Final Cut Pro, iSCSI & SAN

[Melvin Chong]

Hi,

Has anyone got any success story to share with multiple FCP systems with SAN running on iSCSI ?

What are the things to look out for and how much to budget for 4 FCP systems with about 2TB of storage ? Bearing in mind I am only concern with SD at the moment.

Thanks for any reply.

[Nate Cooper]

There are two companies with iSCSI initiators for OS X. Studio Network Solutions and Atto. If you do not use the products from one of these companies, you will not be able to use iSCSI in OS X. I am partial to SNS, as I work for them ;). However I have seen both initiators working with FCP. One big difference in the two initiators is how they can be implemented with hardware. The SNS solution is geared more towards people buying complete iSCSI SAN solutions. It comes in packages starting at 2 users (with all iSCSI software and hardware for the SAN including SANmp, SNS’s volume sharing software). It’s basically a one stop shop for an iSCSI SAN. The Atto initiator is currently only sold with their iSCSI bridges (iSCSI to FC, or iSCSI to SCSI). This is geared more towards people wanting to repurpose existing FC or SCSI hardware.

As far as FCP implementations, I can’t speak for Atto, but I do know we (SNS) have a 40 seat iSCSI SAN running at the University of Texas. We also have a similar 32 seat iSCSI SAN running in the UK at Teeside University. Both systems are all OS X, all FCP. There are a host of others, but those are just a few.

Nate Cooper
ncooper@studionetworksolutions.com

[Shane Sokolosky]

Nate, nice to see you on the cow!

Shane Sokolosky

SAN Product Manager
ProMax Systems inc.
16 Technology Dr. Ste.106
Irvine, CA. 92618

Office (949) 727-3977 x108
Toll free (877) 776-6292
Fax (949) 727-7002
Website-https://www.Promax.com
shane.sokolosky@promax.com

[Jeff Bernstein]

You should have seen him in Vegas. Though, I wouldn’t have called her a cow. 😎

Jeff Bernstein

Digital Desktop Consulting
Apple Pro Video VAR
XSAN Certified

323-653-7611

[ismaelr]

nate is right, that currently only ATTO technologies and SNS have iSCSI initiators for mac OS X. the OEM/partner companies for both units (i think) are ardis technologies and wasabi systems respectively.

for about a month, i’ve been in contact with ATTO, and they are more than willing to get you a 30 day evaluation/test bed system on consignment for either their FC or ultra 160 SCSI bridge/iSCSI xtend SAN initiator kit. send ATTO an e-mail: sls@attotech.com. i wanted to have some benchmark numbers, but my storage array of choice has been delayed. i’m waiting for the 10 GbE d-link xtack storage unit.

in today’s market, prices are all over the map. for a 2 GB SAN, your budget can be anywhere from $3000 to $16000 for the array. ATTO kits cost around $3000 for the ultra160 SCSI kit and $6500 for the FC kit (with 5 seats). i hope prices will fall after macworld SF 2006.

ismael rosales

chief information architect
https://www.cloakmedia.com/