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Quick SCSI question

C

cackle

Limp Gawd
Joined
Jul 7, 2002
Messages
270
If I have two 15k SCSI hard drives running off the same 32-bit PCI adapter will I be saturating the buffer? I'm pretty sure that 32-bit PCI only allows for ~100 MB/s transfer, but I know that two hard drives, esp. if they're 15k, can do like ~70 MB/s each.

Thanks.
 
Your drives and your scsi card both have a maximum data transfer rate. Look these up and that'll tell you how fast the drives can transfer. Two drives probably won't saturate the bus unless you are doing constant reads from each drive at the same time. Shit I'm too tired to think straight.
 
I was planning on having one drive be my OS and the other be for gaming, and the drive that I plan on using has a max burst rate of around 70 MB/s so if I happened to be playing a game I might saturate the bus, I suppose. How much of a slowdown would this cause?
 
As long as your SCSI card is U160 you will be ok. Technically your drives could saturate the PCI bus with data but I really doubt both drives will ever be hitting their maximum transfer rate at the same time. The 70MB/s is a peak value and is rarely sustained over a long period of time. If both drives did reach their 70MB/s at the same time and saturated the PCI bus you wouldn't notice any slowdown or anything.
 
iirc, the seagate cheetah 15k.3's average 65MB/sec read, and with two of them in raid 0, they average 120MB/sec with a 135MB/sec burst. But since you're not running them in raid, it's unlikely you'll be loading from both of them at the same time, so you're safe :)
 
All right, sweet. Now I just have to find a good adapter with two connectors. Any suggestions?
 
for a PCI 2.2 a Adaptec 19160 is more than enough for 2 15K drive..
unless you planning for further upgrades base on SCSI products.
 
you can run 2 SCSI drives on the same cable without a penalty(i think), it's not like IDE.
 
Originally posted by felix88
you can run 2 SCSI drives on the same cable without a penalty(i think), it's not like IDE.
Click to expand...

That is correct. You only need one connection with enough bandwidth for each drive. A single U160 channel would be fine for this because your drives are never going to saturate 160MB/s even in Raid 0. The one linked below is quite popular, performs well, and usually fits the bill.

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=16-118-009&depa=0

If you plan on adding more drives in the future along with a motherboard that supports 64-bit PCI then get a dual channel card, one that supports 64-bit PCI obviously.
 
Originally posted by aug1516
That is correct. You only need one connection with enough bandwidth for each drive. A single U160 channel would be fine for this because your drives are never going to saturate 160MB/s even in Raid 0. The one linked below is quite popular, performs well, and usually fits the bill.

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=16-118-009&depa=0

If you plan on adding more drives in the future along with a motherboard that supports 64-bit PCI then get a dual channel card, one that supports 64-bit PCI obviously.
Click to expand...

Wow, thanks a TON! That's an awesome price and just what I need. I guess I'll have to find a cheap LVD cable with two connectors and a terminator.

This thread gives me faith in the usefullness of the internet. =)

Oh, and my plan was to get two Fujitsu MAM3184MC drives here:
http://www.computergiants.com/items/one_item.asp?part=53980&cat=5&subsubcat=1984

I'd probably get the one year warranty at least since they are "recertified."

I may be able to get a drive with more space on it since the adapter will be so much cheaper. Anyway, thanks again.
 
Any reason in particular why you went with those 15k SCSI drives? They are ok performers but certainly not the best and I doubt they are the best deal out there, even with that price. Many of the more modern 10k drives (SCSI & SATA) beat that drive out in most benchmarks except for access time. Any reason why you are going with two 18gb drives instead of 1 36gb? For the price of both those drives you could get a single refurbished 15k.3 36gb from Hypermicro that would perform better.
 
i actually have the card you are looking at, got it at hypermicro some time back.

i agree with aug1516, go with a 36GB 15k.3.
 
cackle: those drives are also 80pin drives, meaning you'll need to get an adapter for each of them. better to go with the 15k.3 :)
 
Originally posted by Neb
cackle: those drives are also 80pin drives, meaning you'll need to get an adapter for each of them. better to go with the 15k.3 :)
Click to expand...

