> I want to add numerous SATA drives to a LAN.
> 8 would do, more would be good. This is by definition a 
> "server" requirement but lacks most of the rigour associated 
> with the term. Aspects such as backup, mirroring etc need 
> not be addressed here.

Look at port multiplexing of eSATA with controller card and
drive enclosure both needing to support it.  Ballpark cost
is Sonnet Tempto 4-port eSATA controller card (about US$280
for either PCI-X or PCI-Express) plus Stardom ST6600 5-bay
eSATA enclosure with port multiplier (US$400) each.

Four of the enclosures plus a controller card will support
20 SATA disk drives for under US$100 per drive.  Plus an old
Mac, BSD, Linux system to provide the network interface.

Sonnet even makes a PC34 2-port eSATA controller card for
newer laptops with a port multiplier.  Combined with two of
the 5-bay enclosures, you can hang 10 fast SATA drives off
of a laptop.

Starting points for browsing...
controller cards:
    http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Sonnet%20Technology/TSATAIIX4P/
    http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Sonnet%20Technology/TSATAIIE4P/

5-bay enclosure:
    http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Stardom/ST66005SS2/


> "All that is required" is to be able to read and, less 
> often, write files at "an acceptable speed". ie not stupidly 
> slower than if on a typical PC. Application is mainly access 
> to photos. Files are typically in the 1 MB-3MB range but 
> there MAY be a Quantum leap for new files to 10MB+ each. 
> (RAW rather than JPG).

Using Gigabit Ethernet for you LAN helps here.


> Drives are typically 300 GB range but newer one will be 500 MB
> and maybe 1 TB soon. Optimum $/GB is about at 500 GB point. .
> (2TB are on the market but too dear yet)

If you buy then when on sale, the 750GB is a pretty good price
point right now.  1TB drives are getting really close though.
I personally have been using Seagate drives.


> Does anyone to an SIDE tower at a price that costs notably 
> less per slot than the HDD that goes in it?

Above slot cost is roughly half of the cost of the drive.
Enclosures that include port multipliers tend to be costly.


> Just for information: If using RAW at 10 MB+/photo. If eg a
> wedding takes 3000 photos all up that's 30 GB for one event.
> Requirements grow apace.

Yep.  And no reasonable cost strategy to migrate them to stable,
trust-worthy long term storage -- like tape (30 year archive).
Quantum's leading edge DLT drives have the capacity & speed with
drive price being high but media price being a bit too steep.

> I don't want to go to RAW format but it seems it might be a 
> good idea, alas.

RAW lets you extract a better image.  But the post-processing
puts quite a damper on your workflow.  If you address that with
RAW + JPEG (i.e. save in both formats), then the storage
requirements increase even more.

And it can even be an issue during the shoot -- camera's memory
buffer fills up during long bursts of high speed action, e.g.
aircraft, theatre events, etc.

						Lee Jones

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