Gluster users - Sep 2010 - Gluster-users Digest, Vol 29, Issue 25

I've been using SuperMicro from ABMX (www.abmx.com) and have been very
happy.
ABMX offers a number different of storage servers, but I prefer to use the 2U
(226SB7-8) and add my own SuperMicro AOC-SAT2-MV8 card for 8 drives (I'm
doing
all my RAID using AFR in Gluster). This gives you 16Tb for less than US $3000.
If you need 10G, SuperMicro also makes adapter (AOC-EXPX9502FXSR). Quick Google
for the 10Gb adapter shows it for $492.79 from
http://www.pcconnection.com/1/1/143396-supermicro-standard-low-profile-2-port-10
-gigabit-ethernet-lan-card-aoc-stg-i2.html.  I'm sure you could also use
other
10Gb cards as well.

Configured machine with Intel Core2Duo E7500, 8Gb memory, 8 x 2Tb drives, KVM
over LAN, dual 1Gb Ethernet, redundant power supplies, and a 3 year (depot)
warranty will run you about US $2800.  I'm getting 30+Mb per second to my
mirrored servers (via AFR).  By using AOC-SAT2-MV8 card and using Gluster to do
all my RAID-ing, I get 100% of my storage (well actually 50%, but full 50%) and
there's no real reason to use the more expensive "RAID certified"
(and more
expensive) hard drives.

I've had two of these machines in production since last December and love
them.
I've used other ABMX hardware for probably 5 years and have been very
satisfied
with their reliability and their service (when required).  At their prices, I
find I can usually buy a spare.

Hope info helps,

Larry Bates
vitalEsafe, Inc.

------------------------------

Message: 3
Date: Fri, 24 Sep 2010 14:30:55 +0200
From: Janne Aho <janne at citynetwork.se>
Subject: [Gluster-users] Hardware advice?
To: gluster-users at gluster.org
Message-ID: <4C9C99FF.2050706 at citynetwork.se>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8; format=flowed


Hi,

We are looking into setting up a glusterfs cluster to store VM images 
(for KVM and VMware). Usually we have machines from Dell, but we haven't 
found any good machine to use which allows a good amount of disk space 
and possibility to have at least 4 NICs (we are thinking about using 10 
gigabit network, otherwise we need to bond and use more NICs).

Sure we could buy just off the shelf stuff to keep the cost down, but we 
are looking for having a good hardware support (to be sure if something 
breaks down, that we will get spare parts).

Does anyone here have suggestion on hardware that can do the following:

1. having iDrac or similar (remote access to console)
2. at least 4 NICs which can be 10 gigabit (this for redundancy).
3. have an architecture which is supported by gluster (with other words 
no mc68k).
4. having space enough for a good amount of disks or jbod that can be 
connected to the machine (please no suggestion on Promise jbods).
5. It has to be rack mounted

If suggesting something else than Dell, please give some price 
indication on the hardware, don't care if it's accurate or not, just 
that I get some understanding if it's something that can fit our budget.


Thanks in advance for your replies.


-- 
Janne Aho (Developer) | City Network Hosting AB - www.citynetwork.se
Phone: +46 455 690022 | Cell: +46 733 312775
EMail/MSN: janne at citynetwork.se
ICQ: 567311547 | Skype: janne_mz | AIM: janne4cn | Gadu: 16275665


