When attempting to connect a Sonnet Tempo eSATA locking cable to a Tempo SATA E4P card in an Xserve, the locking connector housing may not fit in the tight space at the rear of the Xserve. To properly connect the cable, simply remove the locking housing from the connector end (two screws) and it will fit.
You are using a SATA port that is not port-multiplier aware. For example, the internal SATA ports in a Mac Pro that may be brought to the PCIe rear panel via an eSATA extender cable are not port-multiplier aware. All of Sonnet's Tempo SATA cards with external ports are port-multiplier aware.