US daily hardware buys: Special Storage I

IF YOU know of any good value IT sales (auctions, rebates, one-off, clearance, surplus, classified ads) going around in the United Kingdom, France, USA or Singapore, don't hesitate to contact me, at least 24 hours before the sales end. Why aren't there any other manufacturers launching 10K RPM Raptor-like hard disks? Is this to protect their SCSI markets? RAID (Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks) has for long been the ultimate goal of many manufacturers. RAID0+1 for example would allow the user to combine four hard disk into a virtual hard disk drive and its mirror. And the wide availability of cheap hard disks make it very easy to build such an array. For example, Gameve has a Western Digital 160GB refurbished hard disk for only $58, roughly 36 cents per Gigabyte. It is a 2MB 7200rpm ATA100 model that is warrantied by Western Digital directly. Now, you don't have to collect or post any rebates or whatsoever. So basically, you can get a 320GB RAID0+1 subsystem for only $232. Just make sure that you don't use any software based RAID applications and rely on purely hardware solutions.

You also can potentially explore other avenues like replacing your aging tape backup with such a system. The hard disk is much quicker and perhaps more reliable than a tape where one part of the media is always under strain- though this will surely spark some debate. Moreover, their price per terabyte is at an all time low at around $350. Also, you don't really need any proprietary technology - AIT, DLT, DDS etc - to be able to transfer your files. Finally, it is possibly easier to recover data from a hard disk rather than from a tape backup.

If you don't fear going through a potentially long rebate period, then grab yourself one of those Best Buy deals here - yeah I know they have only a 12% rating - The WD800 80GB hard disk costs only $25.49 after rebate or 31 cents per gigabyte. Bear in mind thoughthat two rebates are to be sent, each representing $30 before you can really enjoy your buy.

The WD800 is a fine drive with a 8MB cache and a 7200rpm rotational speed. It is be best used as the system disk on a speedy machine. The largest storage solution, if that is what you're after, is the 400GB Hitachi Desktar 7K400 hard disk drive featuring a 8MB cache as well as a 7200rpm rotational speed. Available at bananapc for $387, it is the ultimate storage hard drive that you may dream of.

Never before had so much been crammed into so little space. Now if you really want to get the fattest and biggest storage in your computer, invest in a special controller card. 3Ware is well known for selling loads of these. The 7500-12 will allow you to connect up to 12, yes 12 hard disk drives, to one computer. At $586.95 here, combining 12 400GB hard disks into a huge virtual 4.8TB hard disk is now easier than before. If you want to know what it means to have such a card installed, click here to get loaded. The guy there even thinks of combining one or more of these cards for better performance.

Apart from difficulties in bending those large cables, one more difficult task you will have to get through is to bypass the file size limit which is around 2TB for Linux before kernel 2.4x and NTFS on Windows. So, the price of a 4.8TB rig would probably be around $5300. Next, you will also have to get a motherboard which accepts a full size 64-bit PCI card and a server casing which can accommodate at least 12 bays with a fairly robust and powerful power supply. The Codegen S-201 ATX Server case provides you with 11 5.25in exposed bays - which means that you might have to look for converters as well as six more 3.5in bays. Two fans are included and there is spece for six more fans. The server is ATX2.01 and Xeon compliant and to reaffirm its server roots, it has lockable front and backpanel. it is on sale at $169.99 here. You might also be tempted by the Synergy Type II C-911 15 bays tower which comes with 11 3.5in bays, as well as space for a redundant power supply. It also cost substantially less at $65 only.

As for the PSU, the Cybercooler redundant 460W PSU will do. At 79.50, it is cheaper than most and is Xeon compatible. µ