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Can somebody explain raid to me??

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  • 27-09-2008 1:43pm
    #1
    py2006
    Registered Users Posts: 9,847 ✭✭✭


    Hi folks,

    I am a bit of a novice pc builder, I have built/upgraded a couple pc's before but I have never gone the step further (overclocking, raid, cooling etc).

    So I have decided to do a bit of research into Raid as I hear lots of people talking about it. Now I know it involves two hard drives combined together to improve performance some how but I am confused as to how it improves performance or is it simply for backup? :confused:

    Can somebody explain the concept to me (dumb it down ALOT) and whats involved in setting it up.

    Thanks a million!


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    #2
    PogMoThoin
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,874 ✭✭✭✭PogMoThoin


    raid.jpg


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    #3
    Jonathan
    Moderators, Education Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators Posts: 8,117 Mod ✭✭✭✭Jonathan


    Hahahahah... explaining raid values with water coolers :)


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    #4
    trout
    Registered Users Posts: 9,925 ✭✭✭trout


    Thank you PogMoThoin ... I have a new desktop background now :)

    OP ... have a read of this link ... this will give you an introduction.
    http://www.advantech.com.tw/nc/newsletter/041399/story3.htm

    Wiki article is more detailed -> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAID

    Actual instructions on setting up a RAID array will vary a lot depending on the hardware / RAID controller you are using and the Operating System you are running.


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    #5
    sink
    Registered Users Posts: 4,314 ✭✭✭sink


    RAID 0 increases speed RAID 1 provides redundancy. I wouldn't worry about the others as you won't be using them.

    RAID 0 spreads the data across two HD's. This increases the speed at which the PC can read the data as the two HD's are streaming data at the same time. The capacity of a RAID 0 array will be equivalent to double the capacity of the smallest HD. The data will look something like this.

    HD1 - 02468
    HD2 - 13579

    RAID 1 writes all data to both drives providing real time back up. The capacity of a RAID 1 array will be equivalent to the capacity of the smallest HD in the array. The data will look something like this.

    HD1 - 0123456789
    HD2 - 0123456789


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    #6
    PogMoThoin
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,874 ✭✭✭✭PogMoThoin


    Raid 0 is known as striping, Raid 1 as mirroring, these are the two types You can run from most modern motherboards without buying a raid card. I've got raid 0 setup on my 2 raptors as OS drive for extra speed, I will be setting up raid 1 with 2x1Tb f1 Sata's on my server shortly for redundancy in case a hd fails.


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    #7
    py2006
    Registered Users Posts: 9,847 ✭✭✭py2006


    Thanks guys for that!! I thought pog mo thoin had gone mad there for a sec!!!

    I currently have an IP35-E motherboard but hoping to get a P5Q soon, I presume it supports raid?

    If I was to set up a raid0 on my pc would it speed up boot time and application launching etc?


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    #8
    PogMoThoin
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,874 ✭✭✭✭PogMoThoin


    py2006 wrote: »
    Thanks guys for that!! I thought pog mo thoin had gone mad there for a sec!!!

    I currently have an IP35-E motherboard but hoping to get a P5Q soon, I presume it supports raid?

    If I was