Currently I have three HP D2600 filled with 600GB SAS drives in raid 6 that is used for an imaging services bureau (18 million images / 18TB / accessed by 8 people). I’m in the process of adding a fourth D2600 and 12 more 600GB SAS drives.
My primary capacity is a developer but I also handle all of the networking / infrastructure. I’m hoping someone with more knowledge can help me with.
Question 1 - These D2600 are rated for up to daisy 4X 2600’s X 4 ext SAS on the P822 controller = 192 drives. I’m getting nervous having 48 drives on one array.
At what point do I hit “Too many drives” for a raid 6 (or RAID 60) array? I have Array controller, 3 enclosures, 6 ext SAS connections as failure points. Continuing to grow extends my points of failure - can someone help me gauge if these things were really intended to have 100+ drives on a single array?
Question 2- Tentatively my next build out I need to support up to 100TB, 100 mil files & 50 employees . The build out needs to start slow (immediate needs) & grow over time. I see three options (keeping things in the HP fold)
A - Keep adding to existing array with 600GB SAS 3.5 drives.
B - Use D2700 / 1.2GB 2.5 10K SCSI drives which will cut down on my enclosures / ext SAS connectors (less likely to fail?).
C - Get two MDS600 - two boxes to put everything in. (Max 74TB high speed SAS w Raid 60).
But for whatever reason NONE of those options feel safe to me. Maybe it’s because I don’t have experience running 100+ drives in a single array? Or it’s actually a horrible idea?
Question 3 - Prior to an upgrade - the imaging department ran a Raid 6 Array using 25 7,200 RPM hard drives in an EMD Netstore (company no longer exists). It supported up to 15 users doing imaging work.
Can I go back to 7,200 RPM HP Sata drives and support 50 people hitting the array?
P.S. Budget is important.