Date: 6 Nov 1997 16:04:21 GMT From: chris@netmonger.net (Christopher Masto) To: freebsd-chat@freebsd.org Subject: Re: hardware Message-ID: <63spq5$6j7$1@schenectady.netmonger.net> References: <199711060445.VAA23332@obie.softweyr.ml.org>, <199711060503.PAA01281@word.smith.net.au>
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In article <199711060503.PAA01281@word.smith.net.au>, Mike Smith <mike@smith.net.au> wrote: >> If you're really putting together a system for FreeBSD, remember to >> spend your money in the important areas. First, throw out the IDE >> interface, don't even think about using it. (I do, but only on *other* >> people's machines. This one doesn't even have an IDE controller in it.) > >This advice is *seriously* outdated, especially in the light of the >current performance of 3.x systems. We are using IDE on 2.2 boxes with >excellent results as well, and to suggest that people should never >consider IDE is completely wrong. > >SCSI shines for heavily-loaded disk systems, particularly when >concurrency is an issue. If, OTOH, your're building a workstation the >cost savings from going IDE over SCSI will let you double your disk >space. Dunno, I tend to agree with the SCSI advice for a couple of reasons. Having a FreeBSD box at home (from 2.0 through 3.0) with IDE, and several SCSI-based machines at work, it seems to me that the IDE is slowing my system down quite a bit. The drive seems to just run a lot more, particularly when doing something like a CVS checkout. IIRC, IDE was basically a coupling of the ISA bus to a hard drive, and doesn't have nearly as much brains in the drive or controller as SCSI. The other reason I think SCSI is a good idea is that you can get a SCSI tape or Jaz drive or something. I'm currently struggling with the decision to dig into the kernel and get my Exabyte Eagle TR-3 "floppy tape" working under FreeBSD, or to just go SCSI and "get a real tape drive". I wish I hadn't tried to save a few bucks in the first place - the money I've wasted in upgrading and replacing IDE drives would easily cover the cost difference of having gone with SCSI in the first place. Your mileage may vary (and apparently does). -- = Christopher Masto = chris@netmonger.net = http://www.netmonger.net/ = = NetMonger Communications = finger for PGP key = $19.95/mo unlimited access = = Director of Operations = (516) 221-6664 = mailto:info@netmonger.net =
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