I still want help finding an offline drive copier, but let's address unhelpful irrelevant nuisances first:
On Fri, Nov 01, 2024 at 01:38:59AM -0700, Ted Mittelstaedt wrote: > Do you really need TB spaces? Yes indeed. In the same sense that I began my computer journey in the 1970s with paper tape and Hollerith cards, then 2.5 MB RK05 disk packs, to my first PC with 8 inch floppy disks and a 20 MB hard drive ... which cost ten times as many pre-inflated dollars as a 1TB Samsung 870 EVO drive. In 2024, I model physical systems with far more computation than "supercomputers" modelled in the 1970s. By 2028 I expect "large AI" models will be involved in the hunt for clever engineering solutions. I'm using 30% of my terabyte drives now, and I am reasonably certain I will fill those drives in a year or four. Robust SSD drives with built-in redundancy and 500 MB/s SATA3 interfaces will endure far longer than the older technologies they replace. Hence, it is prudent to invest in devices like reliable offline drive-to-drive copy hardware to manage SATA3 SSDs into the future. My main concern about a drive copier is its "atomicity"; if it moves a block of data and the power fails, will it complete the data transaction before it runs out of energy, or complete the transaction after power returns? I don't expect a power-hungry PC or laptop to do that - which is another reason to make offline "appliance" copies of SSDs. (Indeed, I will probably put the drive copier on its own smallish UPS, Just In Case. Only the paranoid survive). Eventually, SATA3 will be replaced with parallel optical, perhaps tens or hundreds of TB/s, and the EVO SATAs will join the ancient PATA hard disks in my archival storage (which I DO access occasionally). 20 years from now, colleagues will wonder how I got anything done with mere passive terabytes, rather than exabyte intelligent data structures that collaboratively and obediently self-evolve. *********************************************************** After that mind stretch, can any of the HELPFUL people on the PLUG list help me choose a reliable SATA3 drive copier? *********************************************************** Lastly; Ted, you deflected one of my postings just a few days ago, and I admonished you for that privately, off-list. If you can't be helpful, could you at least think twice before being distracting in public? And TOP POSTING? Jeeeze. Keith L. No need to read the below, but I will put my own posting on top of it to vex habitual top-posters. > -----Original Message----- > From: PLUG <[email protected]> On Behalf Of Keith Lofstrom > Sent: Thursday, October 31, 2024 7:01 PM > To: [email protected] > Subject: [PLUG] fast SATA SSD copying appliance? > > I want a fast, reliable two-slot SATA3 "drive toaster" > for 2.5 inch TB SSD drives. > > I am in work-fast-break-things-too-many-mistakes mode. > > Breaking installed distros on big SSD drives takes too long to > debug/repair/restore/reinstall. I'd prefer a small pile of identical > spares, and an easy way to create more. > > I can bit-copy a 1TB Samsung EVO SATA SSD drive from a laptop through a USB2 > adapter over MANY hours. > > In theory, a full bandwidth 500MB/s drive-to-drive copy needs less than 40 > minutes to move a terabyte. > > Amazon lists many "happy-family-mixed-vegetable-brand" > dual bay drive docking stations, approximately $50 ... > > ... and all have a few bad reviews about defective copying and source drive > corruption. Perhaps those are slanders injected by competitors. Example: > > https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0759567JT > > I'd prefer to get my reviews from trustworthy friends, and if I squint a > lot, all of you look like friends. > What desktop drive-copy appliance do you suggest? > > Keith L. > > P.S. In theory, for current tasks I only need to move a fraction of the > formatted drive capacity, but I don't expect any "toaster-tool" to know > enough about current and future Linux file systems. > > -- > Keith Lofstrom [email protected] > > -- Keith Lofstrom [email protected]
