(Semi)hot swap IDE

[Brent Wiese]

> > Hello!
> > 
> > I'm looking for a cheap solution to back up a FreeBSD 4.8 machine. 
> > Cheap meaning that tape drives are out of question. Even external 
> > FireWire drives are deemed a bit too expensive by the folks 
> for whom 
> > I'm doing this research.
> > 
> > This leaves one option I can think of - standard IDE drive 
> in one of 
> > those removable HDD trays. We'd probably use two drives, one being 
> > active in the machine and the other being kept somewhere out of the 
> > house for safety.
> 
> <clip>
> 
> I personally think this a great alternative to tape, 
> especially given the
> low cost per GB of drive space.
> 
> 3ware cards support hot swapping IDE and there are several 
> hot-swap IDE
> drive trays in the $50-75 range. You *MUST* make sure the 
> trays are really
> hot swap. Most are not. The ones that are will be very 
> specific about saying
> so.

My computer vendor uses these:
http://www.amtrade.com/pc/ata133_ide_mobil_hdd_racks.htm

I personally have not used them, so don't blame me if they end up not
working as advertised, but my vendor is happy with them. I have also never
used that company or its website until today, so I have nothing in the way
of recommending for or against.

> Another alternative I just found this past weekend... There 
> is a company
> making "hot swap" IDE trays, but instead of being IDE out, 
> they're USB 2.0.

It came to my attention that FreeBSD 4.x lacks USB 2.0 support. I used these
USB 2.0 trays in a Windows server and hadn't thought that USB 2.0 might not
be supported in FreeBSD 4.x. I don't use USB in my FreeBSD servers, so this
never crossed my mind.

I'm providing the link to the HDD trays above to show my apologies. :)

Cheers,
Brent