--- Forwarded Message from Andrew Ross <[log in to unmask]> ---

>From: Andrew Ross <[log in to unmask]>
>To: "[log in to unmask]" <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: FireWire (IEEE 1394) drives and lab setups
>Date: Mon, 7 Jun 1999 17:54:42 -0400

Is there anyone out there who's had experience using FireWire hard
drives as media storage/transfer devices?  I know that they're beginning
to be used in graphics-intensive industries, and am writing a proposal
for researching the use of (forthcoming) bootable FireWire drives as a
solution to some of the computing issues on our campus.  I also bought a
small one (grin) to test as a storage/transfer device for our lab here.

Specific questions:

1.  Is data transfer/seek time fast enough to replace a conventional
hard drive efficiently?  I've got figures on rates/times, but no
realworld data yet.

2.  I think I've figured out why the industry says you can daisy-chain
63 of these devices together, but not why the manual with mine says only
30.  Is it a signal repeater issue, or something else?  Can't find a FAQ
entry on this . . .

3.  Is anybody sufficiently "connected" with the IEEE 1394 industry to
be able to give me an estimate of release date for a bootable drive, or
able to point me in the direction of someone who can?

TIA,

Andrew


Andrew F. Ross, Ph.D.
Director, Multimedia Language Lab
Department of Modern Languages and Literatures
G-16 Puryear Hall
University of Richmond
Richmond,  VA   23173
(804)287-6838
fax: (804)287-6446
[log in to unmask]

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"Worrying about a large institution, especially when it has computers,
is like worrying about a large gorilla, especially when it's on fire."

--Bruce Sterling
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