Dell R720 Backplane upgrade?

Good morning.   The 8 drive backplane cannot be be upgraded to the 16 drive backplane. This is a factory installed option only, available when ordering the server.  

Regards,

Is this still the case nearly 3yrs later.  I also want to upgrade an R720 from 8 hdd's to 16 hdd's.  I just need the part numbers of what to order.  I'd rather not have to buy a whole new server or attach a disk array just to add a couple more hdd's, seems silly.

Hello.

It is not possible to upgrade from 8 HD backplane to 16 HD backplane since these options come built in the system chassis. The only option available is to purchase another server with 16 HD chassis.

I appreciate this is over a year old, but let me confirm:

It isn't possible with certain backplanes (the 1x8 3.5" Backplane for example is riveted in) but you can change a 1x8 2.5" Backplane to a 1x16 2.5" Backplane - You need the following parts:

You need the following parts:

1x16 Backplane & Controller

1x8 Drive Bay

Additional Power Cable

SAS Splitter Cable

Dell will however tell you this is not the case and will recommend you buy a new server - I can PM you Part Numbers if required.

I am interested in the part numbers for all the items you have listed. Dell has been giving me much on this. And I can't find the part codes any where. I took my Dell R730 apart today and its looks very easy to do. The hardest item to track down is the 1X8 Drive Bay to slide in the right side.

Any help will be great. Thanks. 

Would you mind sending me P/N's as well. I'm interested in doing the same for my R720. I have a 8x2.5 and would like to go to 16x2.5. Thank you.

I need to know about this too!

Please send me the part numbers. cheers!

Hello,

I went through the experiment myself and bought a 8JR0H 16-bay backplane, and the data cable that came with it which was a different model than the one that came with the R720's 8-bay backplane.

The backplane fits in the case if you pull out a tray where the 2nd set of 8 bays would be.

No problems so far with 16 drives on a 8-drive R720.

Please can you send me the parts numbers too

Regards

Hi HitMannCU77

From what I see that part won’t work because it’s a different chassis type from the release from the factory... so all you can do is wait to rely on his/her resource for now.