------------------------------

-------- Original-Nachricht --------
> Datum: Fri, 24 Sep 2010 15:07:51 -0500
> Von: "Larry Bates" <larry.bates at vitalesafe.com>
> An: gluster-users at gluster.org
> Betreff: Re: [Gluster-users] Gluster-users Digest, Vol 29, Issue 25
> I've been using SuperMicro from ABMX (www.abmx.com) and have been very
> happy.
> ABMX offers a number different of storage servers, but I prefer to use the
> 2U
> (226SB7-8) and add my own SuperMicro AOC-SAT2-MV8 card for 8 drives
(I'm
> doing
> all my RAID using AFR in Gluster). This gives you 16Tb for less than US
> $3000.
> If you need 10G, SuperMicro also makes adapter (AOC-EXPX9502FXSR). Quick
> Google
> for the 10Gb adapter shows it for $492.79 from
>
http://www.pcconnection.com/1/1/143396-supermicro-standard-low-profile-2-port-10
> -gigabit-ethernet-lan-card-aoc-stg-i2.html.  I'm sure you could also
use
> other
> 10Gb cards as well.
> 
> Configured machine with Intel Core2Duo E7500, 8Gb memory, 8 x 2Tb drives,
> KVM
> over LAN, dual 1Gb Ethernet, redundant power supplies, and a 3 year
> (depot)
> warranty will run you about US $2800.  I'm getting 30+Mb per second to
my
> mirrored servers (via AFR).  By using AOC-SAT2-MV8 card and using Gluster
> to do
> all my RAID-ing, I get 100% of my storage (well actually 50%, but full
> 50%) and
> there's no real reason to use the more expensive "RAID
certified" (and
> more
> expensive) hard drives.
> 
> I've had two of these machines in production since last December and
love
> them.
> I've used other ABMX hardware for probably 5 years and have been very
> satisfied
> with their reliability and their service (when required).  At their
> prices, I
> find I can usually buy a spare.
> 
If you need a lot of storage then you could try to build something like the
Backblaze Storage Pod (67 terabyte 4U servers for $7,867):
http://blog.backblaze.com/2009/09/01/petabytes-on-a-budget-how-to-build-cheap-cloud-storage/

btw: I don't find 30+MB/s spectacular. I get more then 30MB/s with AFR even
when using very cheap cards (aka RT8169). Might I ask you what NIC's you are
using and what OS and what router/switch?

> Hope info helps,
> 
> Larry Bates
> vitalEsafe, Inc.
> 
> ------------------------------
> 
> Message: 3
> Date: Fri, 24 Sep 2010 14:30:55 +0200
> From: Janne Aho <janne at citynetwork.se>
> Subject: [Gluster-users] Hardware advice?
> To: gluster-users at gluster.org
> Message-ID: <4C9C99FF.2050706 at citynetwork.se>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8; format=flowed
> 
> 
> Hi,
> 
> We are looking into setting up a glusterfs cluster to store VM images 
> (for KVM and VMware). Usually we have machines from Dell, but we
haven't
> found any good machine to use which allows a good amount of disk space 
> and possibility to have at least 4 NICs (we are thinking about using 10 
> gigabit network, otherwise we need to bond and use more NICs).
> 
> Sure we could buy just off the shelf stuff to keep the cost down, but we 
> are looking for having a good hardware support (to be sure if something 
> breaks down, that we will get spare parts).
> 
> Does anyone here have suggestion on hardware that can do the following:
> 
> 1. having iDrac or similar (remote access to console)
> 2. at least 4 NICs which can be 10 gigabit (this for redundancy).
> 3. have an architecture which is supported by gluster (with other words 
> no mc68k).
> 4. having space enough for a good amount of disks or jbod that can be 
> connected to the machine (please no suggestion on Promise jbods).
> 5. It has to be rack mounted
> 
> If suggesting something else than Dell, please give some price 
> indication on the hardware, don't care if it's accurate or not,
just
> that I get some understanding if it's something that can fit our
budget.
> 
> 
> Thanks in advance for your replies.
> 
> 
> -- 
> Janne Aho (Developer) | City Network Hosting AB - www.citynetwork.se
> Phone: +46 455 690022 | Cell: +46 733 312775
> EMail/MSN: janne at citynetwork.se
> ICQ: 567311547 | Skype: janne_mz | AIM: janne4cn | Gadu: 16275665
> 
> 
> ------------------------------
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Gluster-users mailing list
> Gluster-users at gluster.org
> http://gluster.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/gluster-users
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