Cheap Enclosure for 4 IDE drives?

[Helper Monkey Assault Squad 7]

I've seen those, but you're right: Too expensive... And no room to expand.
I want my enclosure to have more room so I can add more 80GB drives down the
road as they get cheaper, and expand my raid 5 array.

Just out of curiosity, are you planning on using software or hardware
raid 5? I keep hoping the pricing on decent raid 5 sata cards will
drop, but it's yet to happen. In the meantime, I've got several
terabytes of music & video languishing on optical media.

 

[J. Clarke]

Gross oversimlification. You're not an IT manager, are you?

We weren't talking about an IT department.

Any unnecessary complexity introduces more points of failure - Which
inevitably increases the amount of time I will spend maintaining it down
the road.

Then you don't know how to configure a server.

 

[Dice]

Just out of curiosity, are you planning on using software or hardware
raid 5? I keep hoping the pricing on decent raid 5 sata cards will
drop, but it's yet to happen. In the meantime, I've got several
terabytes of music & video languishing on optical media.

Given the extremely low overhead of software raid (even under Windows),
why wait?

The bigger issue is hooking up the devices (especially if you have more
than 4). Dan's idea is quite interesting, and expandable, while IDE, and
SATA adapters are out there they just don't have lots of long term
expandability. Using USB like Dan is looking at or AoE (which I
mentioned earlier) you in essence are able to build a 'poor mans' SAN.

 

[Rod Speed]

[email protected] wrote

Gross oversimlification.
Nope.

You're not an IT manager, are you?

Hope you have a rather large towel handy for the egg on your face.

Any unnecessary complexity introduces more points of failure

Thats what YOU are doing with multiple USB external enclosures.

Which inevitably increases the amount of time
I will spend maintaining it down the road.

Thats what YOU are doing with multiple USB external enclosures.

They are notorious for hassles over time compared with the MUCH
more robust technology of a standalone server with the drives in that.

And it makes a lot more sense to not be farting around with discarded
80G drives at all and to replace them all with a 400G drive instead.

 

[Rod Speed]

I already have several higher-capacity drives. I'm
looking to create a poor man's JBOD, and raid-5 it.

Then the USB route is a ****ed approach for that.

80GB extra is useless to me... but 240GB
or more can be used as a backup pool.

So can a 250G drive.

As 80GB drives get cheaper and cheaper, it
will be pennies to extend my existing raid 5 set.

Pity about the problems that the USB will produce, you watch.

 

[h1dd3n_h4m$73r]

Then you don't know how to configure a server.

Actually, I do - And am unwilling to invest the time configuring
functionality I don't need.

Which.
is.
the.
point.


--
..............................................................................

"Anyone who has the power to make you believe absurdities has the power to
make you commit injustices,"
-Voltaire

..............................................................................
(e-mail address removed) http://www.memeticcandiru.com

 

[h1dd3n_h4m$73r]

Just out of curiosity, are you planning on using software or hardware
raid 5? I keep hoping the pricing on decent raid 5 sata cards will
drop, but it's yet to happen. In the meantime, I've got several
terabytes of music & video languishing on optical media.

It would have to be software. I have no hardware which would allow the
introduction of a raid card. I would connect the drives as USB, and then
use soft tools to configure a set.


--
..............................................................................

"The London Sunday Times found evidence of torture [by Israel] so
widespread and systematic that 'it appears to be sanctioned at some level
as deliberate policy,' perhaps 'to persuade Arabs in occupied territories
that it is least painful to behave passively'"

-Noam Chomsky, The Fateful Triangle, p 127

..............................................................................
(e-mail address removed) http://www.memeticcandiru.com

 

[Dice]

Dice, yours is easily the most helpful post in this thread. I think you
"get" what I am trying to do.

Thanks, I'm a storage geek after all.

What you're saying makes complete sense, but unfortunately, my constraints
rule out multiple USB buses. Thankfully, performance isn't important - As
long as I'm getting reasonable and realiable throughput, that's sufficient.

Go for a really good USB hub then. I would spend a little more money on
the hub, and get a 8 port hub (for expandability). Cascading hubs while
possible, isn't recommended or probably very desirable.

That's exactly where I'm headed. My server is Linux, and I want to hook up
this "Poor Man's JBOD", Raid5 it with software, and use it as a backuppool
for TSM.

Raided USB Drives, I'll give you this it's an interesting idea.

 

[Dice]

Corse it isnt.

I'm sorry I didn't realize you were Dan's personal accountant.

And is completely unsuitable for using some 80G discards.

Not really, AoE using some discarded 80GB drives might be completely
suitable for a technology enthusiast to play with.

A basic obsolete PC makes a lot more sense in his situation.

Maybe, but as I said, this was merely an interesting alternative.

 

[Dice]

Thats what YOU are doing with multiple USB external enclosures.

Except if you had read what he is planning you would realize he isn't
going to be dealing with multiple USB external enclosures.

