Gilbert E. Detillieux wrote:

Just wondering if anyone has any suggestions to offer for inexpensive hardware RAID systems based on SATA disks? I'd prefer an independent RAID box, with a suitable low-cost interface to a server host, rather than suggestions such as "just buy a big enclosure and a bunch of SATA drives and a RAID card".

I'm hoping for something cheaper than the $10-20K range for things like Dell's PowerVault MD3000. And preferably something I can easily populate with 3rd-party SATA drives, e.g. on empty hot-swap sleds, just to keep costs down.

EqualLogic makes iSCSI systems that are attractively priced relative to Dell's PowerVault line. In fact, Dell now owns EqualLogic, but they have yet to merge the product lines. (I suspect they're waiting until the OEM agreement with EMC expires :-) For that matter, I think.the Dell/EMC AX150/AX150i are still cheaper than the MD series...

Also, remember to consider the Coraid EtherDrive: the SR1521T EtherDrive Storage Appliance is a good deal, if you don't need a rack-mount device. Warning: THEIR PRICES DO NOT INCLUDE THE HARD DISKS!! (Granted, hard drives are cheap enough that they won't be an overwhelming cost component, but...) Also note that contrary to popular belief, the EtherDrive Storage Appliances *do* implement "hardware" RAID. I don't know if it's truly "hardware" or - more likely - software running on an embedded controller, but that doesn't really matter, as the RAID function is completely separated from the host that's accessing the disks, just like any iSCSI or FC or SCSI RAID solution...

-Adam