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what RAID do you recommend?
I’m considering adding a new RAID to my set-up but i’m unsure which to get.
I currently have a 3.5tb Xserve RAID, connected via dual fibre channel…but as Apple have ceased selling those, i reckon i need a different brand.
I know i will need to get a fibre channel switcher, and yes, i do want to stay with fibre…i know some would recommend other technologies, but i’d rather not have too many different systems.
So, what would you guys recommend? or more to the point..which wouldn’t you recommend?
thanks
AdamAdam Taylor
Video Editor/Audio Mixer/ Compositor/Motion GFX/Barista
Character Options Ltd
Oldham, UK -
12 Replies
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What do you need to do with it?
Jeremy
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forgot to say…uncompressed 10bit PAL video mainly, also ProTools audio mixes, AE animation/fx…. all for broadcast commercials.
The Xserve works great, but i’m running out of space. I do have a tape backup also, but i need to have a large number of projects live for long periods of time, hence the reason i want to expand the raid storage.
adam
Adam Taylor
Video Editor/Audio Mixer/ Compositor/Motion GFX/Barista
Character Options Ltd
Oldham, UK -
Cool. So it’s by yourself with one machine?
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Hi Adam
We’ve just installed a new 12TB “Promise” drive which Apple recommends and so far it’s running well, although it does required connection to management software on a PC – not a problem for us as we run a few different servers but you may want to check out with a supplier if you consider it.
CheersDavid Scott,
Senior Editor,
GOD TV (UK) -
yes – on my own.
As for introducing a PC into the mix – eeek!!
I have watched our IT peeps and really don’t want to have them involved with ANYTHING in my little domain. I am the only mac room in the company, and it works better that way.
adam
Adam Taylor
Video Editor/Audio Mixer/ Compositor/Motion GFX/Barista
Character Options Ltd
Oldham, UK -
We’ve got a couple of Infortrend EonStor Arrays. Have you tried speaking to somebody like NMR? That’s who we use for stuff like this:
https://www.nmr.com/nmr/homepage.php
-Simmie
3 MacPros – Kona 3 & Kona LH
2 G5s – Kona LH
2 G4s – Cinewave
xbox360, Wii, PSP, PS2
https://www.speak.co.uk -
thanks Simmie – i’ve not approached dealers yet…i always prefer to do some background research before speaking to them.
adam
Adam Taylor
Video Editor/Audio Mixer/ Compositor/Motion GFX/Barista
Character Options Ltd
Oldham, UK -
Check out Dulce Systems.
I’d stay away from Ciprico at the moment. Great products but the company seems to not be in the best of shape right now.
There’s also GRaid in their GSpeed line. I have no experince with those so can’t comment one way or the other.
The reason I ask if you are own is that you said you need a fibre switch. Why’s that? If you are on your own (and I know you son’t want to hear this) but Sonnet has sweet deals on their Fusion D800RAID that attaches through SAS. It will save a bunch of money and you won’t miss any performance.
Then you get into the big boys like Rorke and Facilis. You don’t need that amount of capability though.
That should at least get you started.
Jeremy
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Adam –
If you have 3.5 Terra on a 14 drive Xserve then you have them populated with 250Gig drives. The first thing you can do is increase your capacity by upgrading your drives – I upgraded to 400Gig drives a year ago and now have 5.6 TB. If the Xserve can handle 500Gig drives (and I can’t see why they wouldn’t) you can double your capacity to 7 Terra with a cost of about $1500 – no extra cards, nothing else to do but plop in the drives.
Alternately, if you are absolutely determined to add an additional fiber channel raid, you should know that you don’t need a fiber switch, many fiber raid boxes allow you to daisy chain other raid boxes thru them. Unfortunately the Xserve is NOT one of of those devices, so you can’t do this with 2 Xserves. But currently I’m running a Medea FCR2X and an Xserve off of 1 dual channel Fiber Card – The Medea to the card, the Xserve to the Medea. If Medea had not been bought up and basically shut down by Avid I would have recommended them – fantastic tech support, great box, better thru-put then the Xserve, even with less (10) drives.
Herb Sevush
Zebra Productions -
Check out Caldigit – I used their HDOne box 4TB and it was awesome! No configure plug and play – seamless. A real pleasure to use.
CHL
Chi-Ho Lee
Film & Television Editor
Apple Certified Final Cut Pro Trainer
http://www.chiholee.com
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