[comp.sys.dec] RAM disks

rudoff@MDI.COM (Doug Rudoff) (06/20/91)

Does anyone sell RAM disks for DEC machines?

We're currently using 5810s, 5000s and 3100s.

I imagine there might be a plug in card for a machine or maybe even a
SCSI device.

(The reason is to improve performance on our disk-bound activities).
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ajc@thendara.pa.dec.com (AJ Casamento) (06/20/91)

In article <1991Jun19.233703.23637@MDI.COM> rudoff@MDI.COM (Doug Rudoff) writes:




>>   Does anyone sell RAM disks for DEC machines?


	I would suggest that you contact:

		DILOG
		1555 South Sinclair	714.937.5700
		Anaheim, CA 92806	714.978.2421 FAX


	They have a product called SA807-CACHEbox that provides up to
	64MB of dynamic, rapid-access storage. It is intended to be used
	in combination with a SCSI disk drive. They have reportedly tested 
	it against the Ultrix SCSI driver on the DS3100s and DS5000/200s.


	Another lead that I have seen running on our systems at trade shows
	but don't know much about are:

	Western Automation
	P.O. Box 3438
	Boulder, CO 80307

	303.449.6400
	303.939.8844 FAX		John Ives, Product Manager
 

>>   We're currently using 5810s, 5000s and 3100s.

>>   I imagine there might be a plug in card for a machine or maybe even a
>>   SCSI device.

>>   (The reason is to improve performance on our disk-bound activities).
  


	While I can't make any claims or guarantees for these folks, they
	do seem like pretty reasonable folks (technically). I hope that
	the information helps.

				Thanx,
				  AJ

 

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grunwald@foobar.colorado.edu (Dirk Grunwald) (06/21/91)

I used a western automation ram disk for a short while (someone
locally was beta-testing it, I think) and found it to be slower than
my Wren V drive, which in synchronous and has a cache.

I think it didn't have a very good SCSI controller. I think I found
that it did better on very longer transfers, where it could amortize
the scsi overhead, but it never really did all that much better than
my Wren that I was impressed with it -- I would rather have had the
32Mb in my system cabinet.

Of course, they may have fixed this, and/or I may have mis-installed
it (although it did come up in synch scsi) or something.

For the money, I think buying one og the lightening drives would make
more sense, or putting the ram in the cabinet.

Dirk Grunwald -- Univ. of Colorado at Boulder	  (grunwald@cs.colorado.edu)
`` I will make my own system or be slave to another man's '' - William Blake

brent@uwovax.uwo.ca (Brent Sterner) (06/21/91)

In article <AJC.91Jun20085808@thendara.pa.dec.com>, ajc@thendara.pa.dec.com (AJ Casamento) writes:
> In article <1991Jun19.233703.23637@MDI.COM> rudoff@MDI.COM (Doug Rudoff) writes:
> 
>>>   Does anyone sell RAM disks for DEC machines?

   You should also consider Executive Software's I/O Express.  I tried a demo copy
   for a month and really loved what I saw.  Unfortunately the cost was deemed too
   high by our management.  The demo tape lists their phone as (818) 547-2050.

   Standard disclaimer:  I have no affiliation with ES other than being upset that
   we couldn't afford the product for my system.  Cheers,  b.
--
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