I wish to build a San over gigabit ethernet

[Bob Zelin]

HI Bob,
there are one powermac G5, Two macpros andsoon will come an Xserve Nehalem 8-core.
I wish to put in a 2×2,5 GHz quad core G5 one 6 ports Small tree card and plug Atto R380 with 2 sonnet DX800 formatted in raid 50 (2 raid 5 formatted in Raid 0, isn’t it ?). I will aggregate the 6 ports of the small tree with the two built in ports to have an eight ports connection and link all them to a switch gigabit.
I wish to connect to this “server” 6 edit station (one of our customer wish to bring his two macpros) with uncompressed SD et apple compressed HD.
Wish model of gigabit switch may I use (I will need 20 ports), and the choice of quad G5 seems to you reliable and delivery enough bandwith ?

REPLY –
your server must be a MAC Pro, not a G5. You cannot edit uncompressed HD over ethernet – the maximum bandwidth is about 90MB/sec, which means only compressed HD like ProRes422HQ (which is about 30MB/sec). There is no reason to create a RAID 50 – the single array at RAID 5 will be fast enough for you to do this. I use Small Tree switches. There is also no reason to add the two native ports on the MAC to your link agg – you will not be able to get support (over iChat) from anyone if you have problems. You will find that as you build this system, you may run into problems. Unless you go thru a dealer, I don’t know who will help you with all the settings. Companies like Small Tree and Maxx Digital sell all this stuff as a turnkey package, and will help you if you get into trouble.

Bob Zelin

[Philippe Perrot]

Thank you for your answer. I didn’t talk about uncompressed HD.
Why the latest model of G5 with 2x 4XPCIE, one 16xPCIE and one 16x couldn’t be the server?
I’m a mac technician since1993 and specialized in post-production and video editing on FCP since 1999 ; sometimes I’m working with dealers for their video customers, so I don’t go to local dealers in Morocco to have help, except Atreïd in France, but he only works with fiber. I’ve already installed and repaired lot of FCP video editing stations.
So I went here for help and learn…
Do you know if Small tree sells outside US ?

Philippe Perrot

[Bob Zelin]

Why the latest model of G5 with 2x 4XPCIE, one 16xPCIE and one 16x couldn’t be the server?

REPLY – Apple no longer makes a G5. You have been a MAC technician since 1993, you should know that the G5 is discontinued, and it is now called the MAC Pro. A Mac Pro can absolutely be the server.

Do you know if Small tree sells outside US ?

REPLY – yes, Small Tree sells internationally.

https://www.small-tree.com
https://www.small-tree.com/contact_us_a/124.htm

Bob Zelin

[Philippe Perrot]

I know that is a discontinued model since 2007, I have one, and for the same reason the last version of FCP doesn’t run on it. This G5 could’t be anymore an edit station in our company, eventualy a ingest station.
Server should be a good recycling for it (small tree card and ATT R380 card seem to be compliant with this computer). That’s the reason why I asked you if there is a technical reason, not factory discontinuity to not use this.
Regards
Philippe Perrot

[Bob Zelin]

the G5 has PCI-X slots. All new cards, like the ATTO R380 and the Small Tree 6 port ethernet card are PCIe. The new cards simply will not fit into an older G5. It will not work.

Your G5 also maxes out at OS-X 10.5.8. Even if you could get the cards to work in your older G5 (which you can’t), your server must be running the same operating system or later than the clients. You can’t have OS-X 10.6 clients with and OS-X 10.5 server.

Bob Zelin

[Dave Klee]

Hey Bob, for a small bit of relatively useless Apple trivia, their very last round of G5 computers known as “Late 2005” (including the 2.5GHz Quad) included PCI Express slots.

https://support.apple.com/kb/sp37

[Philippe Perrot]

Thank you Mr Klee, I talked about this model, 2,5 Ghz Quad who have 4 PCIE ports….
On our network, we still have G5 running on 10.5.8 and Macpros under 10.6.3 and I didn’t get any special troubles with this.
But I followed Bob ‘s advice, I’ve talked to Small Tree people, they are very kind and helpful.
I will try this data share soon.
Regards
Philippe Perrot

[Dave Klee]

Following Bob\’s advice is usually pretty smart. Ideally, you want to keep your server updated ahead of (or the same as) your clients – not the other way around. No harm in an older server as long as it can take the new OS. Unfortunately, as you know, that G5 won\’t go beyond 10.5.8.

Hope everything gets sorted out for you!

[Marcus Lyall]

We tried the G5 and it doesn’t work.
Mac Pro with 8gb of ram is the way to go.

good luck!

[Philippe Perrot]

Thank for your answer. Wich model of G5 did you tried ?