On 03/04/99 13:56:29 you wrote:
Hello Everyone,
I am about to purchase two F760's w/ Cluster Failover Software and Hardware because we need a system that is 100% available and rock solid. I was convinced after talking to other Net App users that this was the way to go. After a week of reading this mailing list, I am no longer convinced. Does anyone out there have the system I described? Are you happy with it? I am particularly concerned about the fiber channel problems and all of the OS upgrades and patches.
We are also considering the new Auspex NS2000. Does anyone know of an Auspex mailing list like this one?
Data seems to suggest that despite the problems described, your Netapp is going to be far more reliable than an Auspex or virtually any other system. *Nothing* is going to be 100% available. Clustered filers are close; for more reliability you're going to have to pay a LOT more for really big iron which may not have the software capabilities you want.
The other important thing is that the filer, when it does crash, generally results in a minimal outage. Other serves may take a half-hour or more to recover.
Bruce