XServe RAID

[samsc]

Hope to complete some real world tests with Catalyst using the XServe RAID in the next couple of weeks,

http://www.apple.com/xserve/raid/specs.html

[samsc]

Our XServe RAID seems to work great with only a couple of media drives in one half of the RAID.

Still to be fully confirmed.

We get 6 layers playback at standard definition without any issues -

So it seems that it might be possible to support at least 2 macs with good playback from a single XServe raid - as it has dual fibre channel outputs.

[samsc]

We have a fibre channel switch and some fibre channel cards on order, and intend to test the XSAN disc operating system with multiple servers connecting to the same raid set asap.

I have no idea how well it might work. We have quite a few tests to run.

Single access to the XServe Raid worked quite well on first tests.

[samsc]

Setting up the XServe RAID was MUCH easier than i expected.

The fibre channel card and interface seemed largely foolproof, no settings required.

The configuration utility worked very easily - after I set the network settings to use DHCP and disconnected the local DHCP server.

Playback performance was good with standard definition.
Using 2 discs in a RAID 0 configuration, we were able to play 7 layers of dv movies.
So the aggressive caching seems to work.
I didnt expect it to work so well.

[peppe]

Setting up the XServe RAID was MUCH easier than i expected.
I didnt expect it to work so well.
This sounds great! Have you tested any Mjpeg at 1024x768 at highest quality,progressive???

[samsc]

This sounds great! Have you tested any Mjpeg at 1024x768 at highest quality,progressive???

highest quality is uncompressed?