Dell Powervault MD3860f 60-Disk Storage System (PWJ213)

I just got this device in my workshop and I thought it may be interesting for others too.
Dell Powervault MS3860f (Fibre Channel) can hold up to 60 large formfactor HDDs or SSDs

[@mousseman8239]

With the noise this thing makes, I entirely expected it to fly off the table propelled by the fans...

[@Rob2]

That is normal for this class of devices. The manufacturers apparently reason "too much cooling can never hurt".

[@PlaywithJunk]

And these systems are made for server rooms. Not really what you want in your bedroom....

[@FJHooker]

Got two units just like this at work, and unpacked them with friend who is not weak but lightly built guy, while I am more massively built. Those are quite heavy while empty and we considered them to be empty. Got them out and in to their boxes. Half a year later of idle storage in warehouse had to help 4 guys to lift those (they could not), apparently they were fully loaded with HDDs. Some fun psychology/power of believe stuff. Cool channel name BTW!

[@PlaywithJunk]

One colleague at work lost the tip of a finger when he tried to lift a HP C7000 blade enclosure. They also tried to lift it with everything installed.

[@dav1dbone]

3:57 looks like something Hannibal might like to use:-)

[@gwenlop9512]

Finally, you can download 24 triple a games!

[@tehretar]

Nice stuff 🙂Especially this transport cart/crane. I also need such a device for lifting heavy modular network equipment. Which brand/model is this?

[@PlaywithJunk]

That's some very old gear. But if you google for "datacenter lift" you will find similar tools.

[@Onerouss]

Oof, my electric bill would double having one of those on my home network!

[@RoyChartier]

Yeah but your heating bill would be cut in half.

[@TECHNOGEEK20000]

yeah I also could not imagine what it would cost to have something like that shipped....unless you know a guy that has one.

[@PlaywithJunk]

Without the disks it is not that heavy... ...that was a joke! :-)

[@SilvaD702]

I recently decommissioned an MD3000 that sounds pretty much the same. Almost like a jet engine sound...

[@puciohenzap891]

I wonder what throughput can you get with all drives in an array.

[@aliwalil4160]

Dude's electricity bill must be pretty hefty

[@PlaywithJunk]

It will be solar powered soon...

[@colinstu]

When did this unit come out? Interesting mechanism with those drive drawers.

[@PlaywithJunk]

The handbook for this system is from 2018. So I assume maybe 2015 - 2019. Not very old indeed.

[@RBLevin]

Any big teardowns coming in the future?

[@PlaywithJunk]

They come when they come.... Large machine teardowns can not be planned. I take what I can get 🙂

[@miip]

Can it also be used as a sas jbod? What are the sas connectors on the back for?

[@PlaywithJunk]

I think JBOD is possible. If not directly then you can set up single disks as logical volumes and map them as desired. The SAS connectors on the rear are for expansion drawers with more disks. In fact if you only want JBOD, then you can use an expasion alone wihout any RAID controller. Saves some money 🙂

[@jimsvideos7201]

Is this still useful? I mean it works, but would anyone deploy it in a new setup?

[@PlaywithJunk]

Probably not this model but there are similar storage systems available today. Smaller disks or SSDs but the same idea.

[@hgbugalou]

Considering there are 22tb 3.5 inch drives out now, I can see this still being useful for extreme capacity, though I'm not sure if this model can support anything that large.

[@PlaywithJunk]

It already has 12TB disks inside. I see no problem to install 22TB's. Maybe you need to make more virtual disks.

[@Bepnm]

The complete server-room is turned of when installing one new Storage System?

[@PlaywithJunk]

Those are racks of test equipment that are only turned on when used

[@Bepnm]

@@PlaywithJunk Understand

[@Gooberslot]

Does it work under Linux?

[@PlaywithJunk]

Should be no problem. I don't know if the management software exists for Linux but I'm pretty sure there is a version too.

[@Sven_Dongle]

Is it junk?

[@PlaywithJunk]

Not yet....

[@mz4637]

eh?

[@PlaywithJunk]

Oh!

[@dav1dbone]

Sad to think you can store many times more storage on a micro SD card smaller than a Cornflake

[@PlaywithJunk]

I haven't seen a 12TB SD card yet and if that exists it will be more expensive than a HDD of same size

[@dav1dbone]

@@PlaywithJunk Yeah , I didn't do the math, just assumed since it looked legacy and running on an older OS, well yes a matchbox could hold 12 x 1Tb microSD cards, expensive yes, a few years from now then certainly it's possible.

[@PlaywithJunk]

I don't say it's impossible. But any kind of flash storage in this scale is way more expensive. I had some 7TB SSDs from Dell costing $5000 each. A 12TB mechanical disk is $200. BTW don't fall for those cheap "10TB flash drives for $20" they are a scam.