They are notorious for hassles over time compared with the MUCH
more robust technology of a standalone server with the drives in that.

Really? You base this on what? I certainly haven't seen it.

And it makes a lot more sense to not be farting around with discarded
80G drives at all and to replace them all with a 400G drive instead.

Yes, but why waste the 80GB drives if you have them? Sometimes the most
educational/fun parts of computer technology is 'farting around' with
things.

 

[Dice]

Then the USB route is a ****ed approach for that.

Considering your tone, and the complete lack of any reason you think
that is '****ed', I think it safe to say you don't have any idea.

Pity about the problems that the USB will produce, you watch.

And what problems would those be?

 

[Rod Speed]

Dice wrote

Rod Speed wrote

I'm sorry I didn't realize you were Dan's personal accountant.

Dont need to be. He clearly said that he's using discarded
80G drives and wants to minimise the cost. That route doesnt.

Not really,

Yes, really. The price is mad for 80G discarded drives.

AoE using some discarded 80GB drives might be completely
suitable for a technology enthusiast to play with.

That aint what he said he wanted to do.

Maybe,

No maybe about it.

but as I said, this was merely an interesting alternative.

Completely unsuitable for what he wasnt to do, use some
discarded 80G drives as a backup device, CHEAPLY.

 

[Rod Speed]

Dice wrote

Rod Speed wrote

I'm sorry I didn't realize you were Dan's personal accountant.

Dont need to be. He clearly said that he's using discarded
80G drives and wants to minimise the cost. It says that
VERY unambiguously in the subject on that CHEAP.

That route aint anything like CHEAP.

Not really,

Yes, really. The price is mad for 80G discarded drives.

And is nothing like CHEAP.

AoE using some discarded 80GB drives might be completely
suitable for a technology enthusiast to play with.

That aint what he said he wanted, CHEAP.

Maybe,

No maybe about it.

but as I said, this was merely an interesting alternative.

Completely unsuitable for what he wasnt to do, use some
discarded 80G drives as a backup device, CHEAPLY.

 

[Rod Speed]

Actually, I do - And am unwilling to invest
the time configuring functionality I don't need.

You're gunna invest a lot more time farting
around with USB enclosures, you watch.

They are still rather immature technology.

Which.
is.
the.
point.

Fraid.
not.

 

[Rod Speed]

Dice wrote

Rod Speed wrote

Except if you had read what he is planning you would realize he isn't going to
be dealing with multiple USB external enclosures.

In practice he is, just putting them in a single housing.

Electrically they are still separate, with a separate USB connection to each
drive.

Really? You base this on what? I certainly haven't seen it.

You need to get out more. Have a read thru comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.storage
alone searching on USB and weep.

Yes, but why waste the 80GB drives if you have them?

Basically because its too much hassle to fart around with USB
to IDE bridges for each drive and some way to house them.

Sometimes the most educational/fun parts of computer technology is 'farting
around' with things.

He has said repeately that he isnt interested in wasting his time.

If he does want to use the spare 80G drives, the only thing that makes any
sense is a separate linux based server and do the RAID5 at the software level.

But even that makes no real sense over say a 400G drive.

It just a rather silly technowank.

 

[Rod Speed]

Dice wrote

Rod Speed wrote

Considering your tone, and the complete lack of any reason you think that is
'****ed',

You're lying. Read my other posts, ****wit.

I think it safe to say you don't have any idea.

Not a shred of evidence that you are actually capable of thought.

So stupid you cant even manage to read and comprehend
his original requirement for CHEAP still there in the subject.

And what problems would those be?

See my other response on that.

 

[Helper Monkey Assault Squad 7]

Given the extremely low overhead of software raid (even under Windows),
why wait?

A couple reasons: I'm running XP Pro vs Server 2003. I could install
2003, but I like playing games, don't feel like having to boot into
server to listen to music, and have no real desire to buy additional
hardware at this point--a laptop and a fast desktop are enough.

My motherboard only supports two sata drives (ASUS P4P800 Del), and
I'd rather not have to blow $40 a drive on adaptors. I could switch
out the motherboard, but then I'd likely want to go for a board with
PCI-express, thus making making 2.4 ghz CPU (currently running at 3.6
ghz) and $500 worth of dual channel memory worthless.

Other than that, it would work great.

So currently it's a waiting game as to what keeps cheap first: sata
raid cards, wireless nas boxes, or a replacement desktop (then I'll
use this as a full-time server).

 

[l3gl3$$_m4r1n3]

Dice wrote

You're lying. Read my other posts, ****wit.

You're silly.




--
..............................................................................

"Forced counseling and "sensitivity training" are nothing more than
buzzwords for political re-education"
-Letter in NY Times, Feb 2, 2000

..............................................................................
(e-mail address removed) http://www.memeticcandiru.com

 

[Rod Speed]

You're silly.

You're a ****wit.

 

[Helper Monkey Assault Squad 7]

You're a ****wit.

You're a silly ****wit?