It's not a matter of 'can't be read' - it's a matter of 'the ROM is just different enough that the read/write commands don't work the same between all of the drives in the array, and data keeps getting corrupted'. It usually boils down to a timing issue, and it's subtle and nasty when it hits, sometimes causing BSOD, and sometimes a disk check on every reboot, and sometimes just general system slowness as the RAID controller tries to compensate. Or other oddities.
I'm becoming less of a fan of hardware RAID, beyond RAID1. Kurt On Fri, Dec 4, 2009 at 14:34, Matthew W. Ross <[email protected]> wrote: > So you're saying you've bumped into different revs of drives that won't be > read by different SATA controllers? > > Now that's nasty! I have NEVER had a drive not been recognized by a standard > controller (3ware, LSI, Adaptec, etc). > > > --Matt Ross > Ephrata School District > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Kurt Buff > [mailto:[email protected]] > To: NT System Admin Issues > [mailto:[email protected]] > Sent: Fri, 04 Dec 2009 > 14:24:28 -0800 > Subject: Re: HP drive sleds > > >> I doubt he was implying that. >> >> However, It's really hard to get retail drives that are of the exact >> same rev of their BIOS, and are guaranteed to interoperate with your >> RAID card. This becomes especially problematic if you don't overbuy >> (to provide one or more shelf spares) and have to replace one of the >> drives later. >> >> I know - I've been bitten by this, with a 3ware card. I have to assume >> that the same issue can crop up with other RAID cards, including HP >> and Dell. >> >> Kurt >> >> On Fri, Dec 4, 2009 at 13:44, Matthew W. Ross <[email protected]> >> wrote: >> > I hate email, because I can't read the inflection of your message. I'm >> going to assume that you were not insinuating that I am unwise. >> > >> > Other than that, I agree that buying quality is important and that you do >> get what you pay for. My argument is that sometimes a vendor will ask you to >> pay much more than you can get retail for, basically, the same drive. >> > >> > An analogy: If I buy a Ford (Harley Davidson Edition) from the Ford >> dealer, and it's $40k, but it includes 5 years maintenance... If I can >> purchase the same Ford (But not the Harley Davidson Edition) from a >> different dealer, for $25k, without the maintenance package... I'd probably >> buy the cheaper truck. >> > >> > >> > --Matt Ross >> > Ephrata School District >> > >> > >> > ----- Original Message ----- >> > From: Steven Peck >> > [mailto:[email protected]] >> > To: NT System Admin Issues >> > [mailto:[email protected]] >> > Sent: Fri, 04 Dec 2009 >> > 12:22:42 -0800 >> > Subject: Re: HP drive sleds >> > >> > >> >> I didn't say you had to implement your environments wisely. Merely >> >> why there was a cost to buying quality products with support. >> >> >> >> m'kay? >> >> >> >> On Fri, Dec 4, 2009 at 11:14 AM, Matthew W. Ross >> >> <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> > Okay, is there an option to buy an HP drive without the service to keep >> me >> >> up? What if I'm okay if the drive fails, and can live with UPS speeds for >> a >> >> replacement? >> >> > >> >> > Backups are good, m'kay? >> >> > >> >> > I see no option from HP for this. I wish they would. >> >> > >> >> > >> >> > --Matt Ross >> >> > Ephrata School District >> >> > >> >> > >> >> > ----- Original Message ----- >> >> > From: Steven Peck >> >> > [mailto:[email protected]] >> >> > To: NT System Admin Issues >> >> > [mailto:[email protected]] >> >> > Sent: Fri, 04 Dec 2009 >> >> > 11:10:07 -0800 >> >> > Subject: Re: HP drive sleds >> >> > >> >> > >> >> >> You pay for the testing yes, but you also pay for the ability to call >> >> >> HP and have them overnight you a drive when yours showed up on the >> >> >> pre-failure warning shows up in SIM. >> >> >> >> >> >> You are not paying for a drive so much. You are also paying for the >> >> >> service to keep you up, or get you back up quickly. >> >> >> >> >> >> Steven >> >> >> >> >> >> On Fri, Dec 4, 2009 at 11:06 AM, Matthew W. Ross >> >> >> <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> >> > I'm with