My OCD kicked in on this new server build

[Exterous]

In 2018 if a new box doesnt have these features I would question what the hell you are putting into your data center.

Its not common but I've seen first hand issues with both EMC and HP that caused the lights to not work - once when a drive actually needed to be replaced. Less enterprise-y things like Qnap and Synology don't have that ability at all on some of their rack mountable hardware. (Not that I would necessarily recommend using them but I've seen them in more than a few datacenters)

 

[dave_the_nerd]

Sure. When the controller drops a drive because it's failed (or the controller thinks it has). But how would you pull the correct drive if SMART were telling you that a failure was imminent? You need to know which drive is in which bay.

The SANs I've used all had something like this in their management utility.

I'd assume there's some management software or interface that lets you control the status lights on the enclosure. Or maybe through IPMI, like this Dell iDRAC:

I'll admit that YMMV and I'm only familiar with the equipment I use, but I'd be honestly surprised if Dell were the only company with this feature.

 

[Homerboy]

The SANs I've used all had something like this in their management utility.

I'd assume there's some management software or interface that lets you control the status lights on the enclosure. Or maybe through IPMI, like this Dell iDRAC:

I'll admit that YMMV and I'm only familiar with the equipment I use, but I'd be honestly surprised if Dell were the only company with this feature.

Yeah, I know all our Dells have management software that does this - even will email you when something goes yellow/red.
I know the one other SM case and in turn it's management software we have here allows it as well.

Sidenote: in all the years here at Anandtech, and I know it's been asked for many times, I'm bummed/surprised there's no "Server" subforum here