[mythtv-users] Backend hardware advice - RAID suggestions

[Brad Templeton]

On Fri, Jul 14, 2006 at 08:03:08PM -0700, dave johnson wrote:
> -11x200GB Seagate 7200.8 PATA HD ($43/ea - massive tripple-rebate coupon-hell at Fry's and a lot of
> trust-worthy friends.  It took almost 3 months to get the rebates and one was denied because I
> probably filled one out wrong, so add $70 for "my mistake." ;)


How many watts are these drives?   Typically one sees 7 to 15w for such drives (slower
drives, 4500 or 5400 rpm are usually better - quieter, cooler, lower power, longer life).

With your two PSs how much power are you drawing for the whole system?  200 to 300
watts?  More?

In California (you said you went to Fry's) incremental power has gotten up to 19 cents/kwh.

That means 300 watts, running 24/7 costs $500 per year.   (In winter you save a bit
from the heat it gives you, but not a lot.  In summer you may be paying it back
in AC costs if you need AC.)

Even in places with cheaper 10 cent/kwh power, it's still almost $250 per year for
the power.

Forget about the damage to the environment, 11x200gb is just a bad way to do it
from an economic standpoint.    They have 500gb drives in Fry's for $175 I think.

So 5x500gb could do 2 TB RAID-5 if you really need RAID (you don't in my view, this is
not a system that needs 100% availability) for a bit more money ($875 for drives vs.
$540 for the 11x200gb without doing rebates, and without 2 power supplies.

But more to the point it would draw a lot less power, and make up the difference
in a year or so.   Quieter and smaller too.


> Never under estimate the power of the K.I.S.S. method :)

Never forget that power is becoming the most expensive component of any always-on PC,
especially in California and other places with expensive power.