Thanks for the quick response.  I haven't bought anything yet.  But this is what I'm planning to buy (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300376843517&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT).  Maybe I'm missing something?  Is there anything else I need?  I'm a newb with SAN's, so please bare with my ignorance.

This is the card I think I need (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120443649229&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT).

Thanks for you help.

i see ..this is just the DAE (shelves with disk drives). This provides storage for clariion but you are missing the brain of the array, storage processors (SPE).  Take a look at this picture.

I find it odd that I cannot even find any of these SPE units on eBay.  Thousands of DAE's, but no SPE's?  Is it necessary to have the SPE, or are these built into the backplance on most models?

What would be the next best thing to having real SAN hardware?  Maybe a direct connect SCSI config, and just use iSCSI to let other machines access the disk?

I need something that will serve up a shared disk to host a clustered SQL database.  I was looking at SAN technology, because I need this to be a "real world" configuration, and EMC seems to be most reputable.  I also need fairly good performance here, as this type of database produces a very high volume of random IO (high transaction OLTP database).

Does EMC offer an "all in one" SAN, where the SPE is built into the DAE backplane?  Any other suggestions you have would be appreciated.

BTW - No, it doesn't need to be EMC.

Thanks.

Thanks.  But I forgot to mention that I'm on the cheap.  That's why I'm on eBay looking at these older, used models.

EMC offers a nice line up in their CX-4 line

http://www.emc.com/products/series/cx4-series.htm

also a smaller array in AX4-5

http://australia.emc.com/products/detail/hardware/clariion-ax4.htm

I would also look at NS series arrays, they offer a lot of different connectivity/functionality options in one array.

http://www.emc.com/products/series/celerra-unified-storage-platforms.htm

Are you going to be buying fibre channel switches ?

I wish!  But, this is on my dime and is only a lab for research and testing.

So, it looks like the SPE's are either the CX300, CX500 or CX700.  If I were to find a deal, like this one (http://cgi.ebay.com/EMC-Clariion-CX300-WITH-QTY-8-73-GIG-DRIVES_W0QQitemZ380193249099QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item588548974b), would this work?  This is the SPE with the DAE and drives...right?

Thanks for your time.

got 4 grand ?

http://cgi.ebay.com/EMC-Clariion-CX700-w-17x-146GB-10K-4x-CX-2PDAE-SAN_W0QQitemZ350298907548QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item518f71239c