Hi there
I'm looking to build a Windows Server 2012 server cluster starting with 2x existing Dell PowerEdge 1950 systems.
Microsoft's view is that SAS and one or more shared SAS JBOD enclosures should be used for clustering using Cluster Shared Volumes (CSV).
1. Can I create a fully-working Windows Server 2012 server cluster using the MD3000, JBOD and storage spaces?
2. Will the Dell MD3000 (and maybe MD1000) STILL only work with Dell certified hard disk drives, or (as someone suggested elsewhere) can this restriction now been removed?
3. Will the standard MD3000 EMM controllers allow each HDD to be exported - NOT RAIDed - to the Windows Server 2012 operating system - so that drives in the array are seen as a true JBOD?
4. Which is the best / easiest SAS Host Bus Adapter to work with - presenting external SAS ports? Is it still the SAS 5/e controller, or some other?
5. When using disks in JBOD mode, will I still hit a 2TB disk / volume size limit with this Dell hardware?
6. What would be a recommended generic / 3rd party card that could be used in PE 1950 and later re-used in another server - eg HP server?
Thanks,
Ian