IBM DASD alternatives?

[Sridhar Ayengar]

Colin Eby wrote:
> 
> 
> 
> Folks --
> 
> Has anyone tried creating mainframe compatible DASD with commodity
> components?  I now have an S/390, but am trying to pare it back to a
> fighting weight (one that'll fit the electrical limitations of my flat).
> The DASD are monster 14" platters with 400MB capacity each --
> 9332-Model400.  And the system requires 5 of them with its current
> configuration.  I was wondering if there was a way to adapt the system to
> more modest disk types much way as has been done with some of the recent
> PDP re-implementations with flash and 2.5" IDE.  Any thoughts?
> 
> While we're at it, I'm still interested in offloading two of my IO cabinets
> and a bunch of COM controller feature cards.  I haven't had any takers so
> far.

DASD isn't a requisite of using a mainframe.  Just use minidisks.  DASD 
is mostly used for data storage.  Although there are a lot of setups out 
there that IPL from DASD, I would venture to say that most setups IPL 
from minidisk.  Not that most setups IPL that often.

Which type/model S/390 do you have?

BTW, a 9332 DASD is significantly older than any S/390.  It came out 
around 1985 or 1986.  It's not much of a match for the S/390, 
considering the disks hold less than a GB apiece.  It even pre-dates 
ES/9000 by a few years.  I would guess that they were most popular with 
later-generation S/370's like the 3084 and 3090, and maybe even with 
smaller compatible machines like the 4381.

Peace...  Sridhar