Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!husc6!cmcl2!rutgers!sri-spam!mordor!lll-tis!ptsfa!ihnp4!homxb!mtuxo!mtune!codas!flnexus!sdgsun!paul From: paul@sdgsun.UUCP (Paul Emerson) Newsgroups: comp.periphs Subject: SCSI & Sun Message-ID: <261@sdgsun.UUCP> Date: Tue, 6-Oct-87 09:43:49 EDT Article-I.D.: sdgsun.261 Posted: Tue Oct 6 09:43:49 1987 Date-Received: Sat, 10-Oct-87 10:53:25 EDT Organization: Software Design Group, Inc., Orlando, FL Lines: 97 Keywords: SCSI I posted this earlier but we had problems with our news forwarding. This information is incomplete and somewhat old in light of recent postings, but here it is anyways. Subject: Re: Wanted: SCSI Disks for Sun3's Newsgroups: comp.periphs References: <104400007@datacube> in article <104400007@datacube>, berger@datacube.UUCP says: > Nf-ID: #N:datacube:104400007:000:1971 > Nf-From: datacube.UUCP!berger Sep 25 18:12:00 1987 > > > I want to add Disk and Tape to Sun 3 computers. I would like to do > it with as little pain as possible and the priceing should be in line > with the cost of the computer. Currently if I get a Sun 3/50 for > under $5k, I have to pay $8k for 140Meg Disk and 60 Meg tape > subsystem. The amount of disk is barely enough and the subsystem > cost much more than the computer. > > Has anyone successfully done any of the above? Yes. > Are there any tricks? Yes. I have successfully installed a Maxtor XT-3280 (280MB SCSI) on a SUN 3/50. A few points of interest. 1. Sun was no help at all. Unless you count, "What to buy some consulting time"? But I can understand this; they are in the business of selling hardware. 2. Unless you have a source code licence you'll have to put up with a few hassles. Background. Sun sells what they call "shoebox" for the 3/50. Usually this consist of a disk drive and a 1/4" tape streamer in an external enclosure, with power supply and fan. This "shoebox" is connect to the 3/50's SCSI bus connector via a EIA standard 50 pin cable. What's inside? My first thoughts about this question were, a SCSI disk. But that ansewer is incorrect. Our "shoebox" consisted of the a disk drive only, so I can't tell you about the tape subsystem. What Sun has done is quite simple. The "shoebox" contains an Adaptec ACB-4000A SCSI to ST506 controller board, a ST506 drive (70MB or 140MB), power supply and a muffin fan. Can you build one of these? Sure no problem. What you need. - Enclosure with power supply and fan. Sun won't sell you one. I bought a external cabinet designed for an IBM PC/AT, which cost around $145.00, the quality and price vary. - Adaptec ACB-4000A controller. Cost about $110.00 - ST506 Disk drive, your choice. I beleive 190MB unformatted is about the largest I have seen. Just as a test I even connected a 10MB 3 1/2" Rodime. Format, NEWFS, and bang there you are. Not very practical but it does work. So pick a disk, the faster the better. Our "shoebox" from Sun has a Fujitsu formatted to 70MB, you can check the specs and find a drive with simlar specs. - 50 pin EIA cable, male DB 50 on both ends. Price varies, $35.00. - 2 50 Pin, DB 50 to 50 pin ribbon connectors. - 50 pin ribbon cable - 50 pin female ribbon With the above supplies you can build a clone of Sun's "shoebox", however the only drawback seems to be disk size. The largest ST506 drive I have seen was a 190MB from Maxtor. Due to the apparent size limitation I took another approach. Add a SCSI drive to a SUN 3/50. Obtain the enclosure and cables mentioned above. Get a SCSI drive, I used a Maxtor XT3280 (280MB unformatted). Assemble the components. The formatting and installtion are the tricky parts. To be discussed in a later posting. Paul Emerson -- Paul J. Emerson Software Design Group, Inc. UUCP:...inhp4!codas!sdgsun!paul 800 Trafalgar Ct. Suite 340 CIS: 72355,171 Maitland, FL 32751 (305) 660-0006