Final Cut Server XSAN Setup

[MacMan433]

Good news. Thanks to all of your help, we are now going with an XSAN setup for Final Cut Server. Can someone please tell me if my shopping list is correct? Any feedback and/or additions are welcome.

The goal of this is to allow three MacBook Pro's the ability to edit files via proxy and for the already existing Mac Pro to due the final editing. We are buying a Promise VTRACK and I need the VTRACK to be able to connect via Fibre to the Mac Pro and each of the Xserves so I'm assuming I'll need some sort of switch.

Here is what I've specced so far:

XSAN:

6 licenses (1 for each MacBook, 1 for Each XSERVE, and 1 for the Mac Pro)

Two Xserves with the following configuration:

Quad Core Processor
12GB RAM
Two 1TB hard disks for RAID1 setup
Dual Power Supply
Quad Channel Fibre card (Can I get away with a two port)

1 Promise V-TRACK RAID 8x
1 Quad or Dual Channel Fibre card for Mac Pro

I also think I need a Fibre Switch. Any recommendations?

Thanks. This board is awesome and I've learned so much,

[nrausch]

1-You do not need xsan lisc for the laptops. (Only fiber attached clients)

2- You certainly will require a fiber switch.

3- If you don't have a great vlan-capable network, you will also require 2 Gigabit ethernet switches and networks.

4- You certainly can get away with a dual port fiber cards. 4 ports is overkill for your setup.

5- you may want to consider a 3rd dedicated xserve for finalcutserver.
(Assuming your current shopping list is 1 for XSAN MDC, 1 for Finalcutserver/ FailoverMDC/DNS/and OD.) That's alot to ask of the 2nd server)

You may want to hire an integrator to assist with the setup and training...
Don't try to skimp on the OD and DNS...

[MacMan433]

Thanks, can you recommend a Fibre Switch?

[MacMan433]

also, how many ports do I need? I see that most of the Qlogic switches have 8 ports. Am I correct in saying that I need two for the Vtrack and one each for the Mac Pro, and two Xserves? If so, I'll need five ports. Please confirm.

[abstractrude]

You should have an intergrator with experience doing this for you if your doing if for the first time. First time FCS is hard enough, add Xsan in there its a challange. You can do it with the correct investment of time though.

buy a qlogic 5600 series, it will come with 8 ports and you can license the rest as you go in sets of 4.

you need two separate networks. you need 2 cables going from your storage to the switch and 1 to each xserve and one to your mac pro. your using prores you dont need an 8 GB link.

[matx]

Fiber switch recommendation:

Qlogic 5600Q (8 ports licensed)

You can get this with SFPs, which is useful if you're father than 12ft for any of the fiber clients. Which in your case is probably only going to be your Mac Pro.

3 Xsan client licenses. One per fiber-attached client as was already mentioned. In your case you need it for Xserves and Mac Pro.

2 gigabit network switches. I happen to like NetGear. Get more ports than you need. I usually pick up 48 port switches, but you might get away with 24 port model. You'll appreciate those empty ports when you expand.

Xserve specs:

- 12GB RAM is good.

- Drives. I usually fill them with drives, if I can, as you never know when you need a spare drive when the mirror goes bad, or you can use one or two drives for near-line backup if you're not splurging on an extra RAID for back nor getting a fancy tape backup solution. An external 4TB LaCie quad interface drive might help take data offsite if you need it. In any case, think about backups.

-Fiber. A dual port fiber card is good. You can plug in 4 ports from your Promise VTrak into the switch, + 2 for both xserves, +2 for your Mac Pro. It's up to you. Mix and match. Go wild.

-Power Supplies. You can get two. And/or connect at least one to a good UPS. I like the APC Smart-UPS 3000. Xsan volumes like shutting down gracefully. In case of a power outage it's good to keep the equipment up long enough to shutdown properly. It's also nice to know you have a good backup somewhere.

[JesusAli]

Some random input after skimming through the thread:

- You could save money with a SINGLE power supply on each XServe. If one goes down, that's why you have the 2nd. I remember when spec'ing that those dual power supplies added a LOT of cost.

- You could order a UPS (uninterruptable power supply) from the Apple site to protect yourself from power surges or blackouts.

- You may want to look at Gator for some rack mounting hardware to hold the Xserves, Promise E-Unit, fiberswitch and UPS. http://www.gatorcases.com/Default.aspx?Section=Products&Page=Home&CategoryID=4347

- An open, floor standing rack if the room they'll be in is cool. Maybe a closed rack that you can install fans in if the room is not cool. You could also pipe the output from an AC into a small enclosure. Circulation is what's important.

Smaller racks usually come in 9, 12, or 18 RU (rack units.) Count up what you have to figure the least of what you'll need.

If you have a choice get the racks with square holes that you put screw receivers in. That way a stripped screw won't ruin the whole rack.

- You could also make the Mac Pro a 3rd MDC, just for redundancy. I believe you can still edit on it without problem. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

- Fiber Channel connections:
Promise Controllers: 2 or 4
MDC01: 1 or 2
MDC02: 1 or 2
Mac Pro: 1 or 2 or 4

Low End Total: 5
Medium A (2 on Mac Pro): 6
Medium B (4 on Promise): 7
Medium C (2 MP, 4 Promise) 8
High (4 MP, 4 Promise, 2 on each MDC): 12

From what I've heard, each SFP can handle Input and Output (2 strands) for 1 stream of ProRes at any given moment (a moment being 1/4 billionth of a second.

Since 1/4 billionth of a second is so fast, you can still play 3 streams of ProRes HQ over 1 SFP. Because the pipes are so fat/fast. But using both SFP sockets allows two video tracks in your FCP timeline to LITERALLY be read during the same 1/4 billionth of a second. Four SFP sockets would allow 4 video streams to read literally simultaneously.

All of which is to say, you should analyze how your editors work. How many video streams high do their FCP projects get? If they are STRICT A/B Roll Editors, then don't sweat about giving the Mac Pro 1 SFP. But if they start to stack, go for two, and if they are dependent stackers go for quad, wtf, right?

ps: I am probably not exactly right about the 1/4 billionth of a second thing, others are free to correct me, but you get the idea.

[abstractrude]

[JesusAli]

[mark raudonis]

You may want to consider the "Active Storage" raid instead of the Promise.

www.getactivestorage.com/

Pricing is similar, but features, options, etc. are quite interesting.

Mark