Format Hard Drives...

[NoDoze]

First of all, I wanna say this forum makes me laugh...I can't beleive I found a forum about hacking snap servers... too funny.... I can't beleive one exists!

...anyways... I have a snap 4500. Want to format the HDs to put Red Hat on it...
Is it possible? If the guadian is on a flash chip, is there some way to delete/remove or bypass it?

Thanks!

[ben333]

Well I'm not one of the Snap guys here but isn't the whole point of running a Snap to use Guardian OS?

Ignore this if its wrong but if the memory is rewritable flash you may be able to run linux via a live CD and flash the linux into the memory (just a guess)

[blue68f100]

With Guardian OS units the OS is on the HD's. The Guardian OS is built on Redhat Linux Enterprise, so what is to be gained. You still have cmd line function. The Guardian Os is very polished, and have a lot of user friendly features. Now the very old versions were very rough when compaired to v4 and now the latest v5 that was just released.

If you search you will find the thread on how to load FreeBSD if you want to use the FreeNAS software.

Save one HD so you can restore the Guardian OS.

You will need to disable the Watchdog in the BIOS or it will fail every time.

[NoDoze]

The point...? "The Guardian OS is built on Redhat Linux Enterprise" But GuardianOS is NOTHING like Red Hat! LOL "..so what is to be gained" A WHOLE LOTS!! Snap appliances are made for people who have no idea how to run a server. A server which is only made to fill VERY basic needs.

I wanted to know if the OS was on the flash or HD so that I could wipe it clean. I'll turn watchdog off, and install my own custom setup. Not to mention up the HDs to 500GB ea.

Thanks for the info!

[Phoenix32]

Okay, how is this for a response?

I have a Dell Powervault 725N I would trade you straight accross for that 4500. Now pay attention. How does this help you? Well, they are basicaly the same unit, so you lose nothing AND it is designed to run Windows, Linux, etc, like you want to do (drivers available etc).

Now here is the bonus. I don't have just a plain jane 725N, I have a 725N with the CERC Hardware RAID card, midplane for same, and sleds for same. This was an expensive option in the day when these came out.

What do you gain? Simple. You get a unit that is pretty much the same thing, only better because it was designed for what you are doing and has a HW RAID card (better by far than Software RAID). What do I gain? Just as simple. I get a Guardian OS unit (which I like).

And yes, they are pretty much the same unit, just a few minor differences, making it not a Snap Server or directly compatible.

This is a win win offer. What ya think?

[[AfZ]PiMp J]

what size drives you have in that 725n phoenix? if he doesnt take the offer i may have a 4500 guardian os unit by the end of the month i'd think about tradin ya

[MaddMatt]

Originally Posted by Phoenix32

Okay, how is this for a response?
.......
And yes, they are pretty much the same unit, just a few minor differences, making it not a Snap Server or directly compatible.

This is a win win offer. What ya think?

I just wanted to post onto this thread so I get to find out via email what NoDoze does next as soon as it happens!

Will he take Andy's good offer (it is an awesome offer in my opinion) or will the other guy with incredibly hard name to remember or pronounce take the prize?

(this is getting close to pure online entertainment for me - Like Serial TV with IT Storage themes - all it needs is Independent & Intelligent Female IT professionals who like, wait for it... "stocky/jolly" but slightly balding Aussie Males and it will graduate to the position of my very own ideal of Nirvana)

[Phoenix32]

Originally Posted by [AfZ]PiMp J

what size drives you have in that 725n phoenix? if he doesnt take the offer i may have a 4500 guardian os unit by the end of the month i'd think about tradin ya

I was going to put 180's in it if I sold it on eBay, but in this case, you could have those drives or keep the ones from the 4500. Or I am sure we could work something out.

If you are sure about getting it, and have a rough idea when, you need to get ahold of me and let me know all the specifics please. After not hearing from this guy, I was considering just throwing it up on eBay (where I am sure it would be more expensive for you). So contact me soon please... So I know what to do.

[Phoenix32]

Originally Posted by MaddMatt

I just wanted to post onto this thread so I get to find out via email what NoDoze does next as soon as it happens!

Will he take Andy's good offer (it is an awesome offer in my opinion) or will the other guy with incredibly hard name to remember or pronounce take the prize?

(this is getting close to pure online entertainment for me - Like Serial TV with IT Storage themes - all it needs is Independent & Intelligent Female IT professionals who like, wait for it... "stocky/jolly" but slightly balding Aussie Males and it will graduate to the position of my very own ideal of Nirvana)

ROFLMFAO

[[AfZ]PiMp J]

Originally Posted by Phoenix32

I was going to put 180's in it if I sold it on eBay, but in this case, you could have those drives or keep the ones from the 4500. Or I am sure we could work something out.

