[Tim Kentley]

Hi Bob,

thanks for that and agree, but could you clarify – we know the 180MB/s limit on 10GBe is for AFP (and this may change soon) – but would it be for metaLAN/SAN? ie: could you get 400MB/s or more with metaLAN, allowing 444 HD/2k over a 10GB/e fabric. I emailed their support, and they said it should be as fast as the network can do hardware wise…. but i would love to know if anyone has PHYSICALLY tested it…

because if it does, the ADVANTAGE is that the ethernet fabric allows fast data across all machines, which is a huge advantage over just those on a FC fabric. not every machine will need HD streaming, but having all the offline, graphics stations accessing data at high rates, is very attractive for a studio environment – as apposed to shoving a expensive FC card in every box, and some madly expensive FC switch…

and just a comment on this line:
No one is going to just “come in and plug in their laptop” without you paying for a licensed copy of MetaLAN client software, and have someone configure the “server” to “add” this new user.

I believe you can still have afp running, allowing the odd macbook (because no one in post houses uses windows lappys 🙂 to connect and transfer data, of course without the speed but also without the client software. this is a small, but important feature for real world use, as you always have directors/clients coming in and letting them share data easily like this removes a pain in the butt of usb sticks and burning dvd’s etc…

tim

[Tim Kentley]

guys – there is a BIG question here you are not considering that MAY be the revolution:
in a nutshell – can you do this with 10GBe? then its not just SD. Its HD. For everyone. On the CHEAP.
In fact, at 1,250MB/s on 10GBe, its 4K for everyone…..

SUGGESTED SYSTEM
1 to 7xHDpro rackmount into Xserve.
dual port 10GB/e out of XSERVE.
1 port goes direct to MacPro for HD/2K/4K with data quota control.
1 port goes to 48port gigabit switch with dual 10GB/e expansion ports. Jumbo frames, bonded gigabit.
metaLAN runs the connects. for the rest of the studio/renderfarm.

now I know you can do this with afp, BUT the catch is, AFP has a limit of 180MB/s.
so the REAL question is, whats the data limit on metaLAN?
Its hardware agnostic, so the only thing to do is hook in 7 HDpros at 2GB/s and give the system a crank – any takers???

Tim / XYZ Studios