Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!lll-winken!lll-lcc!ames!sdcsvax!ucsdhub!hp-sdd!hplabs!hpda!hpsmtc1!kwallich
From: kwallich@hpsmtc1.HP.COM (Ken Wallich)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac
Subject: Re: Large external Hard Disks
Message-ID: <11540119@hpsmtc1.HP.COM>
Date: 29 Jan 88 18:14:42 GMT
References: <2616@druhi.ATT.COM>
Organization: Hewlett Packard, Cupertino
Lines: 36


>We are in need of a large hard disk for use with our Macs (mostly Mac IIs),
>something on the order of 100 MB or more.  Can anyone who has experience
>with large SCSI drives let me know their opinions?
----------
I can most highly recommend CDC's Wren line of drives.  I have a 160MB WrenIII
hooked up to my MacII, and am pleased as punch with it.  It is FAST (16.5ms
average access time), and is capable of doing data transfers faster than the
II can receive (thus you get the maximum throughput possible, with the
current SCSI configuration), is reasonably quiet, and is built like a
proverbial rock.  I also have friends that have had WRENs running on UNIX
machines for a long time with no problems whatsoever.  

There is always a downside, and the problem is that only Jasmine (I think) 
sells the bigger CDC's, and the last third party review showed them using 
the WrenII, with a 28+ms access time.  This means you have to buy the bare
drive, put it in a cabinet you buy separately, and get a public domain
SCSI driver for it to use the big fast drives.  If your not buying these 
for your own use, support can be a big issue, as can putting the drives 
together (CDC will have the WREN V, a half hight (read internal), 180MB 
drive shipping in a month or so, but I wouldn't hold my breath).  I paid
just under $2000 for my hard disk, cabinet, connectors, and lots of cable,
however, which is a might cheaper per megabyte than a lot of the higher
density prepackaged disks.  

Since the subject of "what is your favorite hard disk" seems to be a
religious topic around here, I'm sure you get lots of other folks with
direct experience with other big fast drives that are (almost :-) as good
as CDC's, but it's lots of fun sorting out the choices!

--------------------
Ken Wallich			*My views are mine, and mine alone*
Consultant			"Slimey? Mud Hole? my HOME this is!"
DCI 				kwallich@hpsmtc1.HP.COM
@Hewlett Packard		...hplabs!hpsmtc1!kwallich

"Why am I soft in the middle, when the rest of my life is so hard? - P.Simon"