disk and controller upgrades

[Glen Brydon]

We here have been contemplating upgrading our server configuration from a
3/280 with 8 megs of memory and Xylogics 451 controller and Fujitsu 575
mbyte disk (super-eagle).

We are a rather non-standard configuration (I guess) because our
workstation has 30 other users hanging off the backend.  Are we really in
a different class than those users with shoeboxes?

There seem to be any number of vendors willing to sell us 3rd party
equipment at well below 1/2 of what Sun sells it for.  My major concern is
getting caught holding the bag.

Should we stay away from 5+1/4" drives in favor of larger drives? (8inch)
My salesperson alludes to hitches in hanging on an extra drive:
	can't mix different size drives (575 and 892 mbyte)
	newer smd-4 controller (Xylogics 451) requires prom change in cpu

Anyone with some hard experience and a bit of compassion - please let the
rest of us overworked and confused administrators out, send me your advice
and hints on such matters and I will summarize.

	to: glen at proexam