Savvio, Cheetah, and Constellation Enterprise Server & Storage (SCSI/FC/SAS/SATA) drives

[Nick.C]

Hi,

I had a Barracuda ES.2 500GB (ST3500320NS) which died in my RAID array, so I have been forwarded a replacement, which is a Constellation ES 500GB ST3500514NS.

My RAID is 1+0 and they were all Barracuda ES.2, so it is okay to put the newer model into the array?

I'm sure it's fine, but I'd like confirmation.

Thanks for your help.

Nick

[AlanM]

It all depends on the RAID controller.  There shouldn't be a problem on our side.

[Nick.C]

Hi Alan,

I have an Asus P7P55D: http://www.asus.com/product.aspx?P_ID=RBA8CzWoopUlYRFZ

Which is equipt with an Intel Storage Matrix. Entry level I know, but would this pose an issue?

Cheers,

Nick

[AlanM]

The only complication I foresee is possibly if the Constellation drive had more LBAs than the ES.2 drives with which it will be joining.

Can you provide any more specific info about which drives you have now and which Constellation you're thinking of getting?  Model numbers?  I'll let you know about the LBAs.  

I can't say that will definitely be the only obstacle, but that's the only one I can think of.

[Nick.C]

Hi Alan,

Below is a report I saved.

----

System Information

Kit Installed: 8.8.0.1009
Kit Install History: 8.8.0.1009, Uninstall
Shell Version: 8.8.0.1009

OS Name: Microsoft Windows 7 Professional
OS Version: 6.1.7600  Build 7600
System Name: BSVR01
System Manufacturer: ASUSTeK Computer INC.
System Model: P7P55D
Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM) i5 CPU         750  @ 2.67GHz
BIOS Version/Date: American Megatrends Inc. 1102   , 11/23/2009

Language: ENU



Intel(R) Matrix Storage Manager

Intel RAID Controller: Intel(R) ICH8R/ICH9R/ICH10R SATA RAID Controller
Number of Serial ATA ports: 6
 
RAID Option ROM Version: 8.9.0.1023
Driver Version: 8.8.0.1009
RAID Plug-In Version: 8.8.0.1009
Language Resource Version of the RAID Plug-In: 8.8.0.1009
Create Volume Wizard Version: 8.8.0.1009
Language Resource Version of the Create Volume Wizard: 8.8.0.1009
Create Volume from Existing Hard Drive Wizard Version: 8.8.0.1009
Language Resource Version of the Create Volume from Existing Hard Drive Wizard: 8.8.0.1009
Modify Volume Wizard Version: 8.8.0.1009
Language Resource Version of the Modify Volume Wizard: 8.8.0.1009
Delete Volume Wizard Version: 8.8.0.1009
Language Resource Version of the Delete Volume Wizard: 8.8.0.1009
ISDI Library Version: 8.8.0.1009
Event Monitor User Notification Tool Version: 8.8.0.1009
Language Resource Version of the Event Monitor User Notification Tool: 8.8.0.1009
Event Monitor Version: 8.8.0.1009
 
Array_0000
Status: No active migrations
Hard Drive Data Cache Enabled: Yes
Size: 1863 GB
Free Space: 0 GB
Number of Hard Drives: 4
Hard Drive Member 1: ST3500320NS
Hard Drive Member 2: ST3500320NS
Hard Drive Member 3: ST3500320NS
Hard Drive Member 4: ST3500320NS
Number of Volumes: 1
Volume Member 1: ARRAY1
 
ARRAY1
Status: Normal
System Volume: Yes
Volume Write-Back Cache Enabled: Yes
RAID Level: RAID 10 (striping and mirroring)
Strip Size: 64 KB
Size: 931.5 GB
Physical Sector Size: 512 Bytes
Logical Sector Size: 512 Bytes
Number of Hard Drives: 4
Hard Drive Member 1: ST3500320NS
Hard Drive Member 2: ST3500320NS
Hard Drive Member 3: ST3500320NS
Hard Drive Member 4: ST3500320NS
Parent Array: Array_0000
 
Hard Drive 0
Usage: Array member
Status: Normal
Device Port: 0
Device Port Location: Internal
Current Serial ATA Transfer Mode: Generation 2
Model: ST3500320NS
Serial Number: 9QMCMSKJ
Firmware: SN06
Native Command Queuing Support: Yes
Hard Drive Data Cache Enabled: Yes
Size: 465.7 GB
Physical Sector Size: 512 Bytes
Logical Sector Size: 512 Bytes
Number of Volumes: 1
Volume Member 1: ARRAY1
Parent Array: Array_0000
 
