Apple Time Capsule not 'server grade' - bit-tech.net Forums

CardJoe · 3rd Mar 2008, 07:38

http://www.bit-tech.net/news/2008/03...server_grade/1

Apple's new NAS-cum-WAP Time Capsule has been dismantled by early adopters and it appears that the drive isn't as 'server-grade' as Apple claimed.

BioSniper · 3rd Mar 2008, 07:55

I believe they are classifying them as "server grade" because it's the same drives they use in their X-Serve line rather than the drive manufacturers claims on what they are suitable for.
Still would make me think twice before parting with my cash for one though.

Dizman · 3rd Mar 2008, 08:08

The insane price tag was what kept me from parting with my cash.

Cthippo · 3rd Mar 2008, 08:10

Is there a significant MTBFR delta between the lines?*

Besides, it's not like drive failure happens that often, and if you want real data security, you'd buy a real NAS box with RAID and some sort of backup device.

*My e-penis grew a micron just saying that

Jipa · 3rd Mar 2008, 08:28

Oh what a surprise - Apple made a device that costs extra, but offers nothing special over any other NAS-drive? "Server-grade" my ass, why would someone buy a designed piece of iPlastic for "server-grade" use anyway? Atleast it has a fan...

hawky84 · 3rd Mar 2008, 09:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cthippo

Besides, it's not like drive failure happens that often

hmm I think you will find it happens quite often I have had drives from different manufactures go faulty, one Western Digital Caviar went only after 3 months!!! and boy can that be a pain if you dont back up properly.

metarinka · 3rd Mar 2008, 09:20

I think it's the equivelant of say SUV's as "all terrain" when no one who drives a lexus ever takes one over more than a street curb. I was curious to what type of "server grade" hard drive they had in there, in all honesty for a single/very low user depth like a home server environment you would actually see a decrease in performance using a server drive over a consumer drive as the firmwareoptimising and command queing aren't optimised for such a task. In my mind reliability is indepent of server/consumer grade drives each model/manufacturer has hi's and lows in terms of reliability and it's hard to find adequate real world numbers. However I've rain raid 0 for 2 years and single disk for many more and I've only twice loose data

Tomm · 3rd Mar 2008, 10:52

Apparently the 500Gb version DOES have an enterprise-grade disk in it. Maybe they're making up for unexpected demand by bunging any old drive in there?

I think it's pretty shady but 'server grade' is perhaps an ambiguous term.

Arkanrais · 3rd Mar 2008, 12:50

perhaps they should name these machines iSmellbullsh*t
edit: or iFail

Bluephoenix · 3rd Mar 2008, 14:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arkanrais

perhaps they should name these machines iSmellbullsh*t
edit: or iFail

and yes, there is a difference of 100,000+ hours MTBF between the ultrastars and the deskstars, and is the primary reason I use enterprise grade 1TB Seagate drives in my RAID6 array, they make a bit more noise, but I'll take that for the extra 500,000 MBTF hour boost.

Fly · 3rd Mar 2008, 15:14

To be honest, most macfans would buy poo spread on toast if it was called iTaste and had an Apple logo. I doubt this discovery will affect their sales much, unless someone opens their eyes in the Apple store.

naokaji · 3rd Mar 2008, 15:31

Apple time Capsule for 299$ or WD MyBook for 129$? what a difficult question

(both 500 GB models and if you connect the mybook to a wlan switch / router then it got wlan too..)

Mr T · 3rd Mar 2008, 21:36

If MS did this they would get ripped to death. Yet Apple just seam to get away with this kinda stuff.

David_Fitzy · 3rd Mar 2008, 23:44

It doesn't matter what grade hdd it is if that one hdd fails you lose all your backups. No server anywhere relies on a single hdd, to me a major part of 'server grade' is redundancy.

koola · 4th Mar 2008, 00:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tomm

I think it's pretty shady but 'server grade' is perhaps an ambiguous term.

Yeah, there is a clear difference between consumer and enterprise grade components. Apple's use of the undefined term "server grade" would reasonably lead one to expect to find the circa 1.2 million hour MTBF Ultrastar drive in the TC. Note that Apple does seem to use the 1.2 million hour MTBF Barracuda ES drive in the 500 GB model.

Quote:

Originally Posted by naokaji

Apple time Capsule for 299$ or WD MyBook for 129$? what a difficult question

(both 500 GB models and if you connect the mybook to a wlan switch / router then it got wlan too..)

You forget that TC is a router with gigabit LAN and 802.11N wireless as well as the USB port able to network a printer or connect a USB HDD. This is a great unit which replaces many components. Can't wait to recieve mine this week

Edit: Plus I got an educational discount on top, great stuff.

Edit+1: Just got TC this morning and I'm delighted with it. Super easy to setup, lightning fast over gigabit & .11n and I've been streaming 720p movies to my AppleTV with ease (G stuttered and lagged a bit). It's very quiet too other than hearing the HDD spin up when TM wants to backup.

