Product Description
IBM EJ2B PCIe3 12Gb x8 SAS Tape HBA Adapter
The IBM EJ2B PCIe3 12Gb x8 SAS Tape HBA Adapter is a high-performance, quad-port SAS host bus adapter designed for attaching external SAS tape devices to IBM Power Systems servers. This PCIe Gen3 x8 adapter provides four mini-SAS HD (SFF-8643) ports, supporting up to four SAS tape drives (LTO-5 through LTO-9) at 12 Gb/s SAS speeds, making it ideal for backup, archival, and data interchange in AIX, IBM i, and Linux environments.
Product Description
The IBM EJ2B (feature code EJ2B, CCIN 57F2, part number typically 03MT000 or related variants) is a PCIe Gen3 x8 quad-port SAS tape HBA adapter that occupies a single PCIe slot on the host server. It delivers high-bandwidth, low-latency connectivity for external SAS tape devices using four mini-SAS high-density (HD) x4 connectors (SFF-8643). Each port supports attachment of one SAS tape drive, for a maximum of four drives per adapter (e.g., LTO-5, LTO-6, LTO-7, LTO-8, LTO-9 in stand-alone units like TS2270/TS2280 or libraries like TS2900/TS3100/TS3200/TS4300). The adapter supports full 12 Gb/s SAS data rates externally (backward compatible with 6 Gb/s SAS devices) and is qualified for high-performance tape backup and restore operations. It includes power-loss protection and robust error correction for data integrity during tape operations. Note that there is no VIOS support for this adapter; it requires native host attachment. The EJ2B is commonly used in Power10 (and select Power9) systems for dedicated tape connectivity, with dedicated driver support added in IBM i 7.4 TR8 / 7.5 TR2.
Features
- Four mini-SAS HD (SFF-8643) ports for SAS tape attachment.
- 12 Gb/s SAS external data rate (backward compatible with 6 Gb/s SAS).
- Supports up to four external SAS tape drives per adapter (one per port).
- Compatible with LTO-5 through LTO-9 tape devices (LTO-5 reads LTO-4 for restore).
- PCIe Gen3 x8 host interface for high-bandwidth performance.
- Hot-plug support for tape devices (adapter requires system power cycle for changes).
- Advanced error correction and data integrity features.
- No VIOS support; native host driver required.
- LED status indicators for link/activity per port.
Technical Specifications
- Feature Code: EJ2B (also EJ2C low-profile variant)
- CCIN: 57F2
- Part Number: Typically 03MT000 (or related variants)
- Interface (Host): PCIe Gen3 x8
- Interface (Device): 4 × mini-SAS HD (SFF-8643) ports
- Data Rate: Up to 12 Gb/s SAS per port externally
- Form Factor: Full-height (EJ2B); low-profile available as EJ2C
- Tape Support: LTO-5, LTO-6, LTO-7, LTO-8, LTO-9 (stand-alone or library)
- Maximum Drives: 4 (one per port)
- Power Consumption: ~15–25 W (typical)
- Cooling: Passive heatsink; relies on server airflow
- Compatibility: Power10 (primary), select Power9 with PCIe Gen3 slots
Compatibility
The IBM EJ2B PCIe3 12Gb x8 SAS Tape HBA Adapter is compatible with:
- Power Systems Models:
- Power10: S1012/S1014/S1022/S1022s/S1024 (scale-out), E1080 (enterprise), and other Power10 models with PCIe Gen3/Gen4 slots
- Power9: Select models with PCIe Gen3 slots (e.g., S922/S924/E950/E980)
- Operating Systems: AIX 7.2+ / 7.3+, IBM i 7.4 TR8+ / 7.5 TR2+ (dedicated driver), Linux (RHEL/SUSE/Ubuntu), VIOS (no support)
- Attachment: PCIe Gen3 x8 slot on host server; connects to external SAS tape drives via mini-SAS HD cables
- Tape Devices: TS2270/TS2280 (single external), TS2900/TS3100/TS3200/TS4300 libraries, 7226-1U3 multimedia drawer (LTO-5+)
- Limitations: No VIOS support; requires native host driver; LTO-4 or earlier not supported (LTO-5 reads LTO-4 for restore only); firmware minimum FW1030.20 (Power10)
Verify exact slot requirements, cable part numbers, firmware levels, and OS TR/patch levels via IBM Sales Manual or resources for your specific Power Systems model.
Warranty
This product comes with a 60-day warranty covering parts and functionality.
