Raid For Multiple Edit Workstations

[Bob Zelin]

there is no such thing as a drive array that can connect to multiple computers. Period. No matter what your budget it. You can have a NAS (network attached storage), or a SAN (shared area network). This means that you will connect one of these products (discussed every damn day on Creative Cow) to a switch (no, not the $80 Netgear switch at Office Depot or Staples), and connect to the Ethernet ports of your computers that you want to use for shared storage.

If you expect to play back video from this shared drive, you must have a multiport ethenret card, or a 10G Ethernet card, or a fibre channel system implemented in this configuration.

While you see forums and banner ads from countless companies that advertise right here on Creative Cow (you are looking at them right now), that make exactly what you need – you may say “well, isn’t there something cheaper that I can get”. So you look at companies like QNAP, Synology and Other World Computing. These three companies make wonderful shared NAS drives, and their products (when you are done) are over your budget. The $600 QNAP NAS is NOT going to provide you with shared video storage. However, QNAP and Synology and Other World Computing (and lots of other companies that appear on Creative Cow every day) make solutions for under $10,000 that will do exactly what you want.

But you now say “but I only have $3000 – what can I do for $3000” –
I have a simple answer for you – NOTHING – you can’t have shared storage – period.

Even if Thunderbolt networking worked (and it does not work), you would need a new Mac Pro ($3000) and a big disk drive array, and Corning Optiocal cables to your Thunderbolt Mac’s to get this to work. So once again, we exceed your budget.

Sorry – no shared storage for you.

Bob Zelin
ps – Studio Network Solutions has a $4700 solution for 4 users, but this $4700 solution is not expandable, and does not include the drives in that price. And no, Drobo does not make anything – nor do they claim to make anything that does video shared storage.

Bob Zelin

Bob Zelin
Rescue 1, Inc.
bobzelin@icloud.com

[Clemens Fischer]

Thank you very much for your answer and your time, Bob!
I appreciate it very much to get a professional answer like yours.

2 more questions:

1. I have read about the “Final Share 10G”. I have a 2×2,66 Ghz 6-Core Intel Xeon Mac Pro with 64GB and very fast internal Raid. Could it be possible to use that Mac Pro as a “server” and buy a 10Gig ethernet NIC Card and the special switch? If yes, do you know the price? And: Does it make sense to use the system without the described RAID?

2. The Studio Networt Solutions 4700 USD solution would be ok for us, if it’s easy to setup and use. Any experience with that?

Best regards,
Clemens

[Bob Zelin]

The Studio Network Solutions Prodigy comes standard with four 1G Ethernet ports. You must add drives to this system. Typically a dealer will assist you (for a fee) to make this work for you, and to show you how to use it. Most companies like Studio Network Solutions offer support contracts, that will allow you to contact them, to ask questions, and help you with problems that you encounter.

I am unfamiliar with dealers in Austria that sell any of these systems, however.

Bob Zelin

Bob Zelin
Rescue 1, Inc.
bobzelin@icloud.com

[Clemens Fischer]

Hello Bob!

Just wanted to update our old conversation:

Since 4 Weeks we use a QNAP TVS-871 in combination with Myricom RJ45 in our “old” MacPro’s and the Sonnet Twin 10G Thunderbolt2 Dual-Port 1 for our MacBook Pro’s.

It works fantastic. We reach around 1000 MB tranfer-rate.

Best,
Clemens