Host's Dell PowerEdge r710 running ESXi 4.1 Enterprise Plus with Dual Xeon 5570's 32GB ram
Multiple Intel iSCSI nics, but looking to go Intel 10Gb cx4 or multiple Intel ET2 Gigabit iSCSI nics - budget will determine that!
Storage 1 is Dell PE 2900 with MD1000 DAS = 7TB, and MD1200 DAS = 20TB
Storage 2 is Dell PE 2800 with PV220s DAS = 5TB
Storage is on isolated iSCSI storage network via multiple GB nics
Hi, I am in need of multiple Large capacity Storage iSCSI storage devices in the +/-16TB range, but I am looking for the Best of the Least Expensive available, in other words <10k which obviously excludes things like Dell Equallogic etc. I know those types are very good but I am dealing with a Gov. agency and there is NO money available which means I will work very hard for the few $$ I will get budgeted.
As listed above, My current storage consists of older physical servers that I converted to SAN's via Windows Server 2008R2 with iSCSI Software Target, and quite honestly works surprisingly well. However, these machines take up an enormous amount of rack space/TB, consume GOBS of power, and are getting a bit "long on the tooth" especially the 2800. My storage will be used for ESXi Shared Storage, but mostly for large targets that will store imagery in a mostly static usage environment...it just needs to be available to them when they need it, where they need it.
Here is an example of what I recently have been quoted from a company that we used a few years ago for some High Performance Workstations:
12 bay rackmount chassis with single Core2 mobo, 4GB ram, dual onboard GB nics, dual Intel ET2 Quad port iSCSI nics, dual Areca (can't remember mod. number) SATA raid controllers, 8 Seagate Constellation 2TB drives, 3 year keep your drive warranty, price 6 mos ago was $6500.00 ish.
This was a pretty good deal that I was quoted, and at the time I was looking forward, but my customer wasn't...now they are because our requirements continue to Ramp-up, even though but the budget has dried up since ever since Washington went on its current scorched earth spending spree. Who'd a thought it was an entry level job that didn't require any real business experience/sense? Rant...Sorry!
Anyway, since anything we buy will need to go through contracting channels, I can only take suggestions that I will research to find the best "Bang for the Buck" that I will in-turn use to write the specification that Contracting will get to put out for bid...with the hope that in the end I get that exact model from that vendor for that price or less.
Please let me know what you know about storage...including specs, links etc.
Thank You for your help.