Redundant Array of Inexpensive Sysadmins - Re: disk flaws, classic vs. modern

On Mon, Oct 8, 2012 at 11:56 AM, Toby Thain <toby at telegraphics.com.au> wrote: The IceCube datacenter at Pole keeps dozens of spare disks on hand for replacements, but there, you can't just phone someone up in June and get a disk shipped in overnight... well... it'll be there half-past sunrise, but that means "November" in this case. One advantage of a remote site is that you *know* you can't get parts in when you want them so you have to plan in advance and maintain a spares pile. No other place I've worked kept spare hardware around like that - when it dies, call it in and they send one (and you hope that a second disk doesn't die before the first arrives). Had that happen exactly once - disk 1 dies, call for replacement, 5 hours later, disk 2 dies, replace 2 disks in moments then spend days rebuilding the array from what backups there are. -ethan