So I'm debating about making a server from a 3Ghz Sempron computer or just buying a firewire hard drive enclosure.

Primarily the drive will be for backup of my Macbook but also will store all my home movies (DV files are friggin' huge!).

Which do you think will give a better sustained transfer rate? I'm leaning towards the firewire, but I don't know for certain.

9/5/2007 9:10:36 AM

it depends on if you are talking about 1394a or b (400 or 800mbps)

Throughput over gigE is going to be a function of TCP (assuming FTP) windowing, but you definitely will not see 1000Mbps of throughput. That's also assuming no internal bottleneck once the data is received by the NIC.

So assuming you're using the 800mbps firewire, it's probably a tossup. the fw hdd will probably be a lot cheaper too. But if you have multiple computers that will pull data from it, then the networked pc may be better.

9/5/2007 11:03:50 AM

/thread

9/5/2007 11:04:50 AM

By the enclosure and save money on your power bill.

9/5/2007 12:27:51 PM

1394a for the interface, unfortunately my MacBook didn't come with 1394b.

the enclosures for firewire -> sata are around $100
The hardware to get this sempron system up to specs is about $40

There would be minimal impact on power, and sharing the data MIGHT be an option.

I think I'm going to go with the networked solution.

9/5/2007 4:50:50 PM

Quote :

"minimal impact on power"

Assuming 24/7 uptime, I'm betting the difference between power cost of your sempron based served and the firewire enclosure would be around $8-$12 per month. Actually do the math on how much power things use and what it costs you. You'll probably be surprised. The HDD enclosure uses like a 10th of the power.

9/5/2007 5:06:23 PM

fibre channel

9/5/2007 5:14:34 PM

^ FTW

9/5/2007 5:18:25 PM

ay yo, look at my fibre channel SAN, i gots mad storage yo.

4gbps.

<]

9/5/2007 5:51:26 PM

The Sempron system is 230 watt system, nothing too terrible, I know its more than an enclosure, but I might use it for sharing and such.

9/5/2007 5:53:54 PM

are there any online calculators to calculate power usage from puters? Would be nice to tally up (i've got like 6 around, but only 2-3 on all the time....

9/6/2007 4:37:56 PM

^No, but this is informative. http://michaelbluejay.com/electricity/computers.html

9/6/2007 5:00:14 PM

^^It's really easy

Add up the wattage of each of your components (HHD, GPU, CPU, CDROM, Motherboard) or just take the wattage of your power supply.

multiply times the number of hours its on per month (24x31), divide by 1000 then multiply times your electricity KWh cost.

^hahah that link says exactly the same thing, doh

9/6/2007 5:02:31 PM