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Re: Budget Conscious & Safe build out for 50 Users / 100TB

 
rdnkjdi1
Occasional Contributor

Budget Conscious & Safe build out for 50 Users / 100TB

Currently I have three HP D2600 filled with 600GB SAS drives in raid 6 that is used for an imaging services bureau (18 million images / 18TB / accessed by 8 people).  I’m in the process of adding a fourth D2600 and 12 more 600GB SAS drives.

 

My primary capacity is a developer but I also handle all of the networking / infrastructure.  I’m hoping someone with more knowledge can help me with.

 

Question 1 - These D2600 are rated for up to daisy 4X 2600’s X 4 ext SAS on the P822 controller = 192 drives.  I’m getting nervous having 48 drives on one array.  

 

At what point do I hit “Too many drives” for a raid 6 (or RAID 60) array?  I have Array controller, 3 enclosures, 6 ext SAS connections as failure points.  Continuing to grow extends my points of failure - can someone help me gauge if these things were really intended to have 100+ drives on a single array?

 

Question 2 - Tentatively my next build out I need to support up to 100TB, 100 mil files & 50 employees .  The build out needs to start slow (immediate needs) & grow over time. I see three options (keeping things in the HP fold)

A - Keep adding to existing array with 600GB SAS 3.5 drives.

 

B - Use D2700 / 1.2GB 2.5 10K SCSI drives which will cut down on my enclosures / ext SAS connectors (less likely to fail?).

 

C - Get two MDS600 - two boxes to put everything in.  (Max 74TB high speed SAS w Raid 60).

 

But for whatever reason NONE of those options feel safe to me.  Maybe it’s because I don’t have experience running 100+ drives in a single array?  Or it’s actually a horrible idea?

 

Question 3 - Prior to an upgrade - the imaging department ran a Raid 6 Array using 25 7,200 RPM hard drives in an EMD Netstore (company no longer exists).  It supported up to 15 users doing imaging work.

 

Can I go back to 7,200 RPM HP Sata drives and support 50 people hitting the array?

P.S. Budget is important.

1 REPLY 1
Ian Vaughan
Honored Contributor

Re: Budget Conscious & Safe build out for 50 Users / 100TB

Hello,

New "Chalk Talk" video from HPE's Calvin Zito posted only last week might give you a few more options than what you've got above.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FpETaZF3A40

Five minute intro to new products in the Entry Level Storage family. Worth a look.

Cheers

Ian

Hope that helps - please click "Thumbs up" for Kudos if it does
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