Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!seismo!sundc!pitstop!sun!amdcad!ames!elroy!hacgate!rich
From: rich@hacgate.scg.hac.com (Rich Loo)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.sequent
Subject: Re: Third Party Disc Experience on Sequent systems
Summary: System Industries equipment
Message-ID: <615@hacgate.scg.hac.com>
Date: 4 Oct 88 02:21:57 GMT
References: <1049@orion.cf.uci.edu>
Reply-To: rich@hacgate.scg.hac.com (Richard Loo)
Distribution: na
Organization: Hughes Aircraft Co., El Segundo, CA
Lines: 47

In article <1049@orion.cf.uci.edu> roode@orion.cf.uci.edu (Dana Roode) writes:
>We need to add some additional disc to our Sequent Symmetry system,
>and are wondering if it makes sense to look into third party
>disc.  Does anyone at other Sequent sites have specific experience
>in using non-Sequent disc?
>
>     Dana Roode
>     UC Irvine Computing Facility
>
>-- 
>Dana Roode

We use a lot of System Industries equipment on our Symmetry S81 
(upgraded from a Balance 21k).  As far as disk drives go, we have
used the SI83, SI93, Swallows and Eagles from SI with no problems.

The SI83 is a 690 megabyte (unformatted) dual density Swallow that 
fits two to a tray 1/2 the height of an Eagle (so 4 SI83s will fit 
in the footprint of an Eagle).  The SI93 is actually a NEC D2363 
(1.132 GB unformatted).  Two of these will fit in the footprint of 
an Eagle.  Access times for the SI83 and SI93 are 16 ms and 15 ms 
respectively.  The SI Swallows and Eagles are identical to what 
Sequent supplies.

We had to update the partition table of the zd disk driver (3.0.4 
on up) to make it work with the NEC drive (no source needed).  
The SI83 will work with the stock 3.0.4 on up.  

Right now we have 4 SI83s, 8 SI93s, 1 Sequent Swallow and 1 SI Swallow
(as a backup for the one Sequent disk), about 11 gigabytes of disk space.
The only drawbacks are that we have yet to figure out how to run Sequent's 
disk diagnostics on the SI83 or SI93 and it takes 1/2 the night to format
an NEC drive.

We've also interfaced the SI STC tri-density 125 ips 9-track tape drive 
and SI line printer (a Fujitsu M3043) on the Symmetry.  If anyone is 
interested in any of this, drop me a line.

I'd also like to know what other 3rd party equipment people are using on 
their Symmetry or Balance.

Richard Loo 			UUCP:     ..!{oberon,elroy}!hacgate!rich
(213) 648-0239			Internet: rich@hacgate.scg.hac.com

Hughes Aircraft Company
PO Box 92919 S65/J305
Los Angeles, Ca 90009