mystery rackmount kit...

[Don Y]

I\'m trying to guess what these may be:

<https://storefront.arizona.edu/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_full_size/public/2022-07/Lot%20138.JPG?itok=8_HLCtXV>

I\'d initially thought they might be disk shelves owing to the height (about
4U?) and \"bland\" front panels. But, they are way too deep for that. Anyone
recognize the distinctive red \"badge\" on the front?

I\'m guessing these are more of the same, viewed from the side:

<https://storefront.arizona.edu/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_full_size/public/2022-07/Lot%20144.JPG?itok=j9j4CfKm>

Note the apparent parting in the top cover.

I\'ll have to see if there are enough other curiosities to merit a drive over,
tomorrow...

 

[a a]

On Sunday, 10 July 2022 at 23:06:15 UTC+2, Don Y wrote:

I\'m trying to guess what these may be:

https://storefront.arizona.edu/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_full_size/public/2022-07/Lot%20138.JPG?itok=8_HLCtXV

I\'d initially thought they might be disk shelves owing to the height (about
4U?) and \"bland\" front panels. But, they are way too deep for that. Anyone
recognize the distinctive red \"badge\" on the front?

I\'m guessing these are more of the same, viewed from the side:

https://storefront.arizona.edu/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_full_size/public/2022-07/Lot%20144.JPG?itok=j9j4CfKm

Note the apparent parting in the top cover.

I\'ll have to see if there are enough other curiosities to merit a drive over,
tomorrow...

and what is your price ?

 

[John Doe]

Google Groups idiot...

--
a a <manta103g@gmail.com> wrote:

X-Received: by 2002:a05:622a:58d:b0:317:ca0d:91a5 with SMTP id c13-20020a05622a058d00b00317ca0d91a5mr11333798qtb.601.1657488966773;
Sun, 10 Jul 2022 14:36:06 -0700 (PDT)
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Jul 2022 14:36:06 -0700 (PDT)
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Newsgroups: sci.electronics.design
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In-Reply-To: <taff01$1fgos$1@dont-email.me
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NNTP-Posting-Host: 46.134.20.96
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User-Agent: G2/1.0
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Message-ID: <16bfb128-88c5-4bb8-8101-351498eddcb2n@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: mystery rackmount kit
From: a a <manta103g@gmail.com
Injection-Date: Sun, 10 Jul 2022 21:36:06 +0000
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=\"UTF-8\"
X-Received-Bytes: 1979

On Sunday, 10 July 2022 at 23:06:15 UTC+2, Don Y wrote:
I\'m trying to guess what these may be:

https://storefront.arizona.edu/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_full_size/public/2022-07/Lot%20138.JPG?itok=8_HLCtXV

I\'d initially thought they might be disk shelves owing to the height (about
4U?) and \"bland\" front panels. But, they are way too deep for that. Anyone
recognize the distinctive red \"badge\" on the front?

I\'m guessing these are more of the same, viewed from the side:

https://storefront.arizona.edu/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_full_size/public/2022-07/Lot%20144.JPG?itok=j9j4CfKm

Note the apparent parting in the top cover.

I\'ll have to see if there are enough other curiosities to merit a drive over,
tomorrow...
and what is your price ?

 

[Judge Dredd]

Off-topic troll...

--
Don Y <blockedofcourse@foo.invalid> wrote:

Path: not-for-mail
From: Don Y <blockedofcourse@foo.invalid
Newsgroups: sci.electronics.design
Subject: mystery rackmount kit
Date: Sun, 10 Jul 2022 14:06:02 -0700
Organization: A noiseless patient Spider
Lines: 16
Message-ID: <taff01$1fgos$1@dont-email.me
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8; format=flowed
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
Injection-Date: Sun, 10 Jul 2022 21:06:09 -0000 (UTC)
Injection-Info: reader01.eternal-september.org; posting-host=\"12f87b41a61929fd03d805c45ed0ecb6\";
logging-data=\"1557276\"; mail-complaints-to=\"abuse@eternal-september.org\"; posting-account=\"U2FsdGVkX1+F4zobawG2m5ljYyT7bNfi\"
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Thunderbird/52.1.1
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X-Mozilla-News-Host: news://news.eternal-september.org:119
Content-Language: en-US
X-Received-Bytes: 1736

I\'m trying to guess what these may be:

https://storefront.arizona.edu/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_full_size/public/2022-07/Lot%20138.JPG?itok=8_HLCtXV

I\'d initially thought they might be disk shelves owing to the height (about
4U?) and \"bland\" front panels. But, they are way too deep for that. Anyone
recognize the distinctive red \"badge\" on the front?