If you are sure about getting it, and have a rough idea when, you need to get ahold of me and let me know all the specifics please. After not hearing from this guy, I was considering just throwing it up on eBay (where I am sure it would be more expensive for you). So contact me soon please... So I know what to do.

i'll be sure to let you know, the acquiring of this snapserver depends on when these software guys are flowin in to upgrade some other server (with newer hardware we have) with their new software. we then wouldnt need the backup server at work and last time this happened they were gonna throw the snapserver away, so heres hoping they let me have it

[Phoenix32]

Originally Posted by [AfZ]PiMp J

i'll be sure to let you know, the acquiring of this snapserver depends on when these software guys are flowin in to upgrade some other server (with newer hardware we have) with their new software. we then wouldnt need the backup server at work and last time this happened they were gonna throw the snapserver away, so heres hoping they let me have it

So where are we at with this?

[[AfZ]PiMp J]

Originally Posted by Phoenix32

So where are we at with this?

the new server is up and running but we have yet to finish copying the data off the snapserver and repointing the database that runs on the new server away from the snapserver and towards where we copy the contents too

[[AfZ]PiMp J]

just 2 quick questions i thought of his morning and curiosity begs me to ask them, 1) how loud is your powervault compared to a 4400 or a 4500? and 2) how big of a hard drive can it support?

[Phoenix32]

Originally Posted by [AfZ]PiMp J

1) how loud is your powervault compared to a 4400 or a 4500?

EXACTLY the same as a 4500 and louder than a 4400 (4500/725N are not something you want in your living room).

Originally Posted by [AfZ]PiMp J

2) how big of a hard drive can it support?

The limit on all three of the units you just listed is going to not be the server or OS. It is going to be how big of a PATA/EIDE Hard Disk can you get?

Now a little opinion thrown in that I am sure "someone" will want to argue about.

I DO NOT recommend hard disks over 500 GB in 1U Servers. Why? Because 1U servers are notorious for limited cooling. Drives over 500GB are in my opinion too high in the power department (power translates to heat) for this limited cooling. Why? Because a Hard Disk's life span is directly proportional to the average temperature when running.

[MaddMatt]

Originally Posted by Phoenix32

Now a little opinion thrown in that I am sure "someone" will want to argue about.

I DO NOT recommend hard disks over 500 GB in 1U Servers. Why? Because 1U servers are notorious for limited cooling. Drives over 500GB are in my opinion too high in the power department (power translates to heat) for this limited cooling. Why? Because a Hard Disk's life span is directly proportional to the average temperature when running.

I'm not that someone who wants to argue... (I have a darling wife and 3 kidletts for all the arguments I, or any other male, could possibly handle in a lifetime)

What you are saying is really interesting... the current units; Snap 410's and 520's can both now be purchased in a 4TB configuration... we are pumping them out right now...
It will be interesting to see if there is an increase in failed HDD's from these 4TB units... unfortunately as a sales person I probably won't hear about it for yonks if I do at all...

For me to hear about it, we will have to be getting disasters like; multiple clients loosing 2 drives at once or 1 today and the 2nd before it gets a chance to rebuild, I have never heard that one in relation to a snap server but it would be ridiculous to say it could not happen.

I understand that the movement of AIR though fans has a volume measurement surely there is a measurement for the movement of AIR though device like a snap server...

If so, my questions are,
what is that value for the Snap4500?
what is that value for the Snap410?
what is that value for the Snap520?

This in turn will tell us if the manufacturer has taken steps to ensure the longevity of the 4TB units and the 1TB drives out there in the wild today...

[blue68f100]

Well if your in a server room, with the cold air feeding the cabinets I don't see a problem with the 1gigs drives. But without it I would agree with Andy.

[[AfZ]PiMp J]

well yeah you're both basically right, it's related to the # of platters required to achieve the size you want, and the heat between the platters, and the heat breaking down the "grease" (thermal or fluid dynamics or ball bearings or whatever the hell is in them nowadays)

The limit question was just to quench my desire to stuff 4x750 gb cool running seagates in there (i <3 seagate for life) and they're waaaayy less expensive than the 1tb drives

Typically i try to keep the house ambient between 72 and 76 degrees for the reason of our computer room

here's hoping i can throw a distro of linux on there with the equivalent of windows disk spin down mode when inactive for a while, i couldnt find shit on the snap 4400s with the 2.6 or 3.x os , and i dont know enough about linux to know if that exists but im willing to dig in and find out...that would surely help

[blue68f100]

Typically i try to keep the house ambient between 72 and 76 degrees for the reason of our computer room

I installed a small window unit to cool my computer room. It was getting way to hot for comfort and the 4500 starts ramping up the fan speeds when the cpu hits 102+F. My 4500 has always reported about 20F deg higher than the actual room temp. Being in a cabinet to help control noise doesn't help the circulation either. I have a small muffin fan blowing in the cool air from the back of the cabinet. With my house thermostat on the other side of the house it was the easiest solution for me. This way I don't have to run the central fan to get a stable temp. In the winter time I shut off the central vent and let the servers be the heater.

[NoDoze]

Wow! Well, needless to say it's been a while since my last visit! LOL
Due to budget issues, this project was put off...but has now been reactivated!

I've already got the new 500GB HDs for the 4500, and am going to load red hat to it....

and yes, it's in a server room, so heat isn't an issue...

...now I just need to figure out how to go about this.....hehe