XServe RAID and catalyst

[samsc]

i never tested a sata array. the last generation were crappy.
the connectors were crappy, and christian used them, and always seemed to have issues.

if you start doing multi-disc scsi, the price soon starts creeping up to xserve levels.

it just isnt possible to acquire and test all the storage options, and evaluate their performance with catalyst.
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the main advantage of xserve RAID is networkability- you can share the storage at very high speed.
Using a fibre switch and XSAN you can create multiple disc volumes in the same unit and share them between different servers - thats the theory.

With the cheapest xserve raid which ships with 4 discs you would divide the thing up into 2 two disc raid sets, with the most expensive it might be possible to drive 6 computers at the same time.

I have a 14 disc xserve raid on a show at the moment, and im waiting for results.

[samsc]

Apple fibre channel and xserve raid support page:

http://www.apple.com/support/xserve/raid/

[samsc]

http://www.apple.com/support/downloa...utility20.html

[jasonrudolph]

What about RAID setups that connect via gigabit ethernet? Would these work well with catalyst? If you are using machines with the CIB on them, and don't need to network them for syncing them? Or could you add another Gigabit card......

[samsc]

What about RAID setups that connect via gigabit ethernet? Would these work well with catalyst? If you are using machines with the CIB on them, and don't need to network them for syncing them? Or could you add another Gigabit card......

ethernet is not optimised for any kindof real time networking.
it has a good headline data rate, but terrible latency.
And apples file sharing isnt optimised to do this either.

Ethernet based networks for use with catalyst- IMHO - has to be about the worse possible thing.

Fibre channel and the hardware to support it -is designed to do this kindof thing, in real world video networks.

[jasonrudolph]

I have a 14 disc xserve raid on a show at the moment, and im waiting for results.

So, how did it perform???

[samsc]

eurovision never got around to using it.

they had too many other issues.

its coming back to me soon. hopefully this week.
im trying to get it onto another gig.

initial tests showed that 6-7 layers dv layers were achievable on a 2 drive raid set.
this is due to agressive caching rather than drive speed.
xserve raid caching worked better than other raid technologies so far

[tharding]

Hi Richard

Just wondering what the latest is on using FC switches. Has anyone used the large scale 14 drive system you mentioned?

I notice Qlogic have the 1400 now which is quite cheap.

http://www.qlogic.com/products/sanbox/sanbox_1400.asp

Any thoughts on if this would work compared to the 5200?

Or are there any other cheaper units you are aware of that are worth a look?

Cheers

Toby

[samsc]

i dont know.