These servers have space for only two internal disks and I'd like to
try to convert a couple of them into servers of shared storage.
I'm thinking of just setting them up to sync their disks using DRBD
and providing access to the rest of the network via iSCSI.
I am not sure that you want to use it as an iSCSI host. This is a block
level device and isnt really (easily) shared between more than one
client system. Most likely you want NFS or CIFS/SMB.
External eSATA or USB devices is really the only low low cost option.
Using an external iSCSI or ATAoE (or even FCoE) is an option if the disk
array is the right price. But then most of them come with an NFS/CIFS
head on them anyway.
Take a look at Coraid. These guys made up ATAoE and their disk arrays
are surprisingly cheap. http://www.coraid.com/
Keep in mind though, it may be cheaper still to just guy a cheap case
with lots of disk space (perhaps this behemoth
http://www.auspcmarket.com.au/show_product_info.php?input[product_code]=EL-PC-343B&input[category_id]=277
or this much cheaper icute case, of which i have its little brother
http://www.mwave.com.au/newAU/mwaveAU/productdetail.asp?SKU=16010594)
and then drop in a cheap CPU, a motherboard with a lot of sata
connectors and some cheap 4 port sata2 cards.
Dean
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