DEC Storageworks

[Adrian Graham]

> On 4 Feb 2018, at 21:42, Douglas Taylor via cctech <cctech at classiccmp.org> wrote:
> 
> The alphaserver 1000a I have has a storageworks array.
> 
> The disk carriers are green in color, I see storageworks disks for sale on ebay that are blue.  What is the difference? Are they interchangeable?
> 
> Is it possible (or even wise) to open one of the green carriers and change the disk out?
> 
> Doug
> 

You’ve got an 8-bit narrow SCSI system in the 1000A hence the green SBBs (system building blocks) that maxed out at 9GB IIRC. Blue SBBs matched the Top Gun Blue Alphas (1200 upwards) and were 16 bit wide SCSI going up to 36GB. You can mix and match, a blue drive in a green shelf will just run 8 bit.

The carriers come apart fairly easily with a flat blade screwdriver but beware that the snaps that hold the case together can be brittle. Drives themselves are mostly bog-standard Seagates and the only limitation on drive side is the maximum LUN size you can create on the RAID controllers which from memory was 32GB. As has been mentioned elsewhere be VERY careful with the mylar cables. I used to replace drives in SBBs all the time and the best way to do it is with a narrow flat blade screwdriver down the side of the socket to gently prise the plug out.

—
Adrian/Witchy
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