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SCSI or not?

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Silver_Pharaoh

Silver_Pharaoh

Likes the big ones n00b Member
​
Joined
Sep 7, 2013
I'm looking to get my server setup for some storage.
I'd like it to hold all my infrequently used data like old setup files and such, and I'm not sure whether to use SCSI or IDE for it.

I have 1 free IDE port and 2 free SCSI Ultra160 ports (68 pin).

All the 68pin SCSI drives I'm finding are expensive and low in capacity, like 18Gb up to 74Gb, but I found an 80pin Ultra320 drive for $10 on ebay. Don;t know if there's an 80pin to 68pin adapter out there that's reliable and cheap.

I was able to find a SCSI -> SATA adapter but it's like $200...
I suppose I can try SATA -> IDE and just grab a cheap 1TB drive and use the free IDE slot, but I'm not sure how Server 2000 would like the high capacity on it....

Suggestions? Maybe you know of an adapter that can help here??
Thanks guys :)
 
Well, if they are there, you have the cash, and you can get it to work, right?

Current SCSI standard is serial-attached, which you can use standard SATA drives with, but not vice versa *SATA can connect to a SAS backplane, but SAS cannot connect to a SATA backplane*

So......you could find a SAS add-in card, and hookup SATA or modern SAS.

This one is Server 2000 compatible: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...rebbr=1&cm_re=SAS_card-_-16-117-297-_-Product
 
NZKshatriya said:
Well, if they are there, you have the cash, and you can get it to work, right?

Current SCSI standard is serial-attached, which you can use standard SATA drives with, but not vice versa *SATA can connect to a SAS backplane, but SAS cannot connect to a SATA backplane*

So......you could find a SAS add-in card, and hookup SATA or modern SAS.

This one is Server 2000 compatible: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...rebbr=1&cm_re=SAS_card-_-16-117-297-_-Product
Click to expand...
Interesting... Never thought or heard of this... Glad you posted that, I'm going to look into it further.

Sadly though, that card needs PCIe... I at best have PCI-X... :-/
 
Ah.......old board is old huh?

I was bored....so saw your post, saw no one else was really around, so dug around the net a bit.
That and we have been covering storage in the Server 2012 course I am in *which I am so tired of.........Linux is fun, Server 2012 is a pain*
 
NZKshatriya said:
Ah.......old board is old huh?

I was bored....so saw your post, saw no one else was really around, so dug around the net a bit.
That and we have been covering storage in the Server 2012 course I am in *which I am so tired of.........Linux is fun, Server 2012 is a pain*
Click to expand...

I worked with Server 2008 through my college years. I actually enjoyed Server 2008 a lot.
Probably because I'm a Windows boy by heart. Unix is great, but it's too much for me in some regards...

I just can't see a Linux rig replace my Windows machine... Even though Linux is fully capable of what my Window machine does. :shrug:


Anyways, to get me setup with 588Gb of SCSI goodness, I'm looking at 4 drives and $152 CAD at the moment. That's not including the SCSI cables and terminators Vs under $100 for a SATA drive and a SATA -> IDE converter. Plus the drive is 1TB...

Seems server 2000 will take up to 2Tb drives. I dunno, SCSI is looking expensive, but it would be "authentic" with the server... :bang head



Is SCSI faster than SATA?
 
I grew up on MS-DOS, command line is fun. can be so much easier than a GUI at some things, and in a server environment, you save CPU cycles that would be used on the GUI.

So, yeah, you have two choices, go for the bulky antiquated SCSI cables and terminators, lower capacity, but for some reason it just looks cooler lol.
Or go for the less expensive, higher capacity, higher bandwidth, but less cool looking SATA

erm....is SCSI faster than SATA.....

SATA
rev1 150MB/s
rev2 300MB/s
rev3 600MB/s

Ultra-320 SCSI(16 bits/80Mhz DDR) 320MB/s
Ultra-640 SCSI(16 bits/160Mhz DDR) 640MB/s

This is interesting
Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) 4 (Prelim Spec) 2400MB/s

*gotta love wiki*
 
NZKshatriya said:
I grew up on MS-DOS, command line is fun. can be so much easier than a GUI at some things, and in a server environment, you save CPU cycles that would be used on the GUI.

So, yeah, you have two choices, go for the bulky antiquated SCSI cables and terminators, lower capacity, but for some reason it just looks cooler lol.
Or go for the less expensive, higher capacity, higher bandwidth, but less cool looking SATA

erm....is SCSI faster than SATA.....

SATA
rev1 150MB/s
rev2 300MB/s
rev3 600MB/s

Ultra-320 SCSI(16 bits/80Mhz DDR) 320MB/s
Ultra-640 SCSI(16 bits/160Mhz DDR) 640MB/s

This is interesting
Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) 4 (Prelim Spec) 2400MB/s

*gotta love wiki*
Click to expand...

Board supports Ultra160 so 160Mb/s
IDE is *gulp* UDMA2 so a mear 33Mb/s...

So if I go SATA, I *have* to convert it to IDE meaning at best 33Mb/s.


Suddenly SCSI is looking a lot better even if more expensive
 
NZKshatriya said:
Hey

Sata PCI card http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815124020
2000 compatible lol
Click to expand...

I think you're right on this one.
SCSI is meant for servers, but even this old tech isn't cheap and plus my options for space are limited to old used drives. If I want to expand, I'm basically stuck searching for more drives which aren't cheap nor plentiful.

Thanks for the add-in card idea NZKshatriya :) , SCSI sounds wonderful and would complete this server but I guess I can't have it all - just doesn't sound like the right move anymore.
 
Keep an eye out at local flea markets/thrift shops, bound to find good older stuff around for cheap.
You could always end up building an old-school server, as a project/hobby.
I mean, why not. People end up building old cars and never drive them. You can build an old server, make it look nice, and actually have a use for it.

Just grab parts when ya can, and put em together whenever ya have time.
 
NZKshatriya said:
Keep an eye out at local flea markets/thrift shops, bound to find good older stuff around for cheap.
You could always end up building an old-school server, as a project/hobby.
I mean, why not. People end up building old cars and never drive them. You can build an old server, make it look nice, and actually have a use for it.

Just grab parts when ya can, and put em together whenever ya have time.
Click to expand...

Well that's what this server is, and old school server. Dual PIII's 4Gb of ECC SDRAM, even found a large Pentium 4 era case.
Bought the board start of spring, as well as the CPU's. Next came the RAM a few weeks later and then the case. Finally got around to setting up Server 2000 and Wingate only to learn Wingate 7 won't run. Fiddled with it for a month off an on then finally open a support ticket with Wingate staff. One of the lead support staff teamviewered into my server at 2AM my time, on his weekend on his time. He spent 2 hours fighting my system and slow internet but he found that the GlobalSign certificate had expired, causing the digital signature on the .exe to fail causing my issues.

Anyways, enough story! lol

Thing I'm concerned about is if I continue to wait and collect parts gradually, who knows if prices will rise more and there's the unknown on what drives will be available. I think your solution of using an add-in SATA controller card is the most practical. At least then I know the drives are new and won't fail with in a few months. (At least one would hope right?)
 
haha true.

It's old tech, but stuff back a decade or two actually was built better, or so it sometimes seems........as long as its not an IBM Deskstar of a certain model number.

Remember the IBM DeathStars?

Sometimes stuff from now seems to break if ya look at it funny >.<
 
Just a note here. Be careful of what card you buy. It has to be bootable if you intend to put your OS on it. Most are not.
 
Mr.Scott said:
Just a note here. Be careful of what card you buy. It has to be bootable if you intend to put your OS on it. Most are not.
Click to expand...

Good point Scott :)

I think I'll keep the OS separate.
Last time I check the 80Gb IDE the OS currently lives on was in good health according to SMART.

The card I'm looking at seems to have a BIOS on it to setup RAID (which is actually software RAID :( ) but I don't think I'll bother with RAID for this server. Just buy a 1 TB drive or something and be done.

Question is, should I go for SATA II or SATA I?
The SATA I card is $20 http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16815124020
vs the SATA II card at $40 after discount code http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16816124028
Honestly not sure if I really need SATA II since it's mostly going to be for bulk data storage.
Eventually, I'd like to store all my computer backup images there and daily file backups, but I usually do that during the night...

Going to head into the classifieds now to see if anyone here has some drives for sale.
 
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