1. This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Learn More.

News Apple Time Capsule not 'server grade'

Discussion in 'Article Discussion' started by CardJoe, 3 Mar 2008.

  1. CardJoe

    CardJoe Freelance Journalist

    Joined:
    3 Apr 2007
    Posts:
    11,346
    Likes Received:
    316
  2. BioSniper

    BioSniper Minimodder

    Joined:
    5 Feb 2002
    Posts:
    3,815
    Likes Received:
    18
    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.
     
  3. Dizman

    Dizman What's a Dremel?

    Joined:
    6 Jul 2006
    Posts:
    218
    Likes Received:
    0
    The insane price tag was what kept me from parting with my cash.
     
  4. Cthippo

    Cthippo Can't mod my way out of a paper bag

    Joined:
    7 Aug 2005
    Posts:
    6,785
    Likes Received:
    103
    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 :D
     
  5. Jipa

    Jipa Avoiding the "I guess.." since 2004

    Joined:
    5 Feb 2004
    Posts:
    6,367
    Likes Received:
    127
    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...
     
  6. hawky84

    hawky84 SilentModder

    Joined:
    15 Nov 2007
    Posts:
    101
    Likes Received:
    0
    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.
     
  7. metarinka

    metarinka What's a Dremel?

    Joined:
    9 Feb 2003
    Posts:
    1,844
    Likes Received:
    3
    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
     
  8. Tomm

    Tomm I also ride trials :¬)

    Joined:
    12 Apr 2004
    Posts:
    2,249
    Likes Received:
    0
    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.
     
  9. Arkanrais

    Arkanrais What's a Dremel?

    Joined:
    14 Jul 2007
    Posts:
    406
    Likes Received:
    5
    perhaps they should name these machines iSmellbullsh*t
    edit: or iFail
     
    Last edited: 3 Mar 2008
  10. Bluephoenix

    Bluephoenix Spoon? What spoon?

    Joined:
    3 Dec 2006
    Posts:
    968
    Likes Received:
    1
    :lol:

    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. :thumb:
     
  11. Fly

    Fly inter arma silent leges

    Joined:
    31 Aug 2001
    Posts:
    3,763
    Likes Received:
    3
    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.
     
  12. naokaji

    naokaji whatever

    Joined:
    8 Dec 2006
    Posts:
    1,879
    Likes Received:
    10
    Apple time Capsule for 299$ or WD MyBook for 129$? what a difficult question:naughty: (both 500 GB models and if you connect the mybook to a wlan switch / router then it got wlan too..)
     
  13. Mr T

    Mr T 4 Left Into Long 3 Right

    Joined:
    14 Nov 2001
    Posts:
    1,742
    Likes Received:
    0
    If MS did this they would get ripped to death. Yet Apple just seam to get away with this kinda stuff.
     
  14. David_Fitzy

    David_Fitzy I modded a keyboard once....

    Joined:
    8 Jan 2004
    Posts:
    206
    Likes Received:
    2
    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.
     
  15. koola

    koola Minimodder

    Joined:
    11 Jul 2004
    Posts:
    2,462
    Likes Received:
    10
    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.

    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 :D

    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.
     
    Last edited: 4 Mar 2008
Tags: Add Tags

Share This Page