I\'m guessing these are more of the same, viewed from the side:

https://storefront.arizona.edu/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_full_size/public/2022-07/Lot%20144.JPG?itok=j9j4CfKm

Note the apparent parting in the top cover.

I\'ll have to see if there are enough other curiosities to merit a drive over,
tomorrow...

 

[Edward Hernandez]

See also these John Doe troll nym-shift names:

John Doe <always.look@message.header>
John <look@post.header>
Judge Dredd <always.look@post.header>
\"Edward\'s Mother\" <always.see@post.header>
\"Edward\'s Father\" <always.see@post.header>

John Doe troll claiming it has never nym-shifted on Usenet:
http://al.howardknight.net/?ID=165248158300

In message-id <t6nt3e$7bp$3@dont-email.me>
(http://al.howardknight.net/?ID=165357273000) posted Thu, 26 May 2022
12:50:54 -0000 (UTC) John Doe stated:

Always Wrong, the utterly foulmouthed group idiot, adding absolutely
NOTHING but insults to this thread, as usual...

Yet, since Wed, 5 Jan 2022 04:10:38 -0000 (UTC) John Doe\'s post ratio to
USENET (**) has been 71.3% of its posts contributing \"nothing except
insults\" to USENET.

** Since Wed, 5 Jan 2022 04:10:38 -0000 (UTC) John Doe has posted at
least 2980 articles to USENET. Of which 176 have been pure insults and
1950 have been John Doe \"troll format\" postings.

The John Doe troll stated the following in message-id
<sdhn7c$pkp$4@dont-email.me>:

> The troll doesn\'t even know how to format a USENET post...

And the John Doe troll stated the following in message-id
<sg3kr7$qt5$1@dont-email.me>:

The reason Bozo cannot figure out how to get Google to keep from
breaking its lines in inappropriate places is because Bozo is
CLUELESS...

And yet, the clueless John Doe troll has itself posted yet another
incorrectly formatted USENET posting on Sun, 10 Jul 2022 22:46:28 GMT in
message-id <8FIyK.429581$cEE9.171128@usenetxs.com>.

yco0kz9fyckR

 

[Edward Hernandez]

See also these John Doe troll nym-shift names:

John Doe <always.look@message.header>
John <look@post.header>
Judge Dredd <always.look@post.header>
\"Edward\'s Mother\" <always.see@post.header>
\"Edward\'s Father\" <always.see@post.header>

John Doe troll claiming it has never nym-shifted on Usenet:
http://al.howardknight.net/?ID=165248158300

John Dope stated the following in message-id
<svsh05$lbh$5@dont-email.me>
(http://al.howardknight.net/?ID=164904625100) posted Fri, 4 Mar 2022
08:01:09 -0000 (UTC):

Compared to other regulars, Bozo contributes practically nothing
except insults to this group.

Yet, since Wed, 5 Jan 2022 04:10:38 -0000 (UTC) John Dope\'s post ratio
to USENET (**) has been 71.3% of its posts contributing \"nothing except
insults\" to USENET.

** Since Wed, 5 Jan 2022 04:10:38 -0000 (UTC) John Dope has posted at
least 2980 articles to USENET. Of which 176 have been pure insults and
1950 have been John Dope \"troll format\" postings.

The John Doe troll stated the following in message-id
<sdhn7c$pkp$4@dont-email.me>:

> The troll doesn\'t even know how to format a USENET post...

And the John Doe troll stated the following in message-id
<sg3kr7$qt5$1@dont-email.me>:

The reason Bozo cannot figure out how to get Google to keep from
breaking its lines in inappropriate places is because Bozo is
CLUELESS...

And yet, the clueless John Doe troll has continued to post incorrectly
formatted USENET articles that are devoid of content (latest example on
Sun, 10 Jul 2022 22:46:29 GMT in message-id
<9FIyK.417263$Zth9.55110@usenetxs.com>).

