Other Multiple Avago Technologies (LSI) SAS/SATA Controllers

gpw928

gpw928

I just plugged an LSI 9207-8i PCIe 3.0 controller into my ZFS server.
It's masking the existing LSI 9211-8i PCIe 2.0 controller, which has all the disks attached.
The BIOS just does not "see" the 9211-8i when the 9207-8i is present.
I wanted to switch over to the 9207-8i, moving half a mirror at a time, just to be safe.
But unless I can make them both work on the same PCI bus, that won't be possible.

The 9211-8i configuration utility shows:
  • PCI Bus 09
  • PCI Dev 00
  • PCI Fnc 00
  • PCI Slot 00
  • Firmware 18.00.00.00-IR
The 9207-8i configuration utility shows:
  • PCI Bus 03
  • PCI Dev 00
  • PCI Fnc 00
  • PCI Slot 82
  • Firmware 14.00.00.00-IT
Is anyone using multiple Avago Technologies (LSI) SAS/SATA controllers on a FreeBSD system?
 
I have a 9207 but I swapped it out for an areca and now I don't remember which driver it uses. Are you using the driver from LSI or a built-in one and which one is it? mps, mpt?
 
I have not booted yet with the 9207-8i , because it would cause the ZFS tank to go offline. The 9211-8i boots as mps0:
Code: 
Nov 17 21:51:31 sherman kernel: mps0: <Avago Technologies (LSI) SAS2008> port 0xe000-0xe0ff mem 0xfcec0000-0xfcec3fff,0xfce80000-0xfcebffff irq 50 at device 0.0 on pci9
Nov 17 21:51:31 sherman kernel: mps0: Firmware: 18.00.00.00, Driver: 21.02.00.00-fbsd
Nov 17 21:51:31 sherman kernel: mps0: IOCCapabilities: 185c<ScsiTaskFull,DiagTrace,SnapBuf,EEDP,TransRetry,IR>
 
Oh, I'm a dummy and just skipped over that part: you're having a BIOS problem because there are two option ROMs present. That sounds like you'll have to check in the BIOS for "legacy option ROM" settings?
 
I know you can eliminate the Option ROM when you flash the cards firmware.

I have 3 SuperMicro AOC-S2308L-L8i in my storage machine. No such troubles.

How are you booting? LegacyBIOS or UEFI?
 
OK. I just managed to reconfigure the 9211-8i to not install a Boot ROM.
(^C to get the LSI menu while booting, Enter to select SAS9211-8i, Change "Boot Support" to "Enabled OS only".)
It will be a few days before I can shut down the ZFS server and try the 9207-8i again.
Thanks everyone.

[I'll flash the 9207-8i to the latest IT firmware before using it.]
 
I have now flashed the most recent IT firmware to my new LSI 9207-8i.

The Broadcom "Firmware" utilities can be difficult to find, but fairly comprehensive, and include some support for FreeBSD.

If all you want is a straight upgrade (don't want to switch from IR or IT mode, and don't want to erase anything), then the DOS, Windows, Linux, or FreeBSD native tools provided by Broadcom seem good.

However if you want to switch from IR or IT mode, or want to erase something (like a boot ROM), the UEFI method is best. There's an excellent guide posted on the TrueNAS community.

I am now running one half of each of my ZFS tank mirrors on each controller.
 
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