Caching RAID controllers versus non-cached RAID

Hello:

I am working on a Sun server configuration for Oracle 8.0.3 and am considering two RAID alternatives. One is a Sun SPARCStorage A5000 array with about 48 GB of raw storage and no cache, the other is a Winchester systems RAID array with about 128 MB of cache and about the same raw storage.

I have used Oracle and Sybase before on caching RAID arrays with great results - the cache more than makes up for the RAID 5 write penalty, but the read performance and raw throughput of the Sun A5000 are impressive. I am also considering a paralle server configuration down the road and the multi-hosting capabilities of the A5000 with FibreChannel seem to be much better than the Ultra SCSI options.

I have considered other RAID arrays like EMC and the Sun A7000 that are multi-hosted and cached, but the price points are a little high for me.

Any advice would be appreciated.

  Rich

-----== Posted via Deja News, The Leader in Internet Discussion ==----- http://www.dejanews.com/rg_mkgrp.xp Create Your Own Free Member Forum Received on Wed Jul 01 1998 - 09:46:51 CDT