NOBODY likes the John Doe troll\'s contentless spam.

This posting is a public service announcement for any google groups
readers who happen by to point out that John Dope does not even follow
the rules it uses to troll other posters.

nuyGTatLsz1x

 

[Edward\'s Mother]

Edward Hernandez, the Astraweb nym-shifting forger is trolling off-topic
and other posts with someone else\'s ID, then replies to its post, strangely,
as if it were replying to someone else.

See also...
Edward H. <dtgamer99 gmail.com>
Edward Hernandez <dtgamer99 gmail.com>
Peter Weiner <dtgamer99 gmail.com>
John Doe <always.look message.header> (Astraweb, Aioe.org)
Judge Dredd <always.look@post.header> (Astraweb)
John <look@post.header> (Astraweb)

--
Judge Dredd <always.look@post.header> wrote:

Path: eternal-september.org!reader01.eternal-september.org!news.uzoreto.com!news-out.netnews.com!news.alt.net!fdc2.netnews.com!peer02.ams1!peer.ams1.xlned.com!news.xlned.com!peer03.ams4!peer.am4.highwinds-media.com!news.highwinds-media.com!fx06.ams4.POSTED!not-for-mail
From: Judge Dredd <always.look@post.header
Newsgroups: sci.electronics.design,free.spam
Subject: mystery rackmount kit
Followup-To: alt.test.group
References: <taff01$1fgos$1@dont-email.me
Injection-Date: Sun, 10 Jul 2022 18:46:29 -0000 (UTC)
Injection-Info: reader02.eternal-september.org; posting-host=\"aefae07b417003b570527823e77a9930\"; logging-data=\"29200\"; mail-complaints-to=\"abuse@eternal-september.org\"; posting-account=\"U2FsdGVkX18QBXYPJWay5G0R7zD10mjY5gUD5xOvt6I=\"
User-Agent: Xnews/2006.08.05
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NNTP-Posting-Date: Sun, 10 Jul 2022 22:46:29 UTC
Date: Sun, 10 Jul 2022 22:46:29 GMT
X-Received-Bytes: 2621
Xref: reader01.eternal-september.org sci.electronics.design:673579 free.spam:21079

Off-topic troll...

--
Don Y <blockedofcourse@foo.invalid> wrote:

Path: not-for-mail
From: Don Y <blockedofcourse@foo.invalid
Newsgroups: sci.electronics.design
Subject: mystery rackmount kit
Date: Sun, 10 Jul 2022 14:06:02 -0700
Organization: A noiseless patient Spider
Lines: 16
Message-ID: <taff01$1fgos$1@dont-email.me
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8; format=flowed
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
Injection-Date: Sun, 10 Jul 2022 21:06:09 -0000 (UTC)
Injection-Info: reader01.eternal-september.org; posting-host=\"12f87b41a61929fd03d805c45ed0ecb6\";
logging-data=\"1557276\"; mail-complaints-to=\"abuse@eternal-september.org\"; posting-account=\"U2FsdGVkX1+F4zobawG2m5ljYyT7bNfi\"
User-Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 6.1; WOW64; rv:52.0) Gecko/20100101
Thunderbird/52.1.1
Cancel-Lock: sha1:t7T7Knmfex6nr0VOSATGXgel+vk=
X-Mozilla-News-Host: news://news.eternal-september.org:119
Content-Language: en-US
X-Received-Bytes: 1736

I\'m trying to guess what these may be:

https://storefront.arizona.edu/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_full_size/public/2022-07/Lot%20138.JPG?itok=8_HLCtXV

I\'d initially thought they might be disk shelves owing to the height (about
4U?) and \"bland\" front panels. But, they are way too deep for that. Anyone
recognize the distinctive red \"badge\" on the front?

I\'m guessing these are more of the same, viewed from the side:

https://storefront.arizona.edu/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_full_size/public/2022-07/Lot%20144.JPG?itok=j9j4CfKm

Note the apparent parting in the top cover.

I\'ll have to see if there are enough other curiosities to merit a drive over,
tomorrow...

