RAID 1 Storage

[Michael Perata]

I want to setup a small file server (already have the PC) and need suggestions on how to set up a non-SCSI RAID 1 (mirroring) system.

[Brian Austin]

You'll need a couple of ATA/IDE hard drives and a ATA/IDE RAID controller, something like the Promise FastTrak TX4000. The controller handles the mirroring and your server only sees the one drive.

The TX4000 is showing $132 on Insight at the moment. I'm not sure about availability at big box stores. A comparable controller would do the job as well, I suspect.

Another option is software mirroring in the OS (typically Win2000 Server). I don't recommend this due to the resources it takes up from the server. It's a cheap possibility, though. You just need a couple of IDE drives and set them up as a mirror.

[Jim Becker]

All well and good, but the question was how to setup a SCSI raid file system.

He asked for a non-SCSI RAID system in his post...

[John Gregory]

Windows servers have software raid built in. XP and Win2K Pro does not. Hardware based RAID is much more effective, as Brian said. And really less expensive than buying the Windows server software.

[Brian Austin]

However, SCSI is still the best solution

I agree that the SCSI solution would be a better choice for a production environment but there isn't much call for it in this application with the higher speed ATA drives available now. SCSI's main attraction now is multi-threading (ability to handle more than one 'conversation' at a time on the bus and drive both. With a small home fileserver, the advantages are minimal for a SCSI drive compared to the cost.

Of course, I haven't seen many 15K RPM ATA drives, either, but few are willing to pay for the faster RPM speeds in a small fileserver for home use.

[Jim Becker]

Jim, I think this is at least the second time you have caught my mistakes. Like I say, some days I need a keeper. Thanks.

I'm just too anal...'caught three things my boss exercised "technical creativity" with today. Fortunately, he likes me...

[Dennis Peacock]

Try running a single Unix system that have 1,642 disk drives behind it and each drive is 36.4GB each!!!! Lots of RAID-5 sets behind that server!! And to think that this isn't the largest system we have either. BTW, in case you were wondering, we support and house enough large scale Unix servers to almost totally fill FIVE ACRES of raised floor space!

Now....where did they put that new server?

[Michael Perata]

Thanks guys

I have an eval copy of Windows SBS 2003, but if I went that way I'd have to buy a full version in 5 months and that would be about $500 (no SQL Server).

I wanted recommendations on the RAID controller and Brian came through. I already have on 60Gb ATA drive so I'll just pick up another one when I get the controller.

I have built SCSI drive systems in the past, but all I have right now is a small file/print server that I want to keep backed up.

[Aaron Koehl]

Dennis.. that's one heck of an MP3 collection!!

[Dennis Peacock]

Dennis.. that's one heck of an MP3 collection!!

Aaron,

I work at Acxiom Corporation. We're a data warehouse. For total disk storage, we are approaching and will soon exceed 1 Petabyte!

All that disk storage is pretty cool. But now you have to "back it all up"!!

Tape drives for backups? Yup....Over 700 tape drives, ranging from 3490 through SuperDLT Phase 2 and UltraLTO 2. Tapes? Just a few....just over 1.7 Million backup tapes. Now where did I put that tape with the Best of Led Zepplin?

[Peter Stahl]

You'll need a couple of ATA/IDE hard drives and a ATA/IDE RAID controller, something like the Promise FastTrak TX4000. The controller handles the mirroring and your server only sees the one drive.

The TX4000 is showing $132 on Insight at the moment. I'm not sure about availability at big box stores. A comparable controller would do the job as well, I suspect.

Another option is software mirroring in the OS (typically Win2000 Server). I don't recommend this due to the resources it takes up from the server. It's a cheap possibility, though. You just need a couple of IDE drives and set them up as a mirror.

Brian,

Do you have a address for Promise Tech. I tried to Google it but when I click on the link it doesn't connect. www.promise.com is what I used. Want to add a IDE card for a new drive, any recommendations?

thanks, Pete

[Chris Padilla]

Now where did I put that tape with the Best of Led Zeppelin?

Uhm, I'll get it back to you pronto!

[Brian Austin]

Brian,

Do you have a address for Promise Tech. I tried to Google it but when I click on the link it doesn't connect. www.promise.com is what I used. Want to add a IDE card for a new drive, any recommendations?

thanks, Pete

Pete,

I also had problems getting to Promise right now. A little troubleshooting shows the route to them (from me) dying at a border router in Dallas, probably at a peering point. Looks like a route disappeared. Nothing we can do about it from here.

Not having a product spec sheet in front of me, I can't give you an exact model number. Basically, you need an ATA or IDE interface card. I'd go for the ATA since they're generally backward compatible with IDE (someone correct me if they know where it's not the case). You can find a small selection at any Best Buy, Fry's Electronics, etc., or hit your favorite web reseller (personally, I use Insight since we have terms with them). Price varies considerably based on speed and capacity.

FYI, if you haven't picked up the drive yet, I found a bundled card/drive at Sam's Club for $150 (200Gb drive + ATA-100 card). That was a while ago, though.

[Michael Perata]

Update

Went to Fry's Friday night and bought a Western Digital SATA RAID 0 or 1 PCI card ($59) and two 80 GB 7,200 RPM 8.9ms Seagate SATA drives ($99 x 2).

30 minutes to install the board and drives and 2 hours to do the format. Everything is working fine.