Date: Tue, 29 Feb 2000 18:58:49 -0800 From: Mike Smith <msmith@freebsd.org> To: Matthew Thyer <Matthew.Thyer@dsto.defence.gov.au> Cc: freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.org, msmith@FreeBSD.org Subject: Re: DPT or Mylex for hardware RAID ? Message-ID: <200003010258.SAA01640@mass.cdrom.com> In-Reply-To: Your message of "Wed, 01 Mar 2000 12:20:35 %2B1030." <38BC776B.7E20157B@dsto.defence.gov.au>
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> I will be setting up a largish file server on FreeBSD 4.0-RELEASE > (or maybe 3.4-RELEASE if 4.0 has problems). Use 4.0 for best hardware RAID support. > The RAID questions come later in this email (for Mike). > > The client wishes to have a hot pluggable hardware RAID solution > (which I assume will mandate SCSI drives unfortunately). Correct. You will also need a SAF-TE enclosure to implement this. > My ideas for hardware are as follows: > > - Dual processor Pentium III 600 (or 700) > - ABit BP6 motherboard If you're going to use such honkin' processors, consider using a better board, such as the Intel L450GX+. > - IBM DPTA series (or better) 20 GB (17 GB) UDMA 66 drive for OS This is silly. Boot from the array. What use is reliable storage if you don't use it to improve your reliability? > Firstly, do you think this is a good hardware selection in terms of > - Motherboard... what better dual proc motherboards would people > use ? With RAID controllers using 160MB drives do I need a > 160 MB SCSI controller and if so should I be using a 64bit PCI > slot ? Since the RAID controller has its SCSI ports onboard, you don't want or need a SCSI controller. The only RAID controller on the market I'm aware of with Ultra-160 capability is the Mylex AcceleRAID 352, and we don't support that yet (waiting for hardware and documentation). > - CPU/Motherboard/RAM selection..... I'd probably like PC133 SDRAM > and dont want to pay for ECC RAM. Intel are having problems > delivering their faster CPUs so I might have to go dual PIII 533 > (133 MHz FSB) as opposed to 550s (which are only 100 MHz FSB). You have a pricing dichotomy here. Don't think that you're doing anyone a favour saving such a tiny amount of money. > I'd like to know peoples thoughts on which hardware RAID controller > is most supported under 4.0 and 3.4. Either a SCSI:SCSI controller from eg. Infortrend, or use a Mylex PCI:SCSI controller (my personal recommendation). > Firstly, are there any hardware RAID controllers that use UDMA 66 > drives (as they are way cheaper--- IBM DPTA or better naturally). None that you would want to use in this application. > - Any preferences for Mylex over DPT ? Yes. We have driver support for current Mylex products. 8) -- \\ Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. \\ Mike Smith \\ Tell him he should learn how to fish himself, \\ msmith@freebsd.org \\ and he'll hate you for a lifetime. \\ msmith@cdrom.com To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-questions" in the body of the message
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