you, and I agree that the cost of "Server Grade" hard >> drives >> >> from >> >> >> the likes of HP, Dell, and others is outrageous. >> >> >> > >> >> >> > Now, HP does test their drives, and even a single fault of fairly >> >> >> insignificant measure (i.e. one the drive itself can correct) will not >> >> pass >> >> >> their tests before they deliver a drive to you. That way they can feel >> >> >> confident that the drive is "server quality". That's great and all, >> but >> >> it >> >> >> still shouldn't be 5-10 times the cost of the same hard drive, shrink >> >> >> wrapped from Western Digital. >> >> >> > >> >> >> > That being said, I'd be happy to pay double the cost if it was well >> >> tested >> >> >> and guaranteed by HP. >> >> >> > >> >> >> > >> >> >> > --Matt Ross >> >> >> > Ephrata School District >> >> >> > >> >> >> > >> >> >> > ----- Original Message ----- >> >> >> > From: Phillip Partipilo >> >> >> > [mailto:[email protected]] >> >> >> > To: NT System Admin Issues >> >> >> > [mailto:[email protected]] >> >> >> > Sent: Fri, 04 Dec 2009 >> >> >> > 10:50:53 -0800 >> >> >> > Subject: HP drive sleds >> >> >> > >> >> >> > >> >> >> >> Whoa this is insane. On the phone, err, handed off the call to >> >> somebody >> >> >> >> else here to further speak with a supervisor, we just took delivery >> of >> >> a >> >> >> HP >> >> >> >> DL185, and there are just placeholders for the hard disks in the >> cage. >> >> >> No >> >> >> >> empty cages provided. They claim there is no way to get an empty >> >> cage >> >> >> >> without a drive. WTF. They want $100 for a 160 gig drive when I >> >> can >> >> >> get >> >> >> >> 2tb Hitachis for $140. This is bull. We're ready to box this up >> >> and >> >> >> ship >> >> >> >> it right back. Every Supermicro we've bought have come loaded >> with >> >> >> empty >> >> >> >> sleds, and every one of those servers are still running. I know >> HP >> >> is a >> >> >> >> solid server and that's why we made this purchase, but this is >> >> grinding >> >> >> my >> >> >> >> gears. >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> Phillip Partipilo >> >> >> >> Parametric Solutions Inc. >> >> >> >> Jupiter, Florida >> >> >> >> (561) 747-6107 >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> THIS ELECTRONIC MESSAGE AND ANY ATTACHMENTS ARE CONFIDENTIAL >> >> >> >> AND PROPRIETARY PROPERTY OF THE SENDER. THE INFORMATION IS >> >> >> >> INTENDED FOR USE BY THE ADDRESSEE ONLY. ANY OTHER INTERCEPTION, >> >> >> >> COPYING, ACCESSING, OR DISCLOSURE OF THIS MESSAGE IS PROHIBITED. >> >> >> >> IF YOU HAVE RECEIVED THIS MESSAGE IN ERROR, PLEASE IMMEDIATELY >> >> >> >> NOTIFY THE SENDER AND DELETE THIS MAIL AND ALL ATTACHMENTS. DO NOT >> >> >> >> FORWARD THIS MESSAGE WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE SENDER. >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> ~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~ >> >> >> >> ~ <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/> ~ >> >> >> >> >> >> >> > >> >> >> > ~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~ >> >> >> > ~ <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/> ~ >> >> >> > >> >> >> > >> >> >> >> >> >> ~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~ >> >> >> ~ <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/> ~ >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> > >> >> > ~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~ >> >> > ~ <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/> ~ >> >> > >> >> > >> >> >> >> ~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~ >> >> ~ <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/> ~ >> >> >> >> >> > >> > ~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~ >> > ~ <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/> ~ >> > >> > >> >> ~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~ >> ~ <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/> ~ >> >> > > ~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~ > ~ <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/> ~ > > ~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~ ~ <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/> ~
