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New Storage Array

i'd be content with the 2tb array, and take the extra few drives and make another server like you planned
 
Well we already have all parts for Unimatrix02 already and it is even built. The only thing we are still working on is what to put on it. We have been researching almost everyday, We have talked to all of the hardware manufacturers and even a few of the OS developers. So far no luck. We have been told by a few individuals to go buy this or that prebuilt-preloaded storage solution. I have concluded either they do not understand that this is a do-it-yourself project or they have not read and understood what we are trying to accomplish.

So moving on....

Well Unimatrix01 is working great so far. I have already dumped much of our data onto it and it has been working great. CPU usage when we have 3 systems dumping to it and 3 reading from it at the same time barely goes to 5%.. We are going to start tearing down the rack that Unimartix01 and Unimartix02 are going into shortly. It is going to get stripped down, cleaned and then we are going to start doing some of the easier modifications. We are still looking for some of the parts that we would like to use, but they will have to wait
 
wow. i'm more than envyous.

let me get with my company's server guys and see what i can find out. i know for a fact we are running several multi terrabyte systems for data backup for 10,000+ users. i'll certainly point them here to this thread.

you've got a great thing going, now you must overcome your software issues. what are your extra small things you keep mentioning that you will need? are you just going to mod out your server rack and use it for unimatrix's or will you also rebuild your other servers into rack moutnable cases?
 
<nazi type="speling">
Is it Unimatrix or Unimartix?
</nazi>

Looks sweet dood. Put Linux on it.
 
...and not in a good way. My two netapp filers sport similar amounts of disk space in slightly different form factors. They sit in a datacenter that's constantly cooled and on other side of soundproof doors and windows from me. I can still feel some vibration through the floor. You're putting both of your servers in the same rack. You're already mentioned how loud it gets. What's heat like? Will both filers running simultaneously generate enough heat to cook everything in the rack above it? What about the room temp? Do you keep an A/C in that room specifically for cooling the racks?

You've mentioned power consumption briefly but along the lines of how much it costs per month and year. Has anybody bothered to determine how much power this will draw? Given the amount of modding you've done to your house, I can only assume and hope you're working with a 300amp or greater panel with a 150amp breaker, subpanel and dedicated wiring in your server room (this has always been my plan if my wife lets me turn the office/guest bedroom into geek/radiation central). I saw at least one UPS in the pics, but practically, equipment of that size is only going to give you a few minutes to unmount any smb shares and down the filers.

Finally, as is implied above, this is a project I've been considering for a year or so now (albeit on a smaller scale). I too had bumped into the linux issues and have similar reservations about beta code. Let me summarize my position as follows:
Even though the code involved may not have the track record of the 2.4 series, a 2.6 kernel with xfs and large block support is pretty stable. Nothing is bullet proof, but since most of your data is static, you could invest the additional 1500 bucks (or borrow from work) an AIT3 or LTO2 drive and a few tapes. Dump the entire array to a few tapes as your baseline and perform incrementals to unimatrix2 running win2003 server (with it's reduced but perceived more reliable storage). I don't know what backup software you use, but with a good level 0 dump and incrementals every 3-7 days, you should almost entirely mitigate the beta code issue. Also, you're contributing back to the linux community b/c so few environments like yours exist. Not much of a summary but to conclude (for those impatient bastards who skim the thread instead of savoring its every post like a fine wine), run win2003 on one and use it for incremental backups, run the other with the linux config that's been discussed until you're comfortable that it's ready for primetime, and cover your asses with a smart backup strategy regardless. How pissed will you be if after all this effort and expense, you get boned and lose your data b/c you didn't have a backup?

good luck!
 
We're anxiously awaiting an update on the status of the collective's construction. C'mon guys throw us something! Anything!

Maybe too late to use in this project, but in early posts there was the mention of building several more of these beasts down the road. Any research into multi-lane SATA? It appears to reduce by 3/4 the amount of cabling from drives to cards. It looks like 3ware is the only company behind it right now but it seems a promising technology.
 
not so much covers as mentions in passing... kernel 2.6.8.1 is still my suggestion.
 
unhappy_mage said:
kernel 2.6.8.1 is still my suggestion.
I'll Throw my vote at that also

Another thing isn't one of those servers pulling back up duties for the other one (i read the whole thread just making sure i understand right)If it is even if you were hesatent to use 2.6.8 if it did fail or get currupted you'd have a back up right?
 
Sad that I came to this game so late-- the pics are now long gone. I would have liked to have seen this. Whatever became of these projects?
 
John G. said:
Sad that I came to this game so late-- the pics are now long gone. I would have liked to have seen this. Whatever became of these projects?
I am wondering the same thing. I wish there were still some pics of the mayhem :)
 
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