slink wrote:
I've got a new 2-node 7200 with 2 additional enclosures, 1 SFF, 1 LFF, so I have 2 SFF enclosures. Each one is half populated with 12 900GB SAS 10K drives.
Hi.
Well, I'm a 3par newbie and just trying to figure out how to use our first 3PAR 7200 system (2-node SFF + LFF enclosure).
I would like to ask something about your hardware setup:
What's the point in having a half populated 7200 nodes SFF (12 drivers), and additional half populated SFF enclosure.
I would think of putting all SFF disks on the main 7200 2-node, and not use the additional SFF enclosure - just keep it for future use if/when you purchase additional SFF disks.
Splitting the disks between main and add-on encosure does not provide any better availability - if the main node enclosure is down - your whole system is also unavailable.
If the additional SFF enclosure is down - well, having all 24 SFF drives on the 2-node main enclosure would give better availability in that case.
Regarding performance - if I understand the 3par hardware architecture correctly then having a SFF full populated 2-node system will provide better (or at least the same) performance then 12 drives in main and 12 other in add-on enclosure.
Regarding power consumption, rack space, and the terrible noise from the enclosure, you can also be better without the additional enclosure.
So I would think that add a chained SFF enclosure only when the main is full and you want to add more SFF disks.
What do the other experts here suggest?
Yizhar Hurwitz,
Israel.