Hard Drive 1
Usage: Array member
Status: Normal
Device Port: 1
Device Port Location: Internal
Current Serial ATA Transfer Mode: Generation 2
Model: ST3500320NS
Serial Number: 9QMCF2GC
Firmware: SN06
Native Command Queuing Support: Yes
Hard Drive Data Cache Enabled: Yes
Size: 465.7 GB
Physical Sector Size: 512 Bytes
Logical Sector Size: 512 Bytes
Number of Volumes: 1
Volume Member 1: ARRAY1
Parent Array: Array_0000
 
Hard Drive 2
Usage: Array member
Status: Normal
Device Port: 2
Device Port Location: Internal
Current Serial ATA Transfer Mode: Generation 2
Model: ST3500320NS
Serial Number: 9QMCJ2QC
Firmware: SN06
Native Command Queuing Support: Yes
Hard Drive Data Cache Enabled: Yes
Size: 465.7 GB
Physical Sector Size: 512 Bytes
Logical Sector Size: 512 Bytes
Number of Volumes: 1
Volume Member 1: ARRAY1
Parent Array: Array_0000
 
Hard Drive 3
Usage: Array member
Status: Normal
Device Port: 3
Device Port Location: Internal
Current Serial ATA Transfer Mode: Generation 2
Model: ST3500320NS
Serial Number: 9QMCF228
Firmware: SN06
Native Command Queuing Support: Yes
Hard Drive Data Cache Enabled: Yes
Size: 465.7 GB
Physical Sector Size: 512 Bytes
Logical Sector Size: 512 Bytes
Number of Volumes: 1
Volume Member 1: ARRAY1
Parent Array: Array_0000

----

The replacement drive I received was a Constellation ES

Model: ST3500320NS

Serial Number: 9WJ05Q2P
Firmware: SN11

I hope this is enough information for you.

Appreciate the help.

Cheers,

Nick

[AlanM · Accepted solution]

Thank you. Good news on this front, b/c it would appear that the Constellation drive has the same capacity exactly as the other drives you have.  

http://www.seagate.com/staticfiles/support/disc/manuals/NL35%20Series%20&%20BC%20ES%20Series/Barracu...

http://www.seagate.com/staticfiles/support/disc/manuals/enterprise/Constellation%203_5%20in/10051623...

So based on that info, I don't foresee any problem from the Seagate side. 

[Nick.C]

Hi Alan,

Thank you very much for double checking this for me

Again, I appreciate the help.

Cheers,

Nick

[Jero3n]

Did everything work out OK for you? 

I'm in the same situation, where our reseller replaced our Barracuda ES.2 with a Constellation ES.

The few differences are basically saying the Constellation ES is a bit faster overall, than the Barracuda, and because of that I'm really worried about putting it in a raid system with Barracuda ES.2's

[Nick.C]

I actually managed to source the same model to replace the fautly drive.

Meanwhile the faulty drive was sent back and I received the new Constellation ES as a replacement, which is just sitting as a spare.

But I'm confident enough to use it when the time comes, as AlanM has kindly pointed out the info which indicated the compatability between the two.

If I were you, just post the new and old drive info here, as I did, and I'm sure AlanM can help.

[Jero3n]

Yeah, I have the exact same models you have.

But as Alan said, there could be other things he didnt think of.

All the differences are listed here(except for power, which are a bit different in consumption, obviously)

	Constallation ES	Barracuda ES.2
Heads	2	4
Discs	1	2
Recording Density	1421	1090
Track Density	240	150
Areal Density	347	164
Internal data transfer rate MB/s max	1300	1287
Sustained data transfer rate OD MB/s max	140	105
Track-to-track seek time (ms typical)	0.5 read 0.8 write	0.8 read 1.0 write

What concerns me most are the seek times, and data-transfer times. Are these differences cancled out by my raid controller? (We usually have on-board Intel RAID, supermicro)

[Jero3n]

Has anybody successfully addded the new Constellation disk to a Barracuda ES.2 raid?

If so, what type of raid.

[scottybud]

Just to add, here is my experience so far...  RAID 10 (1 + 0) set up on server with 4 drives.    They were all Barracuda ST350032NS drives.  One failed, vendor sent Constellation ST3500514NS as replacement.  

Inserted new drive, Intel Matrix Storage Manager shows Missing Hard drive.   No LED activity on the hard drive either.   Controller is Intel ICH8R/ICH9R/ICH10R controller. 

I have NOT tried updating controller firmware yet.  I'll be trying that next

I'm curious as well if anyone has had success mixing these drives in a RAID configuration, specifically with an Intel controller.

Thanks