[ILUG] Dell PowerVault

[Dave Rynne]

) 
) I know some people here have Dell experience, so I thought I'd pop this
) one:
) 
) I'm looking at some biggish Dell servers for a project, and I was
) wondering whether Linux copes well with the PowerEdge/PowerVault

Works a dream on PowerEdges (4300's + 6300's anyway). Haven't bought
any PV kit (yet) so can't comment on it.

) combination.  I'm not looking at the PowerVault NAS systems (the
) rebadged NetApp filers), but at something like the PV200S, which
) apparently is just a bunch of SCSI disks in a box with a controller or
) two.  How is that hooked up to (say) a PowerEdge 6350?  Just a line to
) the 6350's external SCSI port?  Does the PV appear as One Big Disk then,
) or as a bunch of devices?

The PV200S is just an external disk cabinet AFAIK. It'll connect to
the PE via SCSI (i.e. not FCAL) and devices will be seen individually.

) 
) If I put a PERC2 into the 6350, can the PV be set to appear as a single
) device using RAID5?  And is Linux happy with all this?
) 

Yup and Nope. The PERC2 is an Adaptec based RAID card and these are
not supported by Linux. [Which is a pity as they are supposed to be
very nice cards.] Mylex cards make a good alternative.


)          Colm


Dave