From: towen@relay.nswc.navy.mil (Thomas F. Owen)
Newsgroups: comp.arch.storage
Subject: EMASS on CRAY Summarize
Date: 1 Sep 92 12:47:06 GMT
Organization: Code E402, Naval Surface Warfare Center

Awhile ago I posted a request for experiences with EMASS connected to a
Cray system.  Below is a copy of that request together with the summary
of the responses.  I appreciate all of the comments and have determined
by independent means that the EMASS solution for the Cray will not be
fully supported by Cray until the release of UNICOS 7.C which is tenatively
scheduled for 1st qtr 93.  I hope this summary is useful to you.  If anyone
has any other comments, I would certainly appreciate them.

Thanks for the responses.

Tom Owen
===========================================================================

>Article 693 in comp.arch.storage:
>From: Thomas F. Owen
>Subject: EMASS and Cray Experiences
>Organization: Code E402, Naval Surface Warfare Center

>Does anyone have any experience with using EMASS from E-Systems on a
>Cray YMP system?  We are looking at various archive mechanisms, and I
>am told that EMASS is a Cray supported product.  I would like to get
>experiences of other users, especially if they use EMASS with DMF and
>MLS.  We are investigating the feasibilty of EMASS, but want other user
>experiences such as:  performance, reliablity, ease of installation,
>ease of use, operator requirements, etc.  Any experiences would be most
>appreciated.  I will summarize comments and post the results.

=================================================
From: Dr Sanjay Ranade <infotech@access.digex.com>
Subject: EMASS on Cray Y-MP
Date: Fri, 14 Aug 92 23:07:58 EDT

I don't know of any site that is actually running EMASS on a Y-MP
although I have been hearing for some time that such a system is
available. At NASA/GSFC I believe there are plans to use a DD-2 drive
and robot from E-Systems (Odetics Tower) with the Y-MP. This site has
recently installed a Convex/UniTreile se   rver which controls 2 STK
silos. Ben Kobler at 301-989-3553 (NASA/GSFC) may have more
information on this. His e-mail is kobler@nssdca.gsfc.nasa.gov

When you say "EMASS", I think you mean the PVR portion of the software
from E-Systems which I understand has been ported to the Y-MP. I think
DMF handles the actual migration/restore with the E-systems s/w 
constituting another msp. Is this correct ?

Mobil in Dallas and the University of London are two sites which use
EMASS (both migration and PVR). However, both use Convex machines.
If you are interested I can give you the contacts at these places.

I have been researching this area for almost 2 years and would be very
interested in any information that you come up with. The results of
this work are published as the State-of-the-Art Report on Mass Storage
(see below).

See "State-of-the-Art Report on Mass Storage" published by
Infotech SA Inc. Silver Spring, MD 20914, USA
Tel: (301)-989-1785 (V)   (301)-989-2290 (F)

Cost $195. Shipping $5.60 (UPS) $35.00 (Overseas Air)
Quarterly Updates $50. Shipping $2.50 (UPS)  $7.50 (Overseas Air)
 
=================================================

From: dale@convex1.convex.com (Dale Lancaster)
Date: Mon, 17 Aug 92 21:37:21 -0500
Subject: EMASS


Hi,

I saw your posting in comp.arch.storage about EMASS on the Cray.  I am
the product manager at Convex for all our fileserver and mass storage
products. I know that E-systems has printed datasheet on this, but I
don't think it is working.  The EMASS product was first done on the
Convex Systems for a DOD customer.  The EMASS product includes the
Fileserv file management software and the D2 tapes and robots and
robotic control software.  We have a couple of Convex based EMASS
systems installed.  One at Mobil Oil and one at a DOD site.  I don't
know of ANY Cray based EMASS systems in operation today.  Its my
understanding it doesn't exist even though they are "selling" it.  The
experience with the Convex based stuff is that it still needs a lot
more production level field testing, has a few quirks, but does have a
lot of potential.  the quirks are mainly with the software, the
hardware seems to be stable.

The real trend I see in mass storage is with UniTree as the software
system for data management.  Ampex makes the D2 drive that E-systems
sells.  Ampex also has a robotic system as well.  Same capabilities and
speeds and feeds.  This all works on the Convex as well.  Ampex 
has not indicated that it works on the Cray.

hopes this helps.  I would be interested in any feedback you get. I
deal with E-systems a fair amount and still find it hard to get real
answers :-))

dml


=================================================

From: bodzin@pms625.pms.ford.com (Henry Bodzin)
Date: Tue, 18 Aug 92 10:54:56 EST
Subject: EMASS on Cray

Tom,

I saw your posting asking about info on EMASS on a Cray. We looked into this
at Ford, and were turned off by the high price. Also, it is our understanding
that this is not yet a product that is supported by Cray Research, though 
they have an EMASS system in house and are making it work.

Who told you it IS supported by Cray for Unicos? The best info we have is that
the code will be ready around the end of 1992, and be GA in 1Q 1993. (Unicos
release 7.0C2 comes to mind.)

(Text on another subject deleted)

...Henry Bodzin
   Ford Motor Company
   313 845-1347

=================================================

From: emass!hydra!carrolll@uunet.UU.NET (Carroll Lochridge)
Date: Wed, 19 Aug 92 17:35:18 CDT

Received your message from Internet via another mail relay.  My name is Carroll
Lochridge.  I work for E-Systems in the Emass product line as Manager of 
Advanced Storage Development.  Would like to discuss the current Cray/Emass
status with you on the phone.  Your phone number as read from my mail is
703-663-7614  My phone is 214-205-8990.  Will contact you Thursday 20 August.  

Regards,
uunet!emass!carrolll 

===================================================================
Thomas F. Owen (towen@relay.nswc.navy.mil)
Work: (703) 663-7614
Paper Mail: NAVSWC, Code E402, Dahlgren VA 22448


===================================================================
Thomas F. Owen (towen@relay.nswc.navy.mil)
Work: (703) 663-7614
Paper Mail: NAVSWC, Code E402, Dahlgren VA 22448