Multiple SATA drives in one enclosure with firewire

[Tobias Weber]

Hi,
my desks already full, harddrive as well, computer only has firewire
left. That's why I want an external enclosure with multiple hard drives.
I have a 3.5" SATA left, so that's the internal interface of choice.

Is Oxford 924 the only bridge available?
How about maximum capacity and ATAPI readyness?

Computer has 6pin FW400. Can I use FW800 devices?

I want neither RAID nor combination, every disk should be available as a
separate device, just like with single drive enclosures. This mode is
called JBOD?

Is it correct that some products can only utilize identical drives?

Your experience with the enclosures below?

Trans International miniG
wiebeTECH SilverSATA
Mapower Multiple Bay
Stardom brand chaos
Macpower Taurus

 

[Arno Wagner]

Hi,
my desks already full, harddrive as well, computer only has firewire
left. That's why I want an external enclosure with multiple hard drives.
I have a 3.5" SATA left, so that's the internal interface of choice.

Is Oxford 924 the only bridge available?
How about maximum capacity and ATAPI readyness?

Computer has 6pin FW400. Can I use FW800 devices?

Yes. As FW400.

I want neither RAID nor combination, every disk should be available as a
separate device, just like with single drive enclosures. This mode is
called JBOD?

No. JBOD is basically linear (append) RAID mode with support
for different disk-sizes. It was introduced as the "idiot" mode
were all disks are just lumped together. Apart from the one
big disk view, it gives you none of the advantages of
RAID 0, but most of the disadvantages.

Is it correct that some products can only utilize identical drives?

Not to my knowledge. But any RAID (except append mode) needs
replacement disks exactly the same size or larger than the
smallest disk at RAID array creation.

Your experience with the enclosures below?

Trans International miniG
wiebeTECH SilverSATA
Mapower Multiple Bay
Stardom brand chaos
Macpower Taurus

None.

Arno

 

[Rod Speed]

my desks already full, harddrive as well, computer only has firewire
left. That's why I want an external enclosure with multiple hard drives.
I have a 3.5" SATA left, so that's the internal interface of choice.

Then you would be best off adding a sata card to
the PC and running eSATA to the external drive.

Is Oxford 924 the only bridge available?
Nope.

How about maximum capacity and ATAPI readyness?

The capacity does vary a bit, but most do support drives over 127G now.

Computer has 6pin FW400. Can I use FW800 devices?

Yes, but only at FW400 speeds.

I want neither RAID nor combination, every disk should be available as a
separate device, just like with single drive enclosures. This mode is called JBOD?

JBOD can mean what you say, or it can mean all the drives combined
into one virtual drive which is the sum of the capacity of all the drives.

Is it correct that some products can only utilize identical drives?

No, not if you arent using RAID. And even if you are, you
dont normally need to use identical drives, it will normally
just use the smallest drive as the capacity of the RAID.

Your experience with the enclosures below?

Trans International miniG
wiebeTECH SilverSATA
Mapower Multiple Bay
Stardom brand chaos
Macpower Taurus

None.