RE: [OT] (A little) : Firewire cables...

["Phil Harris" <phil@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

> Except you can't buy PowerMacs new any more (AFAIK). The Mac Pro has 4
> drive bays btw (but quad/octo-core is definitely overkill for simple
> file serving!)

Correct - but there are plenty of G5 PowerMacs on eBay... ;-)
=20
> I just recently discovered that SATA port multipliers and multi-lane
> SATA exist.

Yup ... seen them.

> The latter merges 4 channels into a single connector. Port
> multipliers expand a single SATA connection out to up to 15 drives. So
> in theory a single cable between machine and drive enclosure could
> connect up to 60 drives!

Not really ... Multi-lane SATA is merging four SATA connections into a
single "Super-SATA" connection, yes, but I'm pretty sure the port
multipliers are "only" five drives onto a single SATA cable and
not fifteen
plus I don't think you can combine the two technologies yet.

> A 25 drive version is possible off the shelf using a combination of
> these:

Not practically it isn't...

> http://www.cooldrives.com/rasaii3g4plo.html

That's a PCI / PCI-X to 4 SATA controller...

> http://www.cooldrives.com/sapciadsaian.html

That's a 4 SATA to External MultiLane SATA connector...

Now, if you use those then you're physically going to take up four PCI
blanks to allow for the cables going into the side of that External
MultiLane connector module...

> (or http://www.cooldrives.com/cosamuhoad4x.html)

That's much more like it! (Assuming that you can get 'em in without paying
duty on 'em at =A350 each.) Now, anyone know of any old mobo's with a
bunch=
of
PCI-X slots and gigabit Ethernet? :-D

> http://www.cooldrives.com/seatamcasaii1.html

$60 / =A330 a cable ... hmmm ... OK.

> http://www.cooldrives.com/musaenscopde.html

$30/=A315 a pop ... good find! That's cheaper than the FireWire800 to SATA
bridgeboards I was looking at. (=A337 + VAT)

So that's =A350 + =A330 + =A315 - say - =A3100 to get 4 SATA drives hooked
=
up
externally via full speed SATA which is about the same cost as replacing
th=
e
Firewire bridgeboards and cabling ... hmmm ... wonder if our US office can
get hold of them for me. ;-)

> http://www.cooldrives.com/cosapomubrso.html

Now this one is a bit of an enigma ... firstly my external cases are for 8
drives anyway so two of the above "sets" would do a complete case
just
nicely but secondly these need a special SATA-Multiplier capable card to
drive them which these guys don't seem to stock...

Again, very good find!

Phil