 

[Edward Hernandez]

See also these John Doe troll nym-shift names:

John Doe <always.look@message.header>
John <look@post.header>
Judge Dredd <always.look@post.header>
\"Edward\'s Mother\" <always.see@post.header>
\"Edward\'s Father\" <always.see@post.header>

John Doe troll claiming it has never nym-shifted on Usenet:
http://al.howardknight.net/?ID=165248158300

In message-id <t6nt3e$7bp$3@dont-email.me>
(http://al.howardknight.net/?ID=165357273000) posted Thu, 26 May 2022
12:50:54 -0000 (UTC) Troll Doe stated:

Always Wrong, the utterly foulmouthed group idiot, adding absolutely
NOTHING but insults to this thread, as usual...

Yet, since Wed, 5 Jan 2022 04:10:38 -0000 (UTC) Troll Doe\'s post ratio
to USENET (**) has been 71.6% of its posts contributing \"nothing except
insults\" to USENET.

** Since Wed, 5 Jan 2022 04:10:38 -0000 (UTC) Troll Doe has posted at
least 3014 articles to USENET. Of which 176 have been pure insults and
1983 have been Troll Doe \"troll format\" postings.

The John Dope troll stated the following in message-id
<sdhn7c$pkp$4@dont-email.me>:

> The troll doesn\'t even know how to format a USENET post...

And the John Dope troll stated the following in message-id
<sg3kr7$qt5$1@dont-email.me>:

The reason Bozo cannot figure out how to get Google to keep from
breaking its lines in inappropriate places is because Bozo is
CLUELESS...

And yet, the clueless John Dope troll has continued to post incorrectly
formatted USENET articles that are devoid of content (latest example on
Sun, 10 Jul 2022 23:31:42 -0000 (UTC) in message-id
<tafngu$1g414$29@dont-email.me>).

NOBODY likes the John Doe troll\'s contentless spam.

This posting is a public service announcement for any google groups
readers who happen by to point out that John Dope does not even follow
the rules it uses to troll other posters.

CZjahvK7HImV

 

[Jasen Betts]

On 2022-07-10, Don Y <blockedofcourse@foo.invalid> wrote:

I\'m trying to guess what these may be:

https://storefront.arizona.edu/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_full_size/public/2022-07/Lot%20138.JPG?itok=8_HLCtXV

I\'d initially thought they might be disk shelves owing to the height (about
4U?) and \"bland\" front panels. But, they are way too deep for that. Anyone
recognize the distinctive red \"badge\" on the front?

I\'m guessing these are more of the same, viewed from the side:

https://storefront.arizona.edu/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_full_size/public/2022-07/Lot%20144.JPG?itok=j9j4CfKm

Note the apparent parting in the top cover.

I\'ll have to see if there are enough other curiosities to merit a drive over,
tomorrow...

Disk shelves is correct.

slightly different paint job here:

https://www.theregister.com/2014/10/01/ddn_dresses_gpfs_up_in_appliance_clothes/


--
Jasen.

 

[Don Y]

On 7/12/2022 2:03 AM, Jasen Betts wrote:

On 2022-07-10, Don Y <blockedofcourse@foo.invalid> wrote:
I\'m trying to guess what these may be:

https://storefront.arizona.edu/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_full_size/public/2022-07/Lot%20138.JPG?itok=8_HLCtXV

I\'d initially thought they might be disk shelves owing to the height (about
4U?) and \"bland\" front panels. But, they are way too deep for that. Anyone
recognize the distinctive red \"badge\" on the front?

I\'m guessing these are more of the same, viewed from the side:

https://storefront.arizona.edu/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_full_size/public/2022-07/Lot%20144.JPG?itok=j9j4CfKm

Note the apparent parting in the top cover.

I\'ll have to see if there are enough other curiosities to merit a drive over,
tomorrow...


Disk shelves is correct.

More or less (I took a look at it, yesterday).

It\'s more like a \"storage appliance\". It has a fair bit of \"smarts\" instead of
a generic JBOD. (this makes it harder for me to make use of it).

slightly different paint job here:

https://www.theregister.com/2014/10/01/ddn_dresses_gpfs_up_in_appliance_clothes/

Thanks! I\'ll see if I can find a data sheet/product brief/manual.
But, I suspect it will be hard to work-around its internal smarts.
And, the top-load design will be problematic as it will have to be
operated extended on its slides (I\'d be wary of the rack tipping).

