 and Win2012R2; Linux:
RHEL 6.5, 6.6, 6.7, 7.0, 7.2; SLES 11 SP3, and SLES 12. ESXi/Vmware is not supported.
Setting Up UEFI Mode Booting in the BIOS Setup Utility
UEFI mode is the system default. Use this procedure if the mode has been changed and must be set back to
UEFI mode.
Step 1
Enter the BIOS setup utility by pressing the F2 key when prompted during bootup.
Step 2
Go to the Boot Options tab.
Step 3
Set Boot Mode to UEFI Mode.
Step 4
Under Boot Option Priorities, set your OS installation media (such as a virtual DVD) as your Boot Option #1.
Step 5
Press F10 to save changes and exit the BIOS setup utility. Allow the server to reboot.
Step 6
After the OS installs, verify the installation:
a) Enter the BIOS setup utility by pressing the F2 key when prompted during bootup.
b) Go to the Boot Options tab.
c) Under Boot Option Priorities, verify that the OS you installed is listed as your Boot Option #1.
Replacing a SAS/SATA Drive
Step 1
Remove the drive that you are replacing or remove a blank drive tray from the bay:
a) Press the release button on the face of the drive tray.
b) Grasp and open the ejector lever and then pull the drive tray out of the slot.
c) If you are replacing an existing drive, remove the four drive-tray screws that secure the drive to the tray and then lift
the drive out of the tray.
Step 2
Install a new drive:
a) Place a new drive in the empty drive tray and install the four drive-tray screws.
b) With the ejector lever on the drive tray open, insert the drive tray into the empty drive bay.
c) Push the tray into the slot until it touches the backplane, and then close the ejector lever to lock the drive in place.
Cisco Application Services Engine Hardware Installation Guide
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Maintaining the Server
4K Sector Format SAS/SATA Drives Considerations