Date: Mon, 14 Jan 2019 09:10:43 -0500 From: Ken Merry <ken@kdm.org> To: Scott Long <scottl@samsco.org>, Dan Langille <dan@langille.org> Cc: freebsd-scsi@freebsd.org Subject: Re: Looking for PCI express SCSI diff card recommendations Message-ID: <36153F07-0FE2-4DD5-9BD9-EBD18F88FC10@kdm.org> In-Reply-To: <9C8F819A-7B8F-46C8-90E7-BDD16C785BD8@samsco.org> References: <9D2ED808-CE43-41BE-9698-45F0D85843A7@langille.org> <9C8F819A-7B8F-46C8-90E7-BDD16C785BD8@samsco.org>
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So, if you=E2=80=99re interested in newer tape drives / libraries, the = connection options are FC, SAS or (lately) RoCE. The first two work = fine, but I have yet to be able to test/qualify a RoCE drive with = FreeBSD. For FC, get a Qlogic board (up to 16Gb is supported now) or a = 16Gb or newer Emulex board. Both drivers support FC-Tape. I have had = much more experience with the Qlogic driver, but the Emulex driver does = seem to work fine. For SAS, get an LSI/Broadcom 12Gb or 6Gb board. = They support TLR, which is the SAS equivalent of FC-Tape. The only current tape drive vendor is IBM, and you can get LTO (LTO-8 is = the latest, 12TB/30TB per tape) or TS drives (TS1160 is the latest, = 20TB/50TB) from them. TS only makes sense for people with a big = enterprise budget. I believe HP stopped making their own tape drives at LTO-6. Anything = HP-branded that is LTO-7 or newer is going to be an IBM drive under the = hood. If you want a tape library, there are a number of options. I know from = copious experience (yes I work there) that Spectra Logic libraries work = well with FreeBSD, and their support is good. IBM should also work = fine, and really, most libraries should work with FreeBSD without an = issue. If you want to use LTFS on FreeBSD, I ported IBM=E2=80=99s LTFS to = FreeBSD: https://github.com/LinearTapeFileSystem/ltfs = <https://github.com/LinearTapeFileSystem/ltfs>; You would need an IBM LTO-5 or newer tape drive. LTFS is helpful, but = keep in mind it isn=E2=80=99t a backup package in and of itself. It = doesn=E2=80=99t manage multiple tapes, it just gives you a filesystem on = a tape. As for SCSI adapters, I have a several ahc(4) boards in a machine = running FreeBSD/head and talking to SCSI and CD devices. The driver = seems to work fine. One thing to consider if you=E2=80=99re switching machines and looking = at buying new hardware, is whether your current tape library is still = sufficient for your needs in terms of speed and capacity. Rather than = putting the money towards an LVD to HVD converter, you could put it = toward a new tape drive or library. Another thing to consider is using hard drives for backup. That might = work, depending on your requirements for durability and shelf life for = the media. I=E2=80=99m guessing that buying a number of enterprise SATA = (or SAS) drives would probably be cheaper than buying even a used = library, media and FC or SAS card. Ken =E2=80=94=20 Ken Merry ken@FreeBSD.ORG > On Jan 13, 2019, at 5:27 PM, Scott Long <scottl@samsco.org> wrote: >=20 > Hi Dan, >=20 > I don=E2=80=99t know of any PCI Express cards that do SCSI, much less = HVD SCSI. You might need to start looking at SAS or Fibre Channel for = future tape drives. Ken Merry would be a good person asl about those. >=20 > Scott >=20 >=20 >> On Jan 13, 2019, at 3:22 PM, Dan Langille <dan@langille.org> wrote: >>=20 >> I have an existing SCSI differential PCI card which works. I want to = consolidate >> some services into another chassis, so I am looking for a similar / = equivalent card >> for a PCIE slot. >>=20 >> This is a photo of the connector, showing the SCS symbol. = https://twitter.com/DLangille/status/1084566640887562240 = <https://twitter.com/DLangille/status/1084566640887562240>; >>=20 >> I am looking for help in locating a replacement. I do not know what = to search for. >>=20 >> I think that is a n HD68 connector, but I'm failing to find something = on eBay. >>=20 >> Guidance please, especially if you can think of a model number to = search for. >>=20 >> Thank you. >>=20 >> --=20 >> Dan Langille - BSDCan / PGCon >> dan@langille.org >>=20 >>=20 >>=20 >> _______________________________________________ >> freebsd-scsi@freebsd.org mailing list >> https://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-scsi >> To unsubscribe, send any mail to = "freebsd-scsi-unsubscribe@freebsd.org" >=20 > _______________________________________________ > freebsd-scsi@freebsd.org mailing list > https://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-scsi > To unsubscribe, send any mail to = "freebsd-scsi-unsubscribe@freebsd.org"
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