RE: iSeries Disk Pricing

Chris,

I too have looked over some of the storage technology offered by BCC.  I'm a
bit intrigued by their "FAST" technique.  They take a 17GB drive, format it
to look like an 8GB drive, so that all data is stored on the outer 1/3 of
the disk platter.  The arms have much less physical movement, resulting in
better access rates.  I got the impression that, if in the future you needed
the extra storage rather than the performance, you could reformat the drives
to use the full capacity of the drive.

Eric DeLong
Sally Beauty Company
MIS-Sr. Programmer/Analyst
940-898-7863 or ext. 1863



-----Original Message-----
From: Chris Whisonant [mailto:chris.whisonant@comporium.com]
Sent: Wednesday, May 01, 2002 7:32 AM
To: midrange-l@midrange.com
Subject: RE: iSeries Disk Pricing


I would suggest that you look into BCC Drives. I'm a potential customer and
I have been extremely impressed. First of all, BCC is the company that is
shipping IBM drives. IBM is shipping Seagate drives.
(http://www.midrangeserver.com/tfh/tfh032502-story04.html) Also, BCC is
shipping the IBM 15k drives before IBM is even shipping them. Check out the
technical specs at http://www.bcctech.com/15k/.

I remember hearing someone frustrated at COMMON because of IBM's
announcement to stop manufacturing 8GB drives. The frustration was that now
we would have to buy storage not for storage but for disk arms. There was
also frustration because IBM has begun making 15k drives, but there are none
out for the iSeries to test the speed enhancements. There is hope that with
the faster drives that the need for more arms will be reduced. I just read
last week (but cannot find it in my history) that IBM states that the 15k
drives (the ones BCC is shipping) are up to 80% faster than the 10k drives.
I've seen other figures at 50% faster:
http://www.ibm.com/news/2001/02/01.phtml

If you go to the above link you will see that it is in regards to the 36Z15
drive. This drive was announced in February of 2001 yet the iSeries never
saw IBM ship this drive. However, this is the exact drive that BCC is
shipping.

I believe my last e-mail went unnoticed, but the probable reason IBM's
drives are going to be reduced in price is that IBM has sold their HDD
manufacturing to Hitachi
(http://www.midrangeserver.com/tfh/tfh042202-story02.html).

I don't want this to sound like a sales pitch and I am in no way affiliated
with BCC. I just believe that if you're frustrated with IBM's policy on disk
drives, then maybe you should try the other player in town. The drives are
supported by IBM and your CE just as your current iSeries drives.

Thanks,
Chris Whisonant
The Comporium Group
Senior Mid-Range Systems Administrator
IBM Certified Specialist
(803) 326-7270
mailto:chris.whisonant@comporium.com

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