Redundant Arrays of IDE Drives

TL;DR

This paper explores using redundant arrays of IDE drives for high-energy physics data analysis, demonstrating cost-effective, scalable storage solutions and methods for data transfer between sites.

Contribution

It introduces the use of IDE RAID arrays as affordable, scalable storage options and evaluates data transfer techniques for high-energy physics applications.

Findings

IDE RAID arrays are cost-effective and scalable for large data storage.

IDE RAID prices now match high-cost tape robots per terabyte.

Multiple data transfer methods are feasible for site-to-site data movement.

Abstract

The next generation of high-energy physics experiments is expected to gather prodigious amounts of data. New methods must be developed to handle this data and make analysis at universities possible. We examine some techniques that use recent developments in commodity hardware. We test redundant arrays of integrated drive electronics (IDE) disk drives for use in offline high-energy physics data analysis. IDE redundant array of inexpensive disks (RAID) prices now equal the cost per terabyte of million-dollar tape robots! The arrays can be scaled to sizes affordable to institutions without robots and used when fast random access at low cost is important. We also explore three methods of moving data between sites; internet transfers, hot pluggable IDE disks in FireWire cases, and writable digital video disks (DVD-R).