-=PCTechTalk=- Re: New computer questions- RAIDs?
- From: Robert Carneal <carnealr@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: pctechtalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sun, 23 Mar 2003 14:50:55 -0600
All right. I hope I don't start an argument. This is negative of Gateway,=20
however. That is why I did not want to broadcast it group wide.
1. RAID systems require a minimum of 18 hard drives, or so says Gateway. I=
=20
asked the technician here why so many, and he said he only recommended=20
four- but if a user wanted more, to increase them by twos. I.e., 6, 8, 10,=
=20
12, etc. Why? What is in the RAID that requires 18 hard drives? The Gateway=
=20
store recommending this may have just seen the hearing aid I was wearing,=20
and decided to go for the sky, or she definitely did not know what she was=
=20
talking about.
2. All RAID systems are self backing up. I.e., if you hard drive=20
crashes/fails, another hard drive takes over and you never know you have=20
had a failure. Then you can installed a new hard drive while the others are=
=20
doing the job. Zero data is lost. [NO WAY TO KNOW?!? Wait, surely there is=
=20
a way of knowing. How do I know to replaced the failed hard drive?] I think=
=20
I was misled here.
3. All RAID systems require the Intel 3.02Ghz processor. You will need at=20
least two separate Intel 3.02 processors. (Again, this is from Gateway.)=20
The guy who builds computers here disputes that sky-high. He says a faster=
=20
processor is usually better, but by no means absolutely mandatory.
3. Gateway is suggesting a 20 meg tape drive. The local tech wants to bump=
=20
that up, says the smaller tape drives fail a lot, and the user ends up=20
buying another tape drive to access the tapes he has amassed. He is=20
suggesting a 20 G tape system. Which tape drive is reliable? I have never=20
owned one that lived to see the end of its warranty, which is why I am open=
=20
to a better tape drive. Has any of us used a tape drive that is four years=
=20
old or older?
4. Gateway says if I use a battery backup, RAID systems require it to be=20
assembled inside the computer case. I don't think so.
5. RAID systems will not allow the user to use two dual video cards=20
allowing the users to make use of four video monitors. Gateway says that to=
=20
use four monitors in a RAID system, I need a monitor capable of accepting=20
four monitor plugs. It costs about $2,789 she says. B.S. I say I can=20
install two dual Radeon video cards and get four monitors out of that. Why=
=20
would she say that? Going the route I would like to go would be $179 times=
=20
2, about $358 plus whatever tax is.
6. I would like for the RAID system to be able to connect to another=20
computer case so more hard drives can be added in the future. Is this=20
possible? Gateway says no, the local technician says yes, and I am reading=
=20
information on the Internet just how to do that.
7. You cannot operate a RAID system in Windows XP Professional, according=20
to Gateway. Well, why not? I think you can.
8. How much is a good RAID system? Gateway will not give me a price quote.=
=20
The local technician did, he quote $2,880 aprox. The local tech says it=20
include 800G of hard drive space, 3.0G of memory, an Intel 3.02G processor,=
=20
two DVD-RWs, two floppy drives (the two floppy drives is my request),=20
Windows XP Professional, Win Office 2002, and I don't know the brand of=20
motherboard, large tape drive capable of making auto-backups as I work=20
through the day (I will have a backup at all times), ability to use DOS,=20
and frankly, it sounded ideal.
What do I do?
1. I am a DOS programmer. I know it is a dying art- but my clients still=20
have and use DOS.
2. Genealogy Research. I have almost 105,000 people in the data base with=20
birth certificates, death certificates, marriage photos, military photos,=20
etc. The photos frequently need work- perhaps some get to me torn, water=20
damaged, sun damaged, etc., and I make big copies of them to work with. It=
=20
is not unusual for me to work with a photo that is 2G in size.
3. Receive about 925 email/day. Of that, about 680 is valid. I also do tech=
=20
support, and need copies of each version of an application. For example, if=
=20
there are four versions of Legacy. I keep and use all of them in tech=20
support. (I have to be able to do what the customer is doing to find the=20
problem.)
4. Write family history books.
5. Accept family databases from other people, some of which are on as many=
=20
as 20 CDs and examine it for errors. I just got through working on a 50G=20
file today.
I am starting to believe I should stay away from Gateway and let the local=
=20
technician put it together. There are about 20 more questions, but this is=
=20
enough for now.
Robert
At 03:04 PM 3/23/2003 -0500, you wrote:
>No, you MAY NOT E-Mail off list and ask for information about Raid
>systems <chuckle>
>
>You MAY ask on list so everyone learns from the experience <G>
>
> Regards from the
>"Keyboard Cowboy",
>
> ,,,,,,,,
> =D4=BF=D4=AC
> Cincinnati, Ohio
>Scottsdale, Arizona
>=AB:::=BB=A4=AB:::=BB=A4=A4=AB:::=BB=A4=AB:::=BB
>Sunday
>03/23/2003
>15:03:37
>=AB:::=BB=A4=AB:::=BB=A4=A4=AB:::=BB=A4=AB:::=BB
>
>If passion drives, let reason hold the reins.
>
>-- Benjamin Franklin
>
>
>|=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5|:0:|=A5=A5=A5=
=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5=A5|
>
>=A4=A4=A4=A4=A4 On Sun, 23 Mar 2003 13:50:19 -0600
>=A4=A4=A4=A4=A4 Robert Carneal wrote:
>=A4
>=A4
>=A4
>=A4 Hello all. I guess I will have to cave in and get a new computer
>=A4 probably in the summer. The technician is suggesting a RAID system.
>=A4 If someone who is familiar with RAIDs doesn't mind, may I email off
>=A4 list to discuss if a RAID is best for my needs please?
>=A4
>=A4
>=A4 I have had several computer problems of the late, and it is getting
>=A4 to the point where I am considering a new system. He makes it sound
>=A4 very attractive, and very dependable, and while I knew the price
>=A4 would be higher than home systems, I am trying to decide if it is
>=A4 really the best system for me.
>=A4
>=A4
>=A4 My email address is carnealr@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Thank you.
>=A4
>=A4
>=A4 Robert
>=A4
>=A4
>=A4
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