Battle of The Performance Monsters, SCSI + RAID related. (Advice Please)

[HungryForHertz]

Hello all!

At the end of April/beginning of May I intend to build a cutting edge, sky high benchmarking rig. A true titan. I admit to being a dreadful perfectionist and having a mental addiction for cutting edge stuff :D (stupidly expensive:(). I'm pretty clear on the other ideas and intended products (can you say FX-53?:cool: )

Enough of my phycotic babble onto the subject; Which hard drive will give me the best performance?

Western Raptor 74 GB (SATA) (http://www.dealtime.co.uk/xPF-Western_Western_Digital_Raptor_74GB_Hard) Vs. IBM 146.8 GB (SCSI) (http://uk.insight.com/apps/productpresentation/index.php?product_id=IBGA03AL9&src=DTU3#top) Vs. Maxtor Atlas 15K 36.7 GB (SCSI) (http://uk.insight.com/apps/productpresentation/index.php?product_id=MXGA03HFZ&src=DTU3)

The Raptors would be configured in RAID 0 and I had that idea with the SCSI IBMs and Maxtors but I read that RAID 0 with SCSI can saturate the connection? So I was thinking 0 + 1 or is that unnecessary?

Anyway, the Maxtor has a faster seek time (the fastest there is:drool: and claimed to be the fastest in the world) and transmits at 320MB/s (as does the IBM). The IBM and Raptor spin at 10K whereas the Maxtor spins at 15K.

Enlighten me. :)

Thanks in advance,

Joe.

[FireMogle]

If you want SCSI RAID you really do need a larger bus than PCI. PCI 64 and/or PCI 66 and if you can find it the new PCI (PCI X or express or whaterver) will give you more bandwith to play with although these options usually only come on workstation(dual+) boards.
And then you need a controller. If you want to boot from this array you need a SCSI RAID controller, and they are pricey. Search around pricewatch or ebay and you will find several hundred dollers is normal.
Then you need any of the SCSI drives for the array.
Then Cable/Terminator to cap off the SCSI array.

If you are looking for PCI-32, then I would suggest the raptors. It would be easier and cheaper, along with filling most of the bus it has to run on.

[HungryForHertz]

I see.

I had seen it as being a problem, finding a mobo with PCI Express and SCSI support, that takes a AMD FX processor (mainly because they don't exist). I'm aware the cost is big, but I've seen well priced SCSI RAID 0 controllers around, so thats not to much of a problem. Not sure about the terminator though?

[FireMogle]

The terminator goes at the end of the cable, it basically tells the controller that the chain stops there. Terms arent that expensive, but it is a must for high-end scsi.

[HungryForHertz]

Ahh I see. Don't seem expesive. Does a cable from the SCSI drive go into it or does it plug straight into the last drive in the line.

[FireMogle]

SCSI uses long cables with upto 7 devices per cable, with the Terminator going anywere after the last drive. You would setup like:

Adapter---------Drive1-------Drive2---.......---Last_Drive---Term

[HungryForHertz]

So: adapter(connects to SCSI slot on board, adapts to same SCSI connection type as the drives)--------Drive1(connected by cable that fits into the 320 slot)------Drive2(same^)------FinalDrive(same)-----Term.

Controller connects into PCI slot (the fastest slot is PCI Express or PCI-X?).

Got it.

Thanks for your help and sorry for my talent at being retarded :rolleyes:

[FireMogle]

Yes, only the adapter is the controller.

[HungryForHertz]

Thats a good point. Thanks again.

[ajrettke]

also, try to get 68 pin SCSI drives...most drives are 80pin and will require an adapter (round 15 bucks). The reason is most SCSI's are meant to slide right into an 80pin backplane which has power connections (makes hot swapping much easier in servers. Search ebay for 68 to 80 pin and you'll see a lot of those adapters.

Good luck with your setup...SCSI is definetly the way to go. I've seen a benchy of some guy with those maxtors RAID 0'd and he was putting up like 225mb/s!!!

[HungryForHertz]

225? :drool:

Aren't the 68pins referred to as hot swap drives (hence hot swapping)? It is a bit annoying though, I'll need a card that is 939 socket, PCI-X, SCSI compatible. I don't think there is one! :(

I've narrowed my selection down now Fujitsu MAS3735 or the next generation Seagate 15K. Currently the Fujitsu is the bone crunching drive: The Beast That Is the Fujitsu MAS3735 (http://www.storagereview.com/articles/200304/20030429MAS3735_1.html) :eek:

[ajrettke]

the 80 pin drives are the ones that are designed for hot swapping...it may be possible with 68 pin drives as well, but I'd check first, and most likely your controller is 68 pin.

[FireMogle]

80 pin drives are for hotswap and unless you want to be able to hotswap drives, get 68 pin drives. 80 pin drves are a huge pain.

[HungryForHertz]

I am going for 68pin I see no advantage for me if I chose 80.