[comp.periphs] Interfacing SCSI drives to a SUN 3/50

jensen@jarsun1.UUCP (peter jensen) (05/03/88)

We are looking at connecting inexpensive SCSI drives such as the MAXTOR
4380S or CDC Wren IV to a SUN 3/50 Workstation.  Most people I've talked
to are selling an Emulex MD21 (SCSI to ESDI) controller with a comparable
ESDI drive.  However, I know of several people who have hooked up one of
these SCSI drives directly to the SCSI port on the 3/50.  I'm looking for
more information on this:

1) General drive information and SCSI vs. ESDI:

	Who's using these drives?  How do they perform?  Has anyone had
   any problems with them?  What are the issues between ESDI and SCSI?
   Any other drives anyone would recommend?  Any to avoid?  Why?

2) Hooking it up to the SUN 3/50:

	I'm really interested in hearing from people who have done this.
   Have you run into any compatibility problems?  What's your configuration
   like?  Has anyone daisy-chained two or more drives?  Is there anything to
   look out for?  Anyone not recommend this?  We are currently running 3.5.
   Will 4.0 change anything?

Thanks in advance!  I will summarize any replies.

-- 
Peter C. Jensen		...!brunix!jarsun1!jensen	  pcj@cs.brown.edu
Jordan Apostal Ritter Associates    ANSYS, ARIES, and Engineering Analysis
Admin Bldg 7, Davisville RI  02854	  (401) 884-3014 or (401) 294-4589

kg@elan.UUCP (Ken Greer) (05/05/88)

From article <239@jarsun1.UUCP>, by jensen@jarsun1.UUCP (peter jensen):
> We are looking at connecting inexpensive SCSI drives to a SUN 3/50 ...

When we were low on disk space on our SUN 3/50 we simply purchased one
more of the same disk that was checked on the back of the disk shoebox.
(A Maxstor 1355 ,I recall.  We purchased it from a PC shop, not SUN.)
We connected it to the second port on the SCSI to ESDI controller,
formatted it, and it worked like a charm! Cost...

	Disk						$1400
	IBM PC external disk cabinet & power supply	  $99
	IBM PC disk cables				   $8.95

Using higher math, you can see that this is somewhat better 
than the $6000 SUN list price.
-- 
Ken Greer
Elan Computer Group, Inc.
{ames,hplabs}!elan!kg
415-322-2450