Right, bought this Mac Pro, now just need drive setup help please..

[gmehje]

Hi all,
Just spent hard earned cash on Mac Pro Octo 2.93. Will get it this week.
These are my plans (sort of) - would like some final advice please.
Crucial 256 SSD for OS, applications etc.
The stock 640GB I will keep and use soley for Windows 7 when it comes out.
3 x WD RE3 1TB Raid 0 in the 3 remaining internal drives.
Does this sound good?
My question is also about backup. I presume I don't need Enterprise level drives for backup. I was initially thinking of a 4 bay Drobo (FW800) with a 2TB WD to start. But some say it's not very fast? If its just for backups doe sit matter? So what are my options? Not sure if I want to get a hardware raid card (due to expense?) but want something that will last me a long time!
I would really appreciate your opinions and advice.
Many thanks in advance,
G

 

[nanofrog]

Hi all,
Just spent hard earned cash on Mac Pro Octo 2.93. Will get it this week.
These are my plans (sort of) - would like some final advice please.
Crucial 256 SSD for OS, applications etc.
The stock 640GB I will keep and use soley for Windows 7 when it comes out.
3 x WD RE3 1TB Raid 0 in the 3 remaining internal drives.
Does this sound good?
My question is also about backup. I presume I don't need Enterprise level drives for backup. I was initially thinking of a 4 bay Drobo (FW800) with a 2TB WD to start. But some say it's not very fast? If its just for backups doe sit matter? So what are my options? Not sure if I want to get a hardware raid card (due to expense?) but want something that will last me a long time!
I would really appreciate your opinions and advice.
Many thanks in advance,
G

Overall, your idea will work. Place the 640GB (Apple supplied disk in the empty optical bay), and the initial backup disk in one of the slots (allows you to change <add a drive> the array easily later down the road). Using RE3's (enterprise drives in general for RAID use), is a really good idea.

Consumer drives would be fine for backup purposes, and I do this all the time. So far, I've been fine, as they aren't running nearly as often as the drives in the array (they spin down, assuming the management settings were adjusted for this).

I do prefer hardware (proper, not Fake RAID) cards as I tend to use parity based array types, but that's not for everyone.

 

[legalright]

Right, bought this Mac Pro, now just need drive setup help please..

I just put together a MacPro/FCP system and by far the hardest part was choosing the I/O card. But my research tells me that if you are inputting Red files only, editing, outputting and monitoring 1080P then I don't think you need to spend the big bucks on the Kona3.

Kona's LHe is cheaper at around $1600 or less. My problem is I wanted to monitor SDI but also input legacy SD Betacam as well as RED files, but like you my output would never be greater than 1080p unless Hollywood comes calling. Also, I needed all the up, down and cross converting I could get. But I didn't need the Full Monty Dual Link 4:4:4: that you get with the Kona3. Being new to both RED and MacPro/FCP made the whole process all that much harder.

There is the argument that the Kona3 is really an investment in the future but for me it was the lack of SD input and a cost/benefit analysis that steered me away from the 3. Better to put the savings elsewhere... like storage.

Still it took ALOT of research and asking questions here and over at Creative Cow to get me comfortable with what I finally decided on- the Blackmagic Multibridge Pro. It just seemed to be the one that could give me everything I wanted at the right price point. But to tell the truth I'm STILL not 100% sure I made the right decision.