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Message-ID: <b42b73150608090926j2d328188x6f2f6ecb9177da0e@mail.gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 9 Aug 2006 12:26:21 -0400
From: "Merlin Moncure" <mmoncure@gmail.com>
To: "Kenji Morishige" <kenjim@juniper.net>
Subject: Re: most bang for buck with ~ $20,000
Cc: "Arjen van der Meijden" <acmmailing@tweakers.net>,
	pgsql-performance@postgresql.org
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References: <20060808204354.GN29379@juniper.net>
	<44D9741A.9090303@tweakers.net> <20060809063014.GO6418@juniper.net>

On 8/9/06, Kenji Morishige <kenjim@juniper.net> wrote:
> I have unlimited rack space, so 2U is not the issue. The boxes are stored in
> our lab for internal software tools.  I'm going to research those boxes you
> mention.  Regarding the JBOD enclosures, are these generally just 2U or 4U
> units with SCSI interface connectors?  I didn't see these types of boxes
> availble on Dell website, I'll look again.
> -Kenji
>
> On Wed, Aug 09, 2006 at 07:35:22AM +0200, Arjen van der Meijden wrote:
> > With such a budget you should easily be able to get something like:
> > - A 1U high-performance server (for instance the Dell 1950 with 2x
> > Woodcrest 5160, 16GB of FB-Dimm memory, one 5i and one 5e perc raid
> > controller and some disks internally)
> > - An external SAS direct attached disks storage enclosure full with 15k
> > rpm 36GB disks (for instance the MD1000, with 15x 36GB 15k disks)
> >
> > Going for the dell-solution would set you back "only" (including
> > savings) about $13-$14k. HP offers a similar solutions (a HP DL360G5 or
> > a DL380G5/DL385 with two MSA50's for instance) which also fit in your
> > budget afaik. The other players tend to be (a bit) more expensive, force
> > you to go with Fibre Channel or "ancient" SCSI external storage ;)
> >
> > If you'd like to have a product by a generic vendor, have a look at the
> > Adaptec JS50 SAS Jbod enclosure or Promise's Vtrak 300 (both offer 12
> > sas/sata bays in 2U) for storage.

I am really curious about the Adaptec SAS product to see what it can
do.  If you don't know what SAS is, it is Sata Attached SCSI.  SAS
cables use 4 sata lanes (3gb/sec each) bonded together in a single
cable.  The raid is handled with via the raid controller or the o/s in
a software configuration.

SAS is the evolution of SCSI and I think will ultimately replace scsi
in enterprise setups becuase it is faster, cheaper, and more flexible.
 SAS enclosures generally accept sata or sas drives in mix/match
configurations.  so, you get to choose between cheap, large, 7200 rpm
sata drives or small, expensive sas 10k or 15k rpm drives  *in the
same enclosure*.  You also get a compromise drive in the form of the
raptor which is 10k rpm sata drive.

You could buy a 2u 12 drive SAS encloure (3000$), 12 150g raptors
(3000$) and spend another grand on cables/controller and have a
hellishly performing raid system for the money assuming sas performs
like it does on paper.  note that i would not be trying this with my
own money unless I was guaranteed a money back rma for a 30 day
evaluation period.

that would leave you with 12 grand or so to pick up a quad (8 core)
opeteron if you bought it right.

regards,
merlin