SCSI Disk/Controller advice please
Hi.
For the first time I'm gonna setup a server with SCSI disks (until now
I've done it only with IDE - regular ATA or SATA)
I'm getting a completly new server (P4 3Ghz, Dual-Channel DDR 400, MB
with intel chipset) and, while I have a good ideia on these components,
I would like to setup a RAID-1 system with SCSI disks...
I'm looking for advice on these: wich scsi controller should I buy?
Software or Hardware RAID-1? Wich disk brand? (I'm getting a couple of
36GB, it is more than enough space for my setup)
Which are the tradeoffs of hard vs software raid1? What happens/How do
we proceed if 1 disk fails (how do we know it, how do we replace/resync
them?)
This server can be shutdown for maintenance at off-work hours, so I
don't need any hot-plugging capability.. (this is a controller feature,
right?)
I'm quite confused about all the SCSI variations..
This is what I've found so far are somewhat like this:
- SCSI disks, all Ultra320Wide:
Seagate Cheetah 10K 68 pin, 36Gb - 160 EUR
Fujitsu 10K 68 pin, 36Gb - 150 EUR
Fujitsu 10K SCA/80pin, 36Gb - 150 EUR
Fujitsu 15K 68 pin, 18Gb - 185 EUR
Fujitsu 15K SCA/80pin, 18Gb - 185 EUR
Ok, no problem with these... any brand/model suggestions?
- Controllers
Several Adaptec SCSI Cards from 200 to 400 EUR, wich can have:
- 32 or 64bit
- 160MB or Ultra320
- Raid (or not, when they say nothing.. I think) (the RAID ones start
at 400 EUR and I've seen up to 950 EUR)
I'm confused... none of the descriptions of the Adaptec controller I've
seen state the connectors (68/80 pins)... now add more controller to the
mess:
Tekram PCI DC395UW - 56 EUR
Tekram PCI DC390U2B - 102 EUR
Tekram PCI DC390U2W Ultra 2 Low WIDE SCSI - 126 EUR
Tekram PCI DC390U3W Ultra 3 WIDE SCSI 160 - 182 EUR
Tekram PCI DC390U4W Ultra 4 WIDE SCSI 320 - 223 EUR
Damn... Really confused... Please confirm these toughs also:
UltraWideSCSI = 68 pin ... What is "2", "3" or "4" ?!? These seem
"similar" to ATA 66/100/133 - the bus speed, is that it?
So, what's SCA? None of these controllers says SCA...
Any help?
Ps: I supose getting a SCSI crontroller built-in on the motherboard is
stupid? Those are low-value/performance controllers?
Thanks
Joao Clemente
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