At 07:36 06-02-98 -0800, Brad wrote:
>I posted this question at the time of the server change over so I don't
>really know if all got to see. I do appreciate Ross'' reply, and I ask
>again, especially since I see that Bill C. is the moderator at this time.
>I'm looking for recommendations for UW SCSI hard drive in the 4.5GB range.
>Most interested in performance and quality than price.

Hi Brad

I've heard that the 4.55 GB UW Seagate Cheetahs can be had for less than
$600. Specs at http://www.seagate.com/disc/cheetah/cheetah.shtml
As far as I know, these are the top performer. (10,000 RPM. All
else being equal, the highest RPM drive gives the highest performance.)
Check http://www.pricewatch.com/ for comparison prices. However you
might want to buy from someone you know and hence trust if their prices
are not unreasonable. (There are also 9 and 18 GB Cheetahs.)

If you are willing to get an Ultra2 controller, you get considerably
better performance. See the Cheetah URL above:
5.2ms access time and 18 MB/sec for Ultra2 instead of just 7.5ms and
13 MB/sec for Ultra. Also four times longer (maximum) cable lengths
permissable with Ultra2. Adaptec has an Ultra2 wide 2940 controller now.
See http://www.adaptec.com/products/overview/aha2940u2w.html
If money is no object, look into RAID.

The *new* 7200 RPM Seagate 4.55 GB Hawks can be had for less than $300.
Pretty good price/performance (for SCSI). Performance approaching
Seagate's more expensive 7200 RPM Barracudas.

Be aware that the 2nd generation Barracudas and Cheetahs available now
run cooler and may have better performance and reliability than their
older siblings. These older first generation models are still around
and are probably the ones that would be on sale at very low prices.
(To be avoided or snatched up, depending on your requirements and
pocketbook. So check model numbers an not just model nicknames. (Be
careful that 5400 RPM Hawks may still be around.)

I have heard very good things about some IBM drives. But I have no
experience with them nor knowledge of what models are recommendable.

So my advice is to get a second generation model (instead of a first
generation) 7200 RPM (at least) or 10K RPM ultra wide or (better)
ultra2 "name" drive. Get a drive bay cooler for each drive. Note that
a pair of 4.5 GB drives could be configured more efficiently than one
9 GB drive (for example). It is likely possible that a wide drive could
run on a narrow controller if you get a converter (68-to-50 adaptor),
so try to get a wide drive.

There are cheap 80 pin (SCA) drives out there. You probably would need to
buy an adaptor and using it might give a performance hit. And these drives
*may* be very old models anyway. Careful.

Getting high performance drives now would help you avoid being left with
a bad bottleneck in your system when you get that next generation
motherboard/CPU later this year.



Regards,
Bill


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