Re: (Semi)hot swap IDE

From: Scott W (wegster_at_mindcore.net)
Date: 11/25/03

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    Date: Mon, 24 Nov 2003 20:37:03 -0500
To: Brent Wiese <brently@bjwcs.com>

    Brent Wiese wrote:

    >>>Hello!
    >>>
    >>>I'm looking for a cheap solution to back up a FreeBSD 4.8 machine.
    >>>Cheap meaning that tape drives are out of question. Even external
    >>>FireWire drives are deemed a bit too expensive by the folks
    >>>
    >>>
    >>for whom
    >>
    >>
    >>>I'm doing this research.
    >>>
    >>>This leaves one option I can think of - standard IDE drive
    >>>
    >>>
    >>in one of
    >>
    >>
    >>>those removable HDD trays. We'd probably use two drives, one being
    >>>active in the machine and the other being kept somewhere out of the
    >>>house for safety.
    >>>
    >>>
    >><clip>
    >>
    >>I personally think this a great alternative to tape,
    >>especially given the
    >>low cost per GB of drive space.
    >>
    >>3ware cards support hot swapping IDE and there are several
    >>hot-swap IDE
    >>drive trays in the $50-75 range. You *MUST* make sure the
    >>trays are really
    >>hot swap. Most are not. The ones that are will be very
    >>specific about saying
    >>so.
    >>
    >>
    >
    >My computer vendor uses these:
    >http://www.amtrade.com/pc/ata133_ide_mobil_hdd_racks.htm
    >
    >I personally have not used them, so don't blame me if they end up not
    >working as advertised, but my vendor is happy with them. I have also never
    >used that company or its website until today, so I have nothing in the way
    >of recommending for or against.
    >
    >
    >
    >>Another alternative I just found this past weekend... There
    >>is a company
    >>making "hot swap" IDE trays, but instead of being IDE out,
    >>they're USB 2.0.
    >>
    >>
    >
    >It came to my attention that FreeBSD 4.x lacks USB 2.0 support. I used these
    >USB 2.0 trays in a Windows server and hadn't thought that USB 2.0 might not
    >be supported in FreeBSD 4.x. I don't use USB in my FreeBSD servers, so this
    >never crossed my mind.
    >
    >I'm providing the link to the HDD trays above to show my apologies. :)
    >
    >Cheers,
    >Brent
    >
    >
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    >
    >
    >
    FWIW, those are pretty similar to what I've used in the past, with the
    aforementioned IDE bus issues. The chassis/drive carrier doesn't really
    add much into the mix one way or another- I've yet to see a carrier that
    effectively emulates the (removed) drive being online, which of course
    would pose it's own set of problems... ;-) No bus hangs, but whazt
    about, "Oh yeah...oops, I forgot I included that mount point in THAT
    script!" :-)

    Scott

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