Library Storage and backup, really need equipment and workflow information.

Question

I have about 700 Gigs of files on three external hard drives, which are backed up to three more. My copy of Aperture arrived today, and, after reading the included booklet, I still don't understand the basic storage, backup and workflow structure of the program. Questions:
Does your library have to be stored on one disk, or can it be spread over several in a JBOD setup, or will I need a raid 0 or 5? I need to plan for a Library that will hold TBs if they have to be in one place. The manual says that the program works better with the library on an internal HD - will an external SATA do just as well? $499 for the program and $12,000 for an x-serve RAID? Seriously, can you keep all of your photos in one place?
Backup (vault): the manual mentions that you may have to move the vault when it exceeds the size of your external disk. Can it be spread out over several disks? Will it need a RAID as well?
I'm using C1Pro (currently in disfavor), PS CS2 (gets better every version) but was hoping for a better workflow and, yes, a way to organize my entire library and speed my workflow. Aperture looks great. Having said that, experience tells me that I will need PS a lot, and may want to do conversions outside of aperture on a regular basis. So, if I import the RAW files directly into Aperture, can I find them in the finder, or export the original RAW? HOW PLEASE? It doesn't make a lot of sense to examine them in Bridge before I decide which ones to Bring in to Aperture. Do I just have to make duplicates to HD or DVD of the original RAW files?
Is there a more detailed explanation of file handling. I have read the booklet, looked at help, checked the articles at Apple Support and read every thread in this forum. Did I just stupidly overlook something obvious?
I know this is a brand new program, but for a professional photographer's tool, someone should have anticipated these questions. Egads!, I just know it's there but I can't find it. I would really appreciate any help.

Answer 1

Does your library have to be stored on one disk, or
can it be spread over several in a JBOD setup, or
will I need a raid 0 or 5?
I believe the library must be on one LOGICAL drive. This could be one physical drive, a JBOD configuration or a RAID 5. In anycase, it has to be one logical drive.
I need to plan for a
Library that will hold TBs if they have to be in one
place.
Since you can specify the location of the library, you can store multiple libraries on multiple internal drives and switch between them. Hopefully, in future versions, Aperture will seamlessly support multiple libraries on different (and networked!) drives.
Backup (vault): the manual mentions that you may have
to move the vault when it exceeds the size of your
external disk. Can it be spread out over several
disks? Will it need a RAID as well?
Only if it is also a JBOD or a RAID configuration. You cannot span multiple logical drives.
So, if I import the
RAW files directly into Aperture, can I find them in
the finder, or export the original RAW? HOW PLEASE?
Finding them in the Finder is not easy. Doable but not easy, as it is well hidden inside a package. Aperture actively discourages you from doing this. Can you imagine the havoc if someone deleted a raw file from the finder? Aperture (and all the xml files it creates) would be looking for missing files and this would lead to corrupted projects.
To export a RAW file out of the library:
File -> Export Master . This menu option will export the original raw file out of the library. Not sure why you would want to do that. If you want to edit it in Photoshop, select the image in Aperture and select Images -> Open with external editor. This will transfer the image into photoshop (assuming you have photoshop set up as your external editor). When you're done editing, save the image (just save, not save as). Close the image in photoshop and Aperture will automatically pickup the change.
Do I just have to make duplicates to HD or
DVD of the original RAW files?
You export the versions into a directory. Then you burn that directory and then delete it. So yes, it would appear that you are duplicating images for the purpose of burning. So you must have at least as much free space on your hard disk as the empty CD/DVD.
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