Brian, Realistically I am six months away from doing anything. I am just starting research right now. Thanks for the offer. Once I get something going you can deffinately come check it out.
Can I direct connect two FC HBAs or do I need a FC switch/hub? Mahalo, Dusty > Well how about mulitple gbe adapters and use load balancing....that should > work....linux supports it as well as windoze...not sure about OSx > though....got a book on it for linux somewhere...I'll try to find it if > you > decide to think in this direction....not to mention that if you're ONLY > running load balanced GBE on this switched network....you can run jumbo > frames. That will help if it's large blocks...if LOTS of small ones, then > FC > is the answer. > > Otherwise....I THINK??? I got a couple 2gb FC adapters and a 2gb FC hub > laying around that I would be willing to trade....how many ports do you > need? > > You WILL have to get a couple of 2gb FC gbics...and they ain't cheap....I > also have editorial discounts for some gear....if you let me play too, > I'll > be happy to ask around. > > What time frame are you looking at? I'm on the N+I NOC team so I can sniff > around the show for you if that helps???? > > /brian chee > > University of Hawaii ICS Dept > Advanced Network Computing Lab > 1680 East West Road, POST rm 311 > Honolulu, HI 96822 > 808-956-5797 voice, 877-284-1934 fax > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Dustin Cross" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Sent: Thursday, February 26, 2004 4:39 PM > Subject: Re: [luau] Linux Fibre Channel Server? > > >> Brian, >> >> Thanks, but Gbe is TOO SLOW for Hi Def. 2Gbit FC is the minimum. I >> have >> actually been talking to 10Gbit Infiniband vendors about using nfs or >> smb >> over "IP over Infiniband", but Infinibad isn't really designed to work >> like that. To do Hi Def we need a minimum of 150MBytes (~1500Mbits) for >> each system. I am looking for anything more flexible than direct >> attached >> raid for each system, but I think that is what is going to be the most >> cost effective. >> >> When I talk to the big shops on the mainland they all seem to use half >> million dollar SGI FC systems with CXFS for 6Tbytes of storage. I can >> build a 6TB SATA RAID Linux system for less than $15K. Now I just have >> to figure out how to get the data to the hosts (Windows & OSX)? >> >> What I really need is 10Gbit Ethernet, but that is expensive!!!! >> >> >> Mahalo, >> Dusty >> >> >> >> > oooohhhhh.....don't do it!!!!! FC is the most expensive way to doing > this >> > possible short of a proprietary solution. >> > >> > You REALLY want iscsi and that runs over el'cheapo gbe cards.....just > get >> > an >> > el'cheapo copper gbe switch and use that ONLY for iscsi and you will >> get >> > performance approaching FC for a very small fraction of the cost. >> It's >> > also >> > easier to setup and doesn't require proprietary solutions like FC. >> > >> > /brian chee >> > >> > University of Hawaii ICS Dept >> > Advanced Network Computing Lab >> > 1680 East West Road, POST rm 311 >> > Honolulu, HI 96822 >> > 808-956-5797 voice, 877-284-1934 fax >> > >> > ----- Original Message ----- >> > From: "Dustin Cross" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> > To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> > Sent: Thursday, February 26, 2004 3:46 PM >> > Subject: Re: [luau] Linux Fibre Channel Server? >> > >> > >> >> Brian, >> >> >> >> Thanks for the info. >> >> >> >> I guess my question is poorly formed, because everyone keeps telling >> me >> >> what FC is. I know that part. >> >> >> >> I think I have answered my question with this Mayastor software. >> >> >> >> Right now I don't have any FC hardware and that is why I didn't >> mention >> >> any brands. >> >> >> >> Basically I want to take a Linux system with a SATA RAID array, put a > FC >> >> HBA card in it and then share the SATA RAID array across FC to >> another >> >> system. The only FC part in the Linux system will be the FC HBA. It >> >> sounds like Mayastor does exactly this. Now I just have to come up > with >> >> a >> >> couple cheap HBAs to test it. >> >> >> >> My end goal is to build a multi TB SATA RAID Linux file server >> sharing >> >> volumes across 2Gb Fibre Channel. >> >> >> >> We do video editing and are looking to get into Hi Def. That means >> we >> >> need tons of disk space and a minimum of 150MBytes per sec of disk >> I/O. >> >> >> >> >> >> Thanks, >> >> Dusty >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> > ok....basically the gist as I understand is that an FC array once >> >> > configured >> >> > with the HBA utilities looks like a SCSI drive....VERY similar to a >> >> SCSI >> >> > RAID array. The key is the HBA utilities that it lets you carve up > the >> >> > array >> >> > into LUNs (logical units) that then can be assigned to drive >> pointers >> >> or >> >> > multiple hosts over an FC network...but FC switches cost a kings >> >> ransom >> >> > and >> >> > you really don't want to use a hub for anything other than a single >> >> > system. >> >> > FC comes both copper and fiber with the copper using a DB-9 varient >> >> that >> >> > is >> >> > WELL shielded. >> >> > >> >> > Now if you want to export arrays, take a look at the iscsi >> >> stuff....very >> >> > cool and it doesn't matter what kind of drives you use....the >> >> > Networld+Interop iLabs guys did a raid5 array of thumb drives > exported >> > via >> >> > iscsi over 802.11a to a win2k laptop that mounted them as dynamic >> >> > drives.... >> >> > >> >> > Since you didn't include which HBA you're trying to use, nor the > drive >> >> > array >> >> > type, nor the type of FC hub/switch...I just picked an HBA at >> random >> >> and >> >> > assume you're using a reasonable array. I attached the readme file >> >> from >> > a >> >> > qlogic (my only experience driving an install alone) HBA. Such >> >> readme's >> >> > are >> >> > typically found with the card and are VERY specific to the HBA, >> since >> >> > there >> >> > is quite a bit more to an FC array than just the driver. You MUST > have >> >> > access to some sort of utility that can setup the FC array, or >> you're >> >> > going >> >> > nowhere. Opensource hasn't quite caught up on FC yet, and this is >> why >> > I've >> >> > stuck to qlogic so far...it's also why I'm leaning away from FC and >> >> more >> >> > towards SATA. >> >> > >> >> > /brian chee >> >> > >> >> > >> >> > University of Hawaii ICS Dept >> >> > Advanced Network Computing Lab >> >> > 1680 East West Road, POST rm 311 >> >> > Honolulu, HI 96822 >> >> > 808-956-5797 voice, 877-284-1934 fax >> >> > >> >> > ----- Original Message ----- >> >> > From: "Dustin Cross" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> >> > To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> >> > Sent: Thursday, February 26, 2004 2:23 PM >> >> > Subject: Re: [luau] Linux Fibre Channel Server? >> >> > >> >> > >> >> >> Brian, >> >> >> >> >> >> I understand how Fibre Channel works and the cost involved with >> >> buying >> >> >> the >> >> >> HBAs and switch. What I am trying to get information on is can I > use >> > my >> >> >> existing Linux file server, put a Fibre Channel HBA in it and >> share >> >> >> disks >> >> >> out to other systems on the Fibre Channel SAN? >> >> >> >> >> >> It sounds like this Mayastor software >> >> >> (http://www.pavitrasoft.com/mayastor/) does exactly what I am > looking >> >> >> for. >> >> >> >> >> >> I don't want to invest thousands of dollars in something like an >> >> Apple >> >> >> Xraid if I can accomplish the same thing with my existing Linux >> File >> >> >> Server. >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> Mahalo, >> >> >> Dusty >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> > >> >> >> > Hi Dusty, >> >> >> > >> >> >> > I have setup many systems with FiberChannel and GigE networks >> >> (mainly >> >> >> > FreeBSD). >> >> >> > There is really not much to it other than installing the > Fiber/GigE >> >> >> NIC >> >> > in >> >> >> > your server. Before you buy >> >> >> > a NIC it would be a good idea to make sure the drivers for the >> NIC >> >> >> exist >> >> >> > for >> >> >> > Linux. I don't know what type of file server software you are > using >> >> >> but >> >> >> > installing FiberChannel NIC may or may not help you. If all the >> >> hosts >> >> >> on >> >> >> > your network are connected via 100Mbps connections to the file >> >> server >> >> > and >> >> >> > the current NIC on your file server isn't maxing out on >> throughput >> >> at >> >> > any >> >> >> > given time, then you will not notice much of a performance >> > difference. >> >> >> > Fiber >> >> >> > Channel can also be expensive, remember you will need a >> >> FiberChannel >> >> >> > switch >> >> >> > too. I have no idea what type of data you share over your >> network, >> > but >> >> > if >> >> >> > it >> >> >> > isn't extremely brandwidth intensive you may want to look at a > GigE >> >> >> > (10/100/1000 Mbps) solution instead. This route may save you >> quite >> >> a >> >> >> bit >> >> >> > of >> >> >> > cash. >> >> >> > >> >> >> > --Brian >> >> >> > >> >> >> > ----- Original Message ----- >> >> >> > From: "Dustin Cross" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> >> >> > To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> >> >> > Sent: Thursday, February 26, 2004 12:55 PM >> >> >> > Subject: [luau] Linux Fibre Channel Server? >> >> >> > >> >> >> > >> >> >> >> Aloha, >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> I am trying to find out if it is possible to put a Fibre >> Channel >> > card >> >> > in >> >> >> >> my Linux File Server and start sharing disk space over 2Gb >> fibre >> >> >> >> Channel. >> >> >> >> Does anyone have any knowledge of doing this? >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> Thanks, >> >> >> >> Dusty >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> >> >> >> LUAU mailing list >> >> >> >> [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> >> >> >> http://videl.ics.hawaii.edu/mailman/listinfo/luau >> >> >> >> >> >> >> > >> >> >> > _______________________________________________ >> >> >> > LUAU mailing list >> >> >> > [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> >> >> > http://videl.ics.hawaii.edu/mailman/listinfo/luau >> >> >> > >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> >> >> LUAU mailing list >> >> >> [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> >> >> http://videl.ics.hawaii.edu/mailman/listinfo/luau >> >> > >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> >> LUAU mailing list >> >> [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> >> http://videl.ics.hawaii.edu/mailman/listinfo/luau >> > >> > _______________________________________________ >> > LUAU mailing list >> > [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> > http://videl.ics.hawaii.edu/mailman/listinfo/luau >> > >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> LUAU mailing list >> [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> http://videl.ics.hawaii.edu/mailman/listinfo/luau >> > > _______________________________________________ > LUAU mailing list > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > http://videl.ics.hawaii.edu/mailman/listinfo/luau >