Good catch, good converters usually run me about $20 each. The refurbed Seagate drives are 80-pin but come with converters. You may also want to check out the local FS/FT forum right here at the [H]. Often some good SCSI stuff for sale for good prices.
 
You guys are talking about this drive?

http://www.hypermicro.com/product.asp?pf_id=HDSE112&dept_id=06-005

I was looking at the other drive because the 73gig version is first place on the leaderboard at Storagereview.com and I figured that the 18 wouldn't lag *too* far behind that, but perhaps I'm wrong. Also, storagereview said that the drive was quieter (from a high-pitched whine sense) than the 15k.3 and some Maxtor drive.

Here's the review I'm referencing:

http://www.storagereview.com/articles/200304/20030429MAS3735_1.html

(btw, the MAM3184MC is supposedly the same as the MAS3184, as per the description of it on the computergiants page)
 
They are different drives despite what Computer Giants may have said. The one you are looking at is the first gen 15k by Fujitsu I believe and does not perform near as well as the newest MAS models. Use the performance database at storagereview and compare the two models if you would like. The Fujitsu MAS drives do seem a bit quieter than the Seagates and Maxtors but the drive you are looking at is not that drive.

*Edit* Yes, that drive you linked wouldbe the one I was referring to.
 
Originally posted by cackle
You guys are talking about this drive?

http://www.hypermicro.com/product.asp?pf_id=HDSE112&dept_id=06-005

I was looking at the other drive because the 73gig version is first place on the leaderboard at Storagereview.com and I figured that the 18 wouldn't lag *too* far behind that, but perhaps I'm wrong. Also, storagereview said that the drive was quieter (from a high-pitched whine sense) than the 15k.3 and some Maxtor drive.

Here's the review I'm referencing:

http://www.storagereview.com/articles/200304/20030429MAS3735_1.html

(btw, the MAM3184MC is supposedly the same as the MAS3184, as per the description of it on the computergiants page)
Click to expand...

The MAS3184 is part of the 3100 series they (MAS) have FDB...the MAP and MAM do not. they are not the same drives. read my sig, I wouldnt have this drive-> MAS3184 18GB 15K RPM,if it was a NON FDB for the money.and especially not in 15K RPM trim....this thing blazes.
 
Yeah I looked around on the Fujitsu webpage and the MAM is actually a sixth generation Fujitsu drive while the MAS is the seventh (and newest) generation drive, so they are obviously different in some ways. I'm definitely going to try and go for the MAS and not the MAM.

I checked the faq and I googled for a bit, but I couldn't find a definition for FDB. I assume it must mean something like forward disk buffering or somesuch, and in any case it obviously enhances performance.

Anywho, does anyone know if the MAS3184 is the same thing as the MAS3184NC and the MAS3184NP but with a 68 pin config as opposed to an 80 pin config? The reason I ask is that I have a good deal on a MAS3184NC.

Thanks.
 
FDB = Fluid Dynamic Bearings

drives with this feature are generally a little quiter than ones without.
 
Originally posted by cackle
Yeah I looked around on the Fujitsu webpage and the MAM is actually a sixth generation Fujitsu drive while the MAS is the seventh (and newest) generation drive, so they are obviously different in some ways. I'm definitely going to try and go for the MAS and not the MAM.

I checked the faq and I googled for a bit, but I couldn't find a definition for FDB. I assume it must mean something like forward disk buffering or somesuch, and in any case it obviously enhances performance.

Anywho, does anyone know if the MAS3184 is the same thing as the MAS3184NC and the MAS3184NP but with a 68 pin config as opposed to an 80 pin config? The reason I ask is that I have a good deal on a MAS3184NC.

Thanks.
Click to expand...

68-pin and 80-pin variants are both the same drive, just different interfaces. Just remember that if you get the 80-pin you need an adapter so figure that into the cost of the drive.
 
Yeah I figure an extra $20 won't be too bad. The deal for the drive is pretty good.
 
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