upgrade promise to use 2TB hitachi ultrastar drives

javajockey · partially protected Joined: 24 Jan 2008 Posts: 5

I'm sorry if this has been asked before, but has any upgrade their promise Vtrak Storage to use 2TB hitachi ultrastar drives. These drives are rated "enterprise class" My 750G drives are running out of space. These are the same drives that non-apple Promise Vtrak systems use. If this is not possible, Can I use the non apple branded Promise disk chassis in my XSAN environment? I just curious because I understand that the firmware is custom.

abstractrude · Xsan Master Joined: 13 Mar 2008 Posts: 561

it would careful here. you may run into URE

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standard_RAID_levels#RAID_5_disk_failure_rate

Also this would be unsupported! that being said if the apple fireware supports it give it a shot. would run in a test environment first.

javajockey · partially protected Joined: 24 Jan 2008 Posts: 5

Thanks for the reply,

I'm aware that Apple does not support this.
Apple also does not support using the Nexsan SataBeast. But that does not stop people from buying and adding this to their environment
I'm just checking to see if any active members of the board has upgraded their VTrak 610.

You can buy 32TB Promise Vtrak systems from these guys

http://www.thinkmate.com/Computer_Systems/Storage/Storage_Systems

They use 2TB Hitachi Ultrastar drives.

I'm just checking to see If I can add this units to my existing Xsan Environment. Naturally I would create a separate volume.

undercover · RAID 5 Joined: 14 Jan 2010 Posts: 19

Any update on this? I'm looking at possibly doing the same... Also, how critical is it to get Hitachi drives instead of say WD or Seagate?

Weighing the pros/cons for an Apple Solution VS non-apple... this is for our archival storage so it's not as necessary to get every speed boost.

gerakliuss · JBOD Joined: 03 Jul 2010 Posts: 1

Ok, i will do how you are adviced!
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Chevrolet Camaro

Hooloovoo · fully protected Joined: 15 Mar 2009 Posts: 13

I had a 16x750 config which I turned into a 16x2TB config with the Hitachi Ultrastar 2TB's because they are supported in the "normal" Promise firmware VTraks. Since I figured that the firmware of the controllers is actually Apple or Promise, the drives would not really be a problem. I made a backup of the original Xsan data, upgraded the Vtrak firmware to the latest version, replaced the drives, built a new Xsan Volume and that's now in place for almost a month without problems.