Thunderbolt SAN switch

[Steve Chandler]

Nope! 😀

But thank you for the info Bob, I wasn’t aware of that. In with the helpful info as always.

I mean it looks very cool, but we’ve made a conscious decision to look at the cool toys from a distance right when they come out. We’re tired of changing our workflow just to accomodate new tech that is (usually) limited and proprietary as a result.

That said, I am slowly falling in love with this enclosure. I wish I had a chance to try out an Accusys system just for kicks, as they seem to do innovative stuff that works well. The XSan functionalitty says a lot about the flexibility of the device too – and it fits nicely with the simplicity of the new XSan 4 software. Building a custom solution for the new XSan 4 version is a HUGE chore, so it’s cool that this is inadvertently a plug and play solution for that.

Since we’re kind of talking about Thunderbolt shared storage now, I’d just like to play devil’s advocate and point out some flaws I do still see with the idea:

1. Cable length. Those super long optical Thunderbolt cables were super expensive last I checked! And I bleive there’s still a limit? I might be wrong. Fact is, the 10k price tag is preeetty good, so I guess you make up for the cost a little bit there.

2. Compatibility. This is the big one for me. You basically have to use a new Mac Pro. End of story. Or I guess some weird Intel Hackintosh could work too? But who wants to do that, come on now (deep down, I want to do that).

[Crystal Ho]

Dear Steve,

Glad to know your thoughts and know you are interested in Accusys Thunderbolt shareable storage, we will be glad to provide you demo unit for free trial, so welcome to drop me an email at crystal_ho@accusys.com.tw and let us know your location.

Thanks,
Crystal

[Jimmy Holcomb]

Has this been tested yet? If so what are the read/write speeds?

[Bob Zelin]

Hi Jimmy –
has WHAT been tested ? There is no such thing as a Thunderbolt switch. It does not exist.
Accusys has a Thunderbolt shared storage system. It starts with 64 TB, and requires some computer (like a Mac Mini running Apple XSAN) to be the Metadata manager. This Mac Mini takes up one of the four ports available, leaving THREE thunderbolt ports that you can connect three Apple Thunderbolt based computers, to have shared storage for these three computers.

There is no way to add a forth or more thunderbolt computers. There is no Thunderbolt switch.

How fast is it ? Very fast – I believe its over 800 MB/sec (RED 6K requires only 143 MB/sec).

The Accusys system is $10,000 for 64 TB. This does not include the Mac Mini (or similar) for the Metadata manager. You can also use Tiger Technology Tiger Share as the software instead of Apple XSAN.

Does this answer your question ? Are you ready to buy this ?

Bob Zelin

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

[Jimmy Holcomb]

Sorry, I should have said the “The Accuses system”.

Well that sounds like a perfect solution for location editing. And now with less loud little boxes and cables. This sound like a more elegant solution than the one we set up in Atlanta for the MOW.

Will I buy, sure on the next location movie I produce.

Thanks Bob

[Crystal Ho]

Hello Jimmy,

You may want to take a look of Accusys thunderbolt share storage A16T2-SHare performance testing made by Tweaktown:
https://www.tweaktown.com/reviews/7535/accusys-exasan-a16t2-share-thunderbolt-2-storage-san-review/index5.html

[Sergio Sanchez]

Maybe the QNAP TVS-1282T3 is similar of what you are looking for. You can plug 4 systems with Thunderbolt and it acts as a 10GBE switch.

https://youtu.be/S5ns59jDdIg

[Bob Zelin]

wow – the desperation for a thunderbolt shared storage system. While I might be wrong (and I probably am), this is what I observe. I apologize if I am making assumptions about you –

1) you think that this is just going to plug in and work, without configuration, just like you plug in a Promise R6 or R8 thunderbolt array – it’s NOT !
2) products like the Accusys and QNAP allow for direct thunderbolt connection (Accusys allows for 3 connections, no expandability, and requires a metadata server like XSAN or Tiger Technologies with licenses). QNAP allows for FOUR thunderbolt 3 connections, with no licenses and no metadata server requirement . So right away, the QNAP is more appealing. But a thunderbolt 3 cable can be a maximum length of 2 meters. So you are going to have all your editors at the same desk, on each corner with the QNAP in the middle, and everyone working 6 feet away from each other on the same desk, with the QNAP in the middle ?

SO – what you need to purchase is CORNING OPTICAL Thunderbolt 2 cables (there is no corning thunderbolt 3 optical cable). And these are EXPENSIVE. On the thunderbolt 3 QNAP, you would need thunderbolt 3 to thunderbolt 2 adaptors (no I have not tested to see if this work) to get your Corning Thunderbolt 2 cable to work into the QNAP Thunderbolt 3 port. And when you do this, you will only get thunderbolt 2 speeds. The QNAP boards are dual port thunderbolt 3 boards (and there are two of them) – so when you use both ports this will split the bandwidth to the normal thunderbolt 2 speeds (same as 10G Ethernet). And for the QNAP, you are still using thunderbolt bridging, which means that you connect to your Mac, and assign a static IP address on a different subnet for each Mac thunderbolt port, and each QNAP thunderbolt port.

I believe the desperation of the thunderbolt switch, or thunderbolt networking, is to make it easy – plug and play, and THIS IS NOT THE CASE.

It is just as easy, and much cheaper (since so many QNAP’s come with free 10GbE ports) to use dirt cheap Cat 6 Ethernet cables to connect your multiple computers to your QNAP – either directly, or with a small netgear 10G switch.
If you get a QNAP TVS-871T, this is under $2700, (you need to add drives) and it comes with four 1G ports and 2 10G ports – all built in. The setup for doing the thunderbolt ports on the TVS-1282T3 is as simple, or as complex as doing the 10G ports – all with a lot less aggravation using the 10G ports (mainly because you can buy a $12 dollar 50 foot Cat 6 cable, and not have to work at the same desk as your buddy with his Thunderbolt 3 laptop.

And in December, Apple will release the iMac Pro which will come FOR FREE with a 10GbE port that will plug directly into the QNAP 10G port (or an inexpensive Netgear 10G switch).

SO – does Thunderbolt 3 work with the QNAP – yes it does. Is it realistic for your application – probably not.
And even if it is exactly what you want, this is no “plug and play” solution – you have to configure the QNAP, and your Mac.

Bob Zelin

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