Archive workflow for FCSrv - does it work that way?

Question

Hi,
we are installing FCSvr in our shop by the end of the month and after a lot of reading I have a question about an archiving workflow and if that works that way?
We have about 1 TB of files each month that are finished productions that need to go. Deleting is not an option as we often have to go back and do changes, we also want to have the clips somehow (digital, not only on video tape) available for later production. Final Cut Server sounds like a solution, eh?
We have 1x Xserve with FCSvr and 1x Xserve RAID connected via fiber uplink via trunked Gbit ethernet (works for us..)
The idea is to connect a Netgear ReadyNAS 1100 (Link: http://www.netgear.com/Products/Storage/ReadyNAS1100.aspx) with 3x 1TB SATA discs in Raid5 (4th slot is empty) to the network. Name would be archive001.
In FCSvr I would setup a device and tell it to use as archive space.
Once full (or lets say around 80%) I unmount the raid and shut it down, label the 3 drives and stick them in the shelf.
3 new drives go into the Netgear, I setup archive002, make it a new device in FCSvr and tell it to use as archive.
And so on and so forth.
In the case an editor needs an old shot / project (happens not very often, I'm calculating with max 4x a month, excluding if they need data that is on the device that is still mounted because its not yet full) FCSvr tells me where the archived asset is (?), let assume on device archive001.
I go to my shelf, grab the drives, stick them into the Netgear, and the person is able to grab the asset.
What happens if an user requests a restore and the "wrong" raid is mounted? (the device is not there?) Does he get an appropriate error message so that he can tell the IT person to change drives or how does that work?
Cost wise: the Netgear is about 1100 EUR and we already have a unit so in case one fails and we cannot get a new one (any more) we are sort of covered and can copy to a new system.
Each 1 TB is about 90 EUR at the moment, though Raid5 I can use 2 TB out of 3, so I end up paying 270 EUR for 2 TB of archive (plus the initial RAID).
The system is scalable (to some extend).
Future goal (2 years down the line?) would be a Object Matrix setup with Xserves and Promise 12-24 TB RAIDs. But not now (money)..
What do you think?
Any input greatly appreciated.
Tobi
PS: Data Tape: been there, done that, dont like it (for this purpose, we use data tape e.g. to create "Master" of XDCAM footage) and too inflexible (I actually hope to reuse all the 1 TB drives for the Object MAtrix thing one day).

Answer 1

Hello,
you might write a pre restore script which checks if your archive volume of choice is available. If not, it can then send an email to your administrator, so that he can make that volume available.
Regards,
André