Raid Recommendations?

[Lance Bachelder]

Another very cool system we looked at that’s even faster is the iStor. It uses iSCSI protocol with no per seat charge and you can direct connect 8 users with no switch! The only extra cost is the iSCSI initiator software for OSX and a good Alacritech iSCSI card (you can use built-in ethernet ports).

I really wanted to install this system and test it out and iStor was willing to give us a test system but it was vetoed by our producer for debatable reasons.

If it was my studio I would have given it a good shakedown.

https://www.istor.com/

Lance Bachelder
Southern California

[Bob Zelin]

If you are able to do DVCProHD and ProRes422 on your system with MetaLAN, using only a conventional SATA array (and the R380 card) and a MAC Pro as the server, why arent’ you happy? According to the MetaLAN info, if you did want more speed or performance, you could add a second server, or hookup dual ethernet ports per MAC to the GigE switch, to get more bandwidth – isnt’ this all you need for “compressed HD”.

Bob Zelin

[Bob Zelin]

Hi Lance –
could you email me your phone # at
maxavid@cfl.rr.com

this is the AJA forum, and I don’t want to discuss this topic on their time.

Thanks –
Bob Zelin

[Lance Bachelder]

I’m real happy with MetaLan – we looked at iStor before we ordered our current raid – I was really impressed by the iStor system though we never got to put it through it’s paces in a production environment. I really think iSCSI is a cool way to set up a SAN that’s all.

Lance Bachelder
Southern California

[Peter Brauner]

[Lance Bachelder] “Another option would be to put 2 port Small Tree cards in Macs that need more bandwidth – dedicated cards are supposed to outperform built-in ports but I haven’t tested that yet.”

Another tip on that solution:

As of Mac OS X 10.4 server you can trunk the dual ethernetports that is built in to the Mac Pros and I think some of the later G5. I know the feature is available in 10.5 client aswell but i´m not really sure if it is server exlusive on 10.4. MetaLAN is not yet ready for Leopard but they state that they are working on it and will have an update in the next few weeks.
Very easy to set up and is compliant with 802.3ad. I guess this solution woun´t bring you all the way up to a dualport Small Tree adapter but pretty close.

Google on the subject if you want to check it out.

Peter Brauner
VFX Artist
Effektfabriken
http://www.effektfabriken.se