Users Guide

Features of BOSS-S2

Topics:

• Hot–plugging M.2 drives in PowerEdge systems

• Identify M.2 drives by using LEDs

• Controlled firmware update

• Foreign import of VDs

• Detect a drive failure using SMART feature

• Auto–rebuild a degraded drive

• Support of non–RAID drives

• TRIM feature on SSDs

• Erase physical disk data

Hot–plugging M.2 drives in PowerEdge systems

The unique controller design of the BOSS-S2 card carrier card allows you to hot plug M.2 drives. This feature reduces the

possibility of downtime during M.2 replacement. Automatic rebuild replaces the M.2 configured drives that are identified as

degraded and then starts an automatic rebuild.

NOTE:

The Integrated Dell Remote Access Controller (iDRAC) and Lifecycle Controller (LC) logs for the hot–plug events of

M.2 drives are not updated on a real time basis.

Drive removal and absence status information are available in the hard drive queried by the iDRAC. The event logs return

information about the removal, failure, and rebuild status of an M.2 module. The iDRAC and OMSA provides the status of the

virtual drive and also the hard drive status such as SMART and Remaining Rated Write Endurance (RRWE).

Identify M.2 drives by using LEDs

BOSS-S2 card supports Activity and Status LEDs.

● Activity LED—The activity LED is triggered when an activity is initiated in M.2 drives.

● Status LED—The status LED is driven based on the drive status as mentioned below:

Table 5. Status LED state

Status LED state Description

Green Drive is online or rebuild

BLINK - Amber Drive is failed

BLINK - Green Locate or identify

NOTE: The locate or identify functionality is triggered using iDRAC and OpenManage

Server Administrator (OMSA).

OFF Drive is not present

Controlled firmware update

Use the Dell update Package with out-of-band support and iDRAC to update the BOSS-S2 firmware. The firmware payload is

verified using a cryptographic digital signature, offering a secure update. By default, the BOSS-S2 controller state is secure and

locked, and is unlocked only during the firmware update process. Following the update, the controller automatically returns to

the default, locked state to prevent any unauthorized updates to the firmware.

14 Features of BOSS-S2