3rd Mar 2008, 07:38	#1
CardJoe Player Character bit-tech Staff Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 7,940	Apple Time Capsule not 'server grade' http://www.bit-tech.net/news/2008/03...server_grade/1 Apple's new NAS-cum-WAP Time Capsule has been dismantled by early adopters and it appears that the drive isn't as 'server-grade' as Apple claimed. __________________ this is joe's non-bit-tech blog

3rd Mar 2008, 07:55	#2
BioSniper I Mod, Therefore I Own Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Somewhere in the south Posts: 3,454	I believe they are classifying them as "server grade" because it's the same drives they use in their X-Serve line rather than the drive manufacturers claims on what they are suitable for. Still would make me think twice before parting with my cash for one though. __________________ My Flickr :: Bit-tech Flickr Wii: 1792 1527 2926 7945 :: Xbox Live: BioSnipr :: PSN: Biosnipr

3rd Mar 2008, 08:10	#4
Cthippo Can't mod my way out of a paper bag Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Bellingham, WA Posts: 4,456	Is there a significant MTBFR delta between the lines?* Besides, it's not like drive failure happens that often, and if you want real data security, you'd buy a real NAS box with RAID and some sort of backup device. *My e-penis grew a micron just saying that __________________ Notice: If we see you flaming we will assume you are on fire and take appropriate measures - The Bit-Tech Fire Brigade.

3rd Mar 2008, 08:28	#5
Jipa Licenced idiot. Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Tampere, Finland Posts: 3,057	Oh what a surprise - Apple made a device that costs extra, but offers nothing special over any other NAS-drive? "Server-grade" my ass, why would someone buy a designed piece of iPlastic for "server-grade" use anyway? Atleast it has a fan... __________________ Abit IP35 - E6750 - 8800GT 1024 MB - 2 GB 800 MHz - enough HDDs - 750 W Silverstone - CM Storm Sniper Asus P5Q-VM - Q9450 - 4 GB - 400 W Silverstone - Fortress FT01 AllTheMods - MetkuMods - LedCalc

3rd Mar 2008, 09:20	#7
metarinka I am a Dremel Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Michigan Posts: 1,619	I think it's the equivelant of say SUV's as "all terrain" when no one who drives a lexus ever takes one over more than a street curb. I was curious to what type of "server grade" hard drive they had in there, in all honesty for a single/very low user depth like a home server environment you would actually see a decrease in performance using a server drive over a consumer drive as the firmwareoptimising and command queing aren't optimised for such a task. In my mind reliability is indepent of server/consumer grade drives each model/manufacturer has hi's and lows in terms of reliability and it's hard to find adequate real world numbers. However I've rain raid 0 for 2 years and single disk for many more and I've only twice loose data __________________ project: Orbitoid project: Orbitoid discussion Project: Angry-9 the WWII radio

3rd Mar 2008, 08:08	#3
Dizman Multimodder Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Vermont Posts: 218	The insane price tag was what kept me from parting with my cash.

3rd Mar 2008, 10:52	#8
Tomm I also ride trials :¬) Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Fallowfield, Manchester Posts: 2,233	Apparently the 500Gb version DOES have an enterprise-grade disk in it. Maybe they're making up for unexpected demand by bunging any old drive in there? I think it's pretty shady but 'server grade' is perhaps an ambiguous term. __________________ Carrot cake cheesecake Shuttle SN85G4V2 \| A64 3200+ / Apple PowerBook 12

3rd Mar 2008, 12:50	#9
Arkanrais Supermodder Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Wangamadness, New Zealand Posts: 330	perhaps they should name these machines iSmellbullsht edit: or iFail __________________ Visit my DeviantArt page or I'll make you squeal like a piggy and throw a spatula at you. FEAR THE SPATULA! What the hell part of a chicken is the nugget?! goddamn McDonalds and their LIES! Last edited by Arkanrais; 3rd Mar 2008 at 13:12.*

3rd Mar 2008, 15:14	#11
Fly inter arma silent leges Moderator Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: London, UK Posts: 3,741	To be honest, most macfans would buy poo spread on toast if it was called iTaste and had an Apple logo. I doubt this discovery will affect their sales much, unless someone opens their eyes in the Apple store. __________________ "Flying is simple; push on the stick and the houses become bigger, pull back on the stick and houses become smaller, unless you keep pulling in which case the houses will become bigger again..." Disce quasi semper victurus; vive quasi cras moriturus.

3rd Mar 2008, 21:36	#13
Mr T 4 Left Into Long 3 Right Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Bradford Posts: 1,710	If MS did this they would get ripped to death. Yet Apple just seam to get away with this kinda stuff. __________________ Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 @ 3.4Ghz - 4Gb Corsair 6400C4 - Abit IP35 - 256mb nVidia 7900GS Corsair HX 520w PSU - Pioneer DVR-212 DVD-RW - 74Gb Western Digital Raptor - 320Gb Seagate Barracuda 7200.10

3rd Mar 2008, 23:44	#14
David_Fitzy Multimodder Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Kiwiland Posts: 197	It doesn't matter what grade hdd it is if that one hdd fails you lose all your backups. No server anywhere relies on a single hdd, to me a major part of 'server grade' is redundancy. __________________ Duel of the Duals! Athlon XP2400+ \| Generic FX5200 \| SOYO Platinum Dragon Ultra \| 1GB Crucial Ram \| Maxtor PATA 7200 HDDs: 2x40Gb (RAID0), 2x200Gb(RAID0) \| Jeantech Phong case \| Black DVD-everything \| Black Skythe Kama-meter \| dreaded blue LED fans (didn't read the description properly) At least it's all one colour scheme now