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Install a drive backplane

Use this procedure to install a drive backplane.

Before installing a drive backplane:

  1. Read the safety information and installation guidelines (see Safety and Installation Guidelines).

  2. Touch the static-protective package that contains the component to any unpainted metal surface on the server; then, remove it from the package and place it on a static-protective surface.

To install a drive backplane, complete the following steps:

  1. Determine the location of the backplane to be installed accordingly to the following combinations. For more details about drive bay numbering, see Front view.

    • One drive backplane:

      Always install the drive backplane to the drive bay 0-7 when there is only one backplane.

    • Two drive backplanes:

      Two types of drive backplanes are supported by this system:
      • 2.5-inch SATA/SAS 8-bay backplane (referred to as “8-bay backplane”)
      • 2.5-inch AnyBay 8-bay backplane (referred to as “AnyBay backplane”)

      When installing a AnyBay backplane and a 8-bay backplane, always install the AnyBay backplane to drive bay 0-7, and the 8-bay backplane to drive bay 8-15.

  2. Align the tabs on the bottom of the drive backplane with the slots on the system board, and insert them into the slots.
  3. Push the top of the drive backplane toward the front of the server until it clicks in place.
    Figure 1. Drive backplane installation

  4. Apply drive bay labels based on the type of backplane installed. Several drive bay labels come with each type of the supported drive backplane:

    • 8-bay backplane

      • 12-15 (NVMe)

        Apply this label to drive bay 12-15 if an AnyBay backplane is installed to drive bay 8-15.

      • 12-15

        Apply this label to drive bay 12-15 if an 8-bay backplane is installed to drive bay 8-15

      • 4-7

        Apply this label to drive bay 4-7 if an 8-bay backplane is installed to drive bay 0-7.

    • AnyBay backplane

      • 4-7 (NVMe)

        Apply this label to drive bay 4-7 if an AnyBay backplane is installed to drive bay 0-7.

      • 12-15 (NVMe)

        Apply this label to drive bay 12-15 if an AnyBay backplane is installed to drive bay 8-15.

    Note

    Only drive bay 4-7 and 12-15 may support NVMe solid-state drives when the AnyBay backplane is installed. Drive bay 0-3 and 8-11 always support SATA/SAS drives only.

    Figure 2. Drive bay labels of both NVMe and SATA/SAS drives

    Table 1. Drive bay labels of both NVMe and SATA/SAS drives
    1 Drive bay 4-7 label of both NVMe and SATA/SAS drives2 Drive bay 12-15 label of both NVMe and SATA/SAS drives

After installing the drive backplane, complete the following steps:

  1. Connect the cables to the drive backplane. If the type of drive backplane is changed, it is necessary to reroute the signal cables (see Internal cable routing for detailed instructions).

  2. Install the drives (see Install a 2.5-inch hot-swap drive).

  3. If the system board air baffle or the processor and memory expansion tray and processor and memory expansion tray air baffle have been removed, install them (see Install the system board air baffle and the power interposer or Install the processor and memory expansion tray).

  4. Install the chassis air baffle (see Install the chassis air baffle).

  5. Install the top cover (see Install the top cover).

  6. Reconnect the power cords and any cables that you removed.

  7. If the server is installed in a rack, reinstall the server into the rack.

  8. Power on the server and any peripheral devices.

Demo video

Watch the procedure on YouTube