[Techtalk] RAID array

[Rudy Zijlstra]

Maria McKinley wrote:
>> On Wed, 8 Oct 2008, Maria McKinley wrote:
>>
>>     
>>> I am looking to purchase a new RAID array and looking for 
>>> recommendations.
>>>
>>> cheers,
>>> maria
>>>       
>
> Have a little more information now. We currently have a 1TB raid
> array, and it would be nice to get a second one with 1-2 TB on it. We
> currently have a MegaRAID SCSI 320-2X (532) card controlling said raid
> array, and it has a second channel open on it. So, it would be nice to
> get a second array that would work on that card. It seems like if I want 
> to use my old card, I have two choices. I can get a traditional scsi 
> raid enclosure like this:
>
> http://www.scsisource.com/scsi_enclosures/jd10c2rrk.asp
>   
This will work with the existing card, quit nicely actually. No 
configuration hassles.
Thanks for the link, browsing around on the site made me find something 
i have been looking for ;)
> To get 1T you need about $1700 worth of drives, and the enclosure is
> about $1200. Leaves lots of room for expansion.
>
> Or, I could get a scsi to sata enclosure:
>
> http://www.scsi4me.com/enhanceraid-r8-8-drive-2u-rackmount-scsi-to-sata-raid-system.html
>   
For this i would buy a separate SCSI card to connect it to. I have 
several MegaRAID operational, and do not remember a way to use a single 
drive. It's probably possible, but i've never done it and the MegaRAID 
would see the enhanceraid as a single (BIG) drive.
> The case itself costs $2000. However, disks are much cheaper and
> larger than scsi, and may be easier to find in the long run. I think
> price-wise we are looking at similar costs in the short run, but
> cheaper with sata in the long run. It includes its own controller, and
> I'm not sure how that works with already having a controller.
>
> Has anyone tried a scsi to sata sort of enclosure? Thoughts about scsi
> vs. sata drives in general?
>   
My feeling still is that SCSI drives have a longer life.. anecdotal only 
though. I have more SATA failures then i have SCSI failures.
But then, the cost of the SATA drives is significantly lower, which also 
adds in to the equation.

Cheers,

Rudy