sas fileserver

[Michael West <web@mitzit.net>]

     I have been asked to help with getting a server for SAS.  One of
     the large expenses of this is the 200Gb+ RAID-5 disk on the EMC frame.
     When presented with $$$$$ the question came, can't I just get
     something I can put under my desk and save $$$$$? 

     The SAS server will be on WIN2K.  I am thinking of using Debian
     with software RAID and SAMBA.  I have had good experience with this.
     Maybe even use the 8mg cache western digital IDE drives.  We only expect a
     dozen users simultaneous or so, but working with large datasets.  
     
     I have never seen anything about the best configuration of a file
     server with few connections and gobs of data being used per
     connection.  

     Does anyone have experience with something similar?  How will SAMBA
     perform when hammered by SAS?   

     For the purposes of this thread, let us assume that the maintenance,
     service, backup and recovery and such is satisfactorily worked out.
     They are the major problems, but I am looking for advice on just
     the fileserver question.