Product Description
IBM EJ2C LP PCIe3 12Gb x8 SAS Tape HBA Adapter
The IBM EJ2C LP PCIe3 12Gb x8 SAS Tape HBA Adapter is a low-profile, high-performance quad-port SAS host bus adapter designed for attaching external SAS tape devices to IBM Power Systems servers in space-constrained environments. This PCIe Gen3 x8 low-profile 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 deployments.
Product Description
The IBM EJ2C (feature code EJ2C, CCIN 57F2, part number typically 03MT001 or related low-profile variant) is the low-profile version of the EJ2B PCIe3 12Gb x8 SAS Tape HBA Adapter. It occupies a single PCIe Gen3 x8 low-profile slot on the host server and 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 EJ2C is commonly used in Power10 (and select Power9) systems with low-profile PCIe slots, 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 low-profile host interface for space-constrained servers.
- 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: EJ2C (low-profile variant of EJ2B)
- CCIN: 57F2
- Part Number: Typically 03MT001 (or related low-profile variants)
- Interface (Host): PCIe Gen3 x8 (low-profile)
- Interface (Device): 4 × mini-SAS HD (SFF-8643) ports
- Data Rate: Up to 12 Gb/s SAS per port externally
- Form Factor: Low-profile PCIe card (half-height, half-length)
- 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 low-profile slots
Compatibility
The IBM EJ2C 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 low-profile PCIe Gen3/Gen4 slots
- Power9: Select models with PCIe Gen3 low-profile slots (e.g., S922/S924/E950/E980 in low-profile configurations)
- 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 low-profile 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); low-profile slot required
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.
