SAS HDD Firmware Flash

[Essdub8]

Hello all - first time poster, long time reader hoping for some guidance in SAS HDD Firmware Flashing.

I have been tasked with putting together a system that will be able to flash SAS HDD Firmware with a specific customer-chosen version.
I have no experience working with SAS / SCSI / RAID system setup and I've never flashed the firmware on a HDD.

I'm hoping to get some guidance into what kind of hardware and software will be needed to accomplish this task. After some cursory research, I know I'll need a SAS Controller Card of some sort just to connect the drives, but beyond that I'm lost..

I'm currently looking at the SUPERMICRO AOC-SASLP-MV8 PCI Express x4 Low Profile SAS RAID Controller - based mainly on cost, since I really have no idea what functionality I will require. More than likely I will be flashing the drives one at a time - correct me if I'm wrong here.
On top of that I've narrowed down cabling needed to connect the SAS drives to the controller card - SFF-8087 to SFF-8482.

Can anyone provide hardware / software setup required to accomplish this task?
I have already assembled a possible bare-bones PC setup from old scrap hardware lying around after a recent PC upgrade - Foxconn LS-36 mobo with an Intel Pentium 4 3.0ghz CPU and 4gb of DDR PC5300 memory. I have some spare SATA drives lying around to plug in if needed, as well as DVD-ROM drives, USB Flash drives for storage / installation software.
I've no idea if this motherboard and CPU combination will handle / support what needs to be done, honestly, but I'm guessing that since it has the proper slot for the Controller card I should have no issues..

Thank you for any assistance you can provide in advance.

-SW

 

[Essdub8]

With the mounds of knowledge prevalent throughout these forums, surely someone has a few minutes to assist me in determining what may be required to complete the task described above.

Let me simplify and condense what was written prior - I simply need to know what is needed to plug SAS drives in for firmware flashing:
Equipment (controller card, cabling)
Software (doubt any is needed, besides firmware)

Funding isn't necessarily an issue, however the cheaper the better - as long as cheap doesn't mean non-functioning.

Again, thank you for your time and assistance.

-SW

 

[Essdub8]

Well, thanks for at least reading my question, I guess.
Luckily Adaptec was able to answer my very simple question, confirming what I'd already decided I'd need.

For anyone who may have the same question and absolutely 0 assistance, here's what Adaptec had to say:

If the controller is only needed to flash SAS drives, the selected Adaptec 1405 might be the best choice to flash a drive using the drive manufacturers flash utility. The controller would need a PCI Express x4 slot, or larger.
All other cards are more expensive RAID controllers, that would also allow drive firmware updates using the RAID controller's management utility, but this might be an unnecessary investment in your case.
The Adaptec 1405 is available as a single and as a Kit version. As the Kitversion only includes a cable to connect SATA drives, it might be better to order the Single version without cable and an additional SAS fanout cable, that allows to also conenct SAS drives:

Controller:
2256000-R Adaptec 1405 RoHS Single

Cable:
2232000-R Adaptec I-mSASx4-SAS4x1-FO-1M R

 

[RealBeast]

Well, thanks for at least reading my question, I guess.
Luckily Adaptec was able to answer my very simple question, confirming what I'd already decided I'd need.

For anyone who may have the same question and absolutely 0 assistance, here's what Adaptec had to say:

If the controller is only needed to flash SAS drives, the selected Adaptec 1405 might be the best choice to flash a drive using the drive manufacturers flash utility. The controller would need a PCI Express x4 slot, or larger.
All other cards are more expensive RAID controllers, that would also allow drive firmware updates using the RAID controller's management utility, but this might be an unnecessary investment in your case.
The Adaptec 1405 is available as a single and as a Kit version. As the Kitversion only includes a cable to connect SATA drives, it might be better to order the Single version without cable and an additional SAS fanout cable, that allows to also conenct SAS drives:

Controller:
2256000-R Adaptec 1405 RoHS Single

Cable:
2232000-R Adaptec I-mSASx4-SAS4x1-FO-1M R

Yes, that card and cable will work well for what you want to do. You simply need an open PCI-e x4 adapter, or x16 that runs at x4 or better to use the card. The 1M cables are a lot more handy than the short ones and will allow you to run them outside your computer to the drives that you will flash.