Setting up an xSAN for FCPX for a small studio

[John Davidson]

We’re juuuust about to build a Mac-Mini server using a Sonnet Echo Express Pro, one of our mini-sas RAIDS w/R380, and a Small Tree Gigabit ethernet server card. It connects over ethernet.
This thread has more on it.
https://forums.creativecow.net/readpost/197/858719

I suppose you could daisy chain two Small Tree cards between two Sonnet expresses. We wanted to get the Magma Thunderbolt Chassis, but it’s been awaiting certification since April and still isn’t available. Magma says this could change any day.

I’m going to wait till after Mountain Lion is launched though. Probably in about 2 weeks. New hardware *may* come out (knock on wood).

John Davidson | President / Creative Director | Magic Feather Inc.

[Jeremy Garchow]

Thunderbolt will make a SAN much more affordable, albeit it might not be exactly “easy”.

There are different kinds, and different software, and different ways to connect. Some require a dedicated metadata controller (computer) some don’t.

Make sure to do your research, and buy from a place that will help you set it up and support you through installation.

Xsan locks you to one format, and it’s pretty much OSX only. Xsan also involves a bit of user permission control and is a proprietary file format.

I’m not saying its better or worse, you just have to know what you’re getting in to.

Atto is also launching a variety of thunderbolt connection ports.

[Juan Salvo]

Xsan is an apple branded version of stornext. Which is available on Mac, windows, Linux and some unix versions. It does not in anyway lock you to os x. Infact it probably works better on other platforms.

Colorist | Online Editor | Post Super | VFX Artist | BD Author

https://JuanSalvo.com

[Juan Salvo]

From the sound of it you want a NAS. Which some mistakenly call a SAN. A NAS is a network share, stored on physical media directly attached to server system. The volume is then reshared using a networking protocol like afp, Nfs, smb, etc, to the client systems. Best way to do this for your setup, would be a dedicated server, with attached storage… Using an aggrate link card, sharing to clients with a dedicated network for the shared volume. I’d go over to the storage area network forum to get yelled at by bob zelin about this. There is no faster way to your destination than hiring him,

Colorist | Online Editor | Post Super | VFX Artist | BD Author

https://JuanSalvo.com

[Jeremy Garchow]

So there’s Windws Xsan client software?

[Jeremy Garchow]

Fcpx SAN Locations don’t work on a NAS.

[Juan Salvo]

Yep. Infact stornext makes a specific software version just for that.

https://www.quantum.com/products/software/stornextfx/index.aspx

But it also works with full stornext licenses.

Colorist | Online Editor | Post Super | VFX Artist | BD Author

https://JuanSalvo.com

[Juan Salvo]

Wow if that’s so you’d be looking at a much costlier solution. While a really decent performing NAS could be setup for 5-10 clients for 10-15k or so, for a SAN you’re looking at a low end of 40-50K for the same number of end users.

I suppose that even though SAN locations might be an issue with a network share, you could still be able to use media stored on the network, no? And also maybe setup disk images that lived on the network to put your projects on the NAS?

Colorist | Online Editor | Post Super | VFX Artist | BD Author

https://JuanSalvo.com

[Gerald Baria]

Im getting the impression that we should just hire a professional supplier for this…

Quobetah
New=Better

[Jeremy Garchow]

[Gerald Baria] “Im getting the impression that we should just hire a professional supplier for this…”

That’s what I was hinting at in my first post.

While it’s not impossible, it’s also not super easy. Xsan, in my opinion, might even be a bit more difficult to setup.

It is best to talk with a vendor, yes.

Jeremy