I'm eyeing a Supermicro X9DRi-LN4F motherboard with two CPUs, into which, I'd like to use 3 Dell PERC H310 cards I've already flashed to IT mode.  I've familiarized myself with the potential need for masking two of the controllers' pins.  But what I don't know- is what I might possibly NOT know....

 

In looking at the motherboard quick reference, it looks to me, as though the three controllers will have to be split between slots which are indicated as belonging to CPU1 and CPU2. 

 

• Will that be a problem, assuming I populate both CPUs and RAM?
• Do I need to use any particular slot(s)?
• Avoid any particular slots?
• Any reason that motherboard wouldn't fit my Supermicro SQ846 case?

(The case says it holds E-ATX (13.68x13), and this motherboard is listed as Enhanced Extended ATX 13.68x13) BUT it isn't on the motherboard list.

 

Just wondering if I'm on the right track or flirting with disaster/disappointment in trying to assemble these pieces

It shouldn't matter, just make sure you read the speed of the slots, some can say 8x but really run at 4x etc. Why three cards?

My current server has 24 drives, but they're divided amongst 3 much older PCI-X controllers.  My plan is to keep the case but upgrade the M/B, controllers and P/S. 

 

The new(er) board lists the slots as

 

CPU1 SLOT1 PCI-E 3.0 x 16

CPU1 SLOT2 PCI-E 3.0 x 4 (in 8X slot)

CPU1 SLOT3 PCI-E 3.0 x 16

CPU2 SLOT4 PCI-E 3.0 x 16

CPU2 SLOT5 PCI-E 3.0 x 16

 

I wasn't sure if I should avoid slot 2.....or any of the others, for that matter.......didn't want to just assume they're completely interchangeable....or even compatible- with that much money at-stake.

You should look into getting an LSI 9201-16i off ebay.  16 ports on one card.  Then you would only need a single H310 and the 9201-16i to bring you to 24 ports.  I have 5 of them in my servers.  The advantage is the 9201-16i is plug and play no flashing is required.

Edited September 26, 20178 yr by BobPhoenix

Thanks for the recommendation, Bob.  However, I already have the cards, and they're already flashed.  I'd like to use them if possible.

Got it thought you were looking.

 

I would avoid slot 2 since it is x4 and the cards are x8.  You might need to set the slots to PCIe 2.0 for the cards to work or you may not.  Note the H310 cards are PCIe 2.0 cards so they would only run at PCIe 2.0 speeds anyway.  I'm sure the cards will work with the MB but you may have to try different settings like the aforementioned PCIe 2.0 change.  I would connect a drive to each controller and then boot and make sure a trial boot of unRAID sees all the drives.  But otherwise I think it will be a plug and play experience for you.