Can I expand HyperFlex HXAF240C-M6SN with different NVMe model (Intel

[kyawnaingsoe]

Hi all,

I’m running a Cisco HyperFlex cluster with HXAF240C-M6SN nodes (UCSC-C240-M6SN servers), and I’m currently using the following NVMe drives:

• Intel P5500 – 3.8TB U.2 NVMe

  • Part Number: UCS-NVMEI4-I3840

I want to expand the NVMe capacity and I’m considering adding these drives:

• Solidigm (Intel) P7450 – 3.84TB U.3 NVMe

  • Part Number: HCI-NVMEG4-M3840=

Before I proceed, I have a few questions:

1. Are the U.3 P7450 drives backward compatible with the existing U.2 backplane on UCS C240 M6SN servers?

   • I know physically they may fit, but does the firmware/backplane actually support them?

2. Can I mix Intel P5500 and Solidigm P7450 NVMe drives in the same node or same HyperFlex cluster?

   • Both are Gen4 NVMe and similar capacity, but different models.

3. Does HyperFlex allow different NVMe models in the same disk group, or will it cause any issues with replication factor or performance?

4. Is HCI-NVMEG4-M3840= officially supported on the HXAF240C-M6SN platform?

5. If mixing isn't supported, am I stuck with using only the same exact P5500 model, or can I build a new disk group with just the P7450s on the same node?

Would appreciate any experience, documentation links, or advice from someone who’s tried this or ran into issues. Thanks!

[Elliot Dierksen]

This might not be relevant, but the CIMC can be quite picky about installed devices. That is even if the PCIe devices are valid. I had the CIMC get annoyed with WD Red NAS SATA SSD's because it couldn't interpret the temperature readings correctly via SMART. The CIMC thought the drives were running at 10 billion degrees (not kidding or exaggerating) so it put the fans to max speed. You could run into something like that, so try one before you fully commit to putting that in all your servers.

[Steven Tardy]

The definitive source of truth regarding mixing drives with Hyperflex software is:

Cisco HyperFlex Drive Compatibility Guide

ctrl+f NVMEI4-I3840 (twice to get to section: 240 All NVMe)

Compatible drive PIDs are

• HX-NVME4-3840 (5.0(2b))
• HX-NVMEI4-I3840 (5.0(1a))
• HX-NVB3T8O1V (5.5(2b))

NVMEG4-M3840 is NOT listed, and therefore NOT compatible with the HX software.

Your best bet is to use PID: HX-NVB3T8O1V / UCS-NVB3T8O1V

NVMEG4-M3840 IS listed on the Cisco UCS C240 M6 SFF Rack Server specsheet.
Which means the drive is compatible with the hardware.