I think I\'m better off looking for smaller, front-load shelves...
just using more of them! (e.g. 5*12 instead of 60 at a time)

 

[Grant Taylor]

On 7/10/22 3:06 PM, Don Y wrote:

I\'m trying to guess what these may be:

https://storefront.arizona.edu/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_full_size/public/2022-07/Lot%20138.JPG?itok=8_HLCtXV

I\'d initially thought they might be disk shelves owing to the height
(about 4U?) and \"bland\" front panels. But, they are way too deep
for that. Anyone recognize the distinctive red \"badge\" on the front?

The look like disk shelves, probably with servers built in.

Link - Datadirect (supermicro) mining server 2 x E5-2665 8 core 2.4ghz
32gig 2 X 1TB | eBay
- https://www.ebay.com/itm/255087205980

I\'m guessing these are more of the same, viewed from the side:

https://storefront.arizona.edu/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_full_size/public/2022-07/Lot%20144.JPG?itok=j9j4CfKm

Agreed.

Note the apparent parting in the top cover.

I\'ll have to see if there are enough other curiosities to merit a
drive over, tomorrow...

They look interesting. The also look like they would be louder than I
want at home.



--
Grant. . . .
unix || die

 

[Grant Taylor]

On 7/12/22 9:07 AM, Don Y wrote:

It\'s more like a \"storage appliance\". It has a fair bit of \"smarts\"
instead of a generic JBOD. (this makes it harder for me to make use
of it).

I would wonder if you could host the thing(s) accessing the JBOD on --
what you call -- the smarts internally instead of the external system
you\'re using. Maybe you can or maybe your stack doesn\'t support the system.



--
Grant. . . .
unix || die

 

[Don Y]

On 7/12/2022 9:10 AM, Grant Taylor wrote:

On 7/12/22 9:07 AM, Don Y wrote:
It\'s more like a \"storage appliance\". It has a fair bit of \"smarts\" instead
of a generic JBOD. (this makes it harder for me to make use of it).

I would wonder if you could host the thing(s) accessing the JBOD on -- what you
call -- the smarts internally instead of the external system you\'re using.
Maybe you can or maybe your stack doesn\'t support the system.

I don\'t imagine there would be sufficient detail available to let me
know how things were wired and what was (tediously) cast in firmware.

I\'ve encountered similar boxes, in the past (e.g., large RAID arrays
with gigabytes of BBRAM). It\'s just not worth the effort to get
the information needed in the *hope* that it might be possible to
repurpose.

E.g., I can use 4 (or 5) SAS interfaces to drive 4 15-drive JBODs
(or 5 12-drive JBODs) and know that I\'ve got a really fat pipe into
the \"array\" (of shelves). But, how are the 60 drives wired in *this*
box?

 

[Don Y]

On 7/12/2022 8:41 AM, Grant Taylor wrote:

On 7/10/22 3:06 PM, Don Y wrote:
I\'m trying to guess what these may be:

https://storefront.arizona.edu/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_full_size/public/2022-07/Lot%20138.JPG?itok=8_HLCtXV


I\'d initially thought they might be disk shelves owing to the height (about
4U?) and \"bland\" front panels. But, they are way too deep for that. Anyone
recognize the distinctive red \"badge\" on the front?

The look like disk shelves, probably with servers built in.

Link - Datadirect (supermicro) mining server 2 x E5-2665 8 core 2.4ghz 32gig 2
X 1TB | eBay
- https://www.ebay.com/itm/255087205980

I\'m guessing these are more of the same, viewed from the side:

https://storefront.arizona.edu/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_full_size/public/2022-07/Lot%20144.JPG?itok=j9j4CfKm


Agreed.

Note the apparent parting in the top cover.

I\'ll have to see if there are enough other curiosities to merit a drive over,
tomorrow...
They look interesting. The also look like they would be louder than I want at
home.

All that spinning rust in a single box is definitely \"interesting\"! :>

They aren\'t intended for my own use (I already have ~10 shelves in my lab
but never run more than one at a time -- too many BTUs!). Rather, they
are intended as \"appliances\" for various groups with which I\'m affiliated
to sanitize/initialize drives, \"in bulk\".

E.g., it takes about an hour, per pass, to process a 250GB drive. So, a write
followed by verify takes about 2 hours. If it takes ~2 minutes to mount a disk
drive in a carrier and install that assembly, then it will take ~2 hours to
prepare 60 such drives. At the end of that time, the first drive inserted
will be completed and need to be removed. Assume 2 more minutes to unmount it
and then you\'re needed to remove drive #2 -- which has now finished two passes.

[I.e., it would be foolish to prep all of the drives, install ALL of them and
then start the appliance; better to let each drive start being processed as
it is physically available to do so]

 

[Cydrome Leader]

Don Y <blockedofcourse@foo.invalid> wrote:

I\'m trying to guess what these may be:

https://storefront.arizona.edu/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_full_size/public/2022-07/Lot%20138.JPG?itok=8_HLCtXV

I\'d initially thought they might be disk shelves owing to the height (about
4U?) and \"bland\" front panels. But, they are way too deep for that. Anyone
recognize the distinctive red \"badge\" on the front?

I\'m guessing these are more of the same, viewed from the side:

https://storefront.arizona.edu/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_full_size/public/2022-07/Lot%20144.JPG?itok=j9j4CfKm

Note the apparent parting in the top cover.

I\'ll have to see if there are enough other curiosities to merit a drive over,
tomorrow...

nice flip phone photos. Maybe you could try again, in focus and with
images over 32x24 pixels in size.

 

[Don Y]

On 7/12/2022 8:41 AM, Grant Taylor wrote:

On 7/10/22 3:06 PM, Don Y wrote:
I\'m trying to guess what these may be:

https://storefront.arizona.edu/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_full_size/public/2022-07/Lot%20138.JPG?itok=8_HLCtXV


I\'d initially thought they might be disk shelves owing to the height (about
4U?) and \"bland\" front panels. But, they are way too deep for that. Anyone
recognize the distinctive red \"badge\" on the front?

The look like disk shelves, probably with servers built in.

Link - Datadirect (supermicro) mining server 2 x E5-2665 8 core 2.4ghz 32gig 2
X 1TB | eBay
- https://www.ebay.com/itm/255087205980

These have 60 drive slots -- 5x6 under each of the openable \"flaps\" in
the top of the case.

The ones that I opened (only the topmost on any pallet as the devices are
too heavy to easily move aside to examine the units underneath) had a mix
of 600G, 4T and 6T drives.

It will be curious to see what they end up selling for as most of the folks
who frequent the auctions tend to be resellers looking for \"deals\" that they
can leverage. I can\'t imagine any *business* wanting \"used media\" for their
enterprise. So, the drives have little/no value. And, the appliances
(assuming they work and suit your needs) are REALLY heavy/bulky to ship.
So, any savings in surplus pricing are diminished by the freight costs.

It\'s always interesting to see folks climbing through the piles to see
what may be of interest to THEIR \"customers\". One guy was busily taking
notes about items of interest in *each* pallet/lot of interest cuz the
photos that they post are useless -- unless you happen to recognize something
specific, hence the reason for my question, here. (that was how I
stumbled on my \"Personal Reader\")

As it\'s not a \"financial/business issue\" for me, I\'m much less obsessed
with details... I take closeups of model numbers that can be researched,
later (easier than writing down stuff). E.g., there was a fair bit of
audio and photog kit there that I might buy (or, TRY to buy) and donate
to local maker house, now that I have more detailed images to research.

There was another pallet/lot of more traditional (front load) shelves that
I may pursue. What I really want is an appliance that can mount \"bare\"
drives as the labor required to mount a drive to a carrier limits the
sorts of people who can do the work and the time per drive to do it
(would YOU want to mount/dismount drives continuously for hours at a time?)

 

[Grant Taylor]

On 7/12/22 11:28 AM, Don Y wrote:
> All that spinning rust in a single box is definitely \"interesting\"! :>

Indeed.

If it takes ~2 minutes to mount a disk drive in a carrier and install
that assembly, then it will take ~2 hours to prepare 60 such drives.
... Assume 2 more minutes to unmount it and then you\'re needed to
remove drive #2 -- which has now finished two passes.

I would change the paradigm slightly. If I could, as if the interfaces
worked, and the bandwidth could keep up, I\'d use something like multiple
USB connected SATA (or SAS if such a thing exists) adapter(s) that I\'d
move from raw drive to raw drive as I went through the pile.

Just my 2¢ worth.



--
Grant. . . .
unix || die

 

[Don Y]

On 7/12/2022 3:08 PM, Grant Taylor wrote:

On 7/12/22 11:28 AM, Don Y wrote:
All that spinning rust in a single box is definitely \"interesting\"! :

Indeed.

If it takes ~2 minutes to mount a disk drive in a carrier and install that
assembly, then it will take ~2 hours to prepare 60 such drives. ... Assume 2
more minutes to unmount it and then you\'re needed to remove drive #2 -- which
has now finished two passes.

I would change the paradigm slightly. If I could, as if the interfaces worked,
and the bandwidth could keep up, I\'d use something like multiple USB connected
SATA (or SAS if such a thing exists) adapter(s) that I\'d move from raw drive to
raw drive as I went through the pile.

Just my 2¢ worth.

When drives were smaller (~20G), we\'d use multiple IDE interrfaces in a single
machine. The time required to process a disk was small enough that you could
plug all of the drives, power up the appliance and wait for them ALL to finish
at roughly the same time.

As sizes increased (~100G), we moved to external USB (PATA) enclosures so we
could be fitting a drive while other drives were being processed. A poor-man\'s
hot plug solution (power up the external drive assembly after the DUT was
fitted; plug into USB port).

SATA drives strained this as the drives were inherently larger and USB2 i/fs
tend to max out at ~1GB/s so they are impractical for the larger drives. (We
now discard anything smaller than 250GB and that threshold will likely be
moving to 500G, RSN). And, USB3 interfaces aren\'t quite ubiquitous -- nor
are USB3 external drive \"chassis\" that can host DUTs.

And, you have to ensure anything between the drives and the application doesn\'t
interfere with how the application can interact with the drives (e.g., I
need to be able to deal with the DSO and HPA so any \"enclosure services\"
can\'t lock me out of those mechanisms)

You need to target 60MB/s per drive as a sustainable data rate. A smallish
(12 drive) shelf connected via SAS is a reasonably good fit. So, use multiple
shelves to get the desired number of concurrent drives \"on-line\".

If you abandon the conventional OS design and tailor it (and the drivers) to
this specific application (hey, it\'s an APPLIANCE! :> ), then you can run the
i/fs at close to their maximum speed -- offloading everything else to some
other box (UI, RDBMS, etc.).

Commercial products tend to have top-loaded slots into which drives can be
\"placed\" (without needing a carrier) -- sort of like USB disk docks. So,
these boxes *could* work -- if I printed a \"frame\" to restrict the slots\'
openings to conform to the size of the drives.

But, then you have to deal with drives that aren\'t 1\" high. Or laptop drives.
Or...

[Goal here is to do things for little-to-no-money as these folks don\'t
have budgets for this sort of kit]

 

[Don Y]

On 7/12/2022 3:55 PM, Don Y wrote:

SATA drives strained this as the drives were inherently larger and USB2 i/fs
tend to max out at ~1GB/s so they are impractical for the larger drives. (We

s.GB/s.GB/m.

now discard anything smaller than 250GB and that threshold will likely be
moving to 500G, RSN). And, USB3 interfaces aren\'t quite ubiquitous -- nor
are USB3 external drive \"chassis\" that can host DUTs.

 

[Cydrome Leader]

Don Y <blockedofcourse@foo.invalid> wrote:

On 7/12/2022 9:10 AM, Grant Taylor wrote:
On 7/12/22 9:07 AM, Don Y wrote:
It\'s more like a \"storage appliance\". It has a fair bit of \"smarts\" instead
of a generic JBOD. (this makes it harder for me to make use of it).

I would wonder if you could host the thing(s) accessing the JBOD on -- what you
call -- the smarts internally instead of the external system you\'re using.
Maybe you can or maybe your stack doesn\'t support the system.

I don\'t imagine there would be sufficient detail available to let me
know how things were wired and what was (tediously) cast in firmware.

I\'ve encountered similar boxes, in the past (e.g., large RAID arrays
with gigabytes of BBRAM). It\'s just not worth the effort to get
the information needed in the *hope* that it might be possible to
repurpose.

Lol, this dusty old clown\'s mind is blown by gigabytes of RAM.