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SATA Based XServe RAID Prototype Uncovered

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MacRumors

macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
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A reader of AppleInsider has unleashed pictures of an unreleased prototype of Apple's XServe RAID. While externally the new prototype looks much the same as the existing model, the prototype was configued with SATA drives (rather than the current XServe RAID's UltraATA bus), and had 6 Fibre Channel ports (up from the current version's 2).

While the admin software (listed at version 2.0, up from 1.5 in the current model) was mostly disabled, AppleInsider muses that the additional ports may be for more flexible drive access.

On the currently shipping Xserve RAID, when one Xserve is connected to both ports it has access to all 14 drives. When two Xserves are connected (one to each port), both have access to 7 of the drives. It's likely that newer RAID Admin software will allow arbitrary assignment of drives to any of six connected Xserves. It is also possible that these newer Xserves RAIDs have an integrated 6-port fibre channel switch. This won't be known until an actual release of the hardware when new firmware and admin software is available.
Click to expand...
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2007/01/19/sata-based-xserve-raid-prototype-uncovered/
e12a

e12a

macrumors 68000
Oct 28, 2006
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I guess they're not getting rid of the aluminum casings yet..
 
guzhogi

guzhogi

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Aug 31, 2003
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Wherever my feet take me…
I'll agree, this sounds like a BS thing. I can't believe this got out of Apple's control.

As for the SATA, it's about time! Computers have been using SATA for years now. Something I'd like to see them add is Serial Attached SCSI (SAS). The xServe has it. Either way, the new drive connector is gonna make it a lot faster! I work in an elementary school district and I think a few of the schools use them to store student accounts. It might help speed up speed up log in time.
 
bigandy

bigandy

macrumors G3
Apr 30, 2004
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iJawn108 said:
'... one more thing, the Apple Home Serve" *hopes*
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yours for only $10k.

:rolleyes:

I hope this rolls out sooner rather than later, as several people i know are wanting to buy sata ones along with their new xserve purchases - they're holding off for them...
 
guzhogi

guzhogi

macrumors 68040
Aug 31, 2003
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bigandy said:
yours for only $10k.

:rolleyes:

I hope this rolls out sooner rather than later, as several people i know are wanting to buy sata ones along with their new xserve purchases - they're holding off for them...
Click to expand...

One benefit of working in a school (or government or having a select/premier ADC membership) is you get a discount on hardware. Unfortunately w/ the xServe RAID, it's still pretty expensive.
 
BlueRevolution

BlueRevolution

macrumors 603
Jul 26, 2004
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I'm inclined to say this is genuine. I mean, who does an elaborite photoshop job on Xserves? It is indeed interesting that it should be possible to have these leaked, but I doubt that Apple maintains as tight security on their server lines, since it is more likely to be ignored by the rumour sites and the Apple fanboys as a whole. I mean, can you see a keynote devoted to this?
 
E

Elektronkind

macrumors member
Dec 24, 2003
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0
Baltimore, MD
I'd say it would make sence, as the rumored features indicating that the Xserve RAID being positioned with the rest of the mid-range storage market's common feature sets.

One additional wondering I have regarding this is if the new Xserve RAID's two controllers would be redundant instead of completely separate as they are now.

/dale
 
V

VideoTour

macrumors newbie
Jan 17, 2007
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New Mexico
I've actually been bugging my Apple gov. sales rep about when 750GB UltraATA Apple Drive Modules would be coming out, since I'm in the market for a second XServe RAID and don't want to buy 500GB drives only to find 750s on the market the next day.
What I've been getting for answers has been "delaying."
Maybe this is why.. moving away from the UltraATA to SATA for the arrays entirely.

Imagine... a fully loaded XServe RAID with 750GB drives
(let's see, hmmm, 14 times .75 ... that's 10.5TB. And that's "almost" enough:cool: )

Unheard of (or prohibitively expensive) for a desktop configuration 5 years ago.. and probably a laughable storage capacity 5 years from now.
But right now it still has that Wow factor. And for probably little more than about $14k!
 
Counterfit

Counterfit

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Aug 20, 2003
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guzhogi said:
I'll agree, this sounds like a BS thing. I can't believe this got out of Apple's control.

As for the SATA, it's about time! Computers have been using SATA for years now. Something I'd like to see them add is Serial Attached SCSI (SAS). The xServe has it. Either way, the new drive connector is gonna make it a lot faster! I work in an elementary school district and I think a few of the schools use them to store student accounts. It might help speed up speed up log in time.
Click to expand...

The drive connector isn't going to make it any faster, as that's not the slowest part. It's still the drive mechanism itself that's holding everything back.
 
Nicky G

Nicky G

macrumors 65816
Mar 24, 2002
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I sell a lot of Xserve RAIDs...

I sell a lot of Xserve RAIDs to my clientele, so I'm quite familiar with the unit. My first thought was, these pics looks fake -- that little bank of SFP ports just looks a little "off".

But if we're wishing, I wish the next Xserve RAID will have:

• SATA drive modules

• dual controllers w/ active-active failover

• 4Gbit fibre channel

A built-in fibre channel switch is not too interesting to me, as the new(ish) QLogic 1400-series of switches is perfect for smaller fibre chanel setups. However, redundant fibre channel ports would be nice -- and if the ports can be trunked, well, that would be a very useful reason to have a whole bunch of them on the backplane... Hmmm....
 
E

Elektronkind

macrumors member
Dec 24, 2003
86
0
Baltimore, MD
Nicky G said:
However, redundant fibre channel ports would be nice -- and if the ports can be trunked, well, that would be a very useful reason to have a whole bunch of them on the backplane... Hmmm....
Click to expand...

You're talking about multipath support. It would be really stupid to provide all those ports and not allow LUNs to be advertised out of 2 or more of them.

/dale
 
A

abrooks

macrumors 6502a
Sep 18, 2004
640
191
London, UK
Nicky G said:
My first thought was, these pics looks fake -- that little bank of SFP ports just looks a little "off".
Click to expand...

I'm inclined to agree, the rest of the images seem quite bonafide but the 5th image down (close up of back plane) just seems completely wrong.
 
Nicky G

Nicky G

macrumors 65816
Mar 24, 2002
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Elektronkind said:
You're talking about multipath support. It would be really stupid to provide all those ports and not allow LUNs to be advertised out of 2 or more of them.

/dale
Click to expand...

Xsan multipathing doesn't offer increased bandwidth, though -- as of right now, at least (I'm pretty sure 1.4's multipathing is really just for failover, not extra performance).

You're right in Baltimore? You probably know about Chesapeake Systems I'm guessing?


Nick
 
kalisphoenix

kalisphoenix

macrumors 65816
Jul 26, 2005
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Am I the only person who sees SATA and thinks, "Great... now I have another dimension of compatibility I have to meet whenever buying a new component"?
 
0

081440

macrumors regular
Mar 14, 2006
161
33
New Jersey
Nice, but I mean haven't we seen this one coming from a mile away... SATA is nothing new.

If Apple offers 10,000 rpm drives in there then it would be really impressive along with the price tag....

That one pic of the back does look a little fishy... I mean the ethernet port it crystal clear but the six fibre channel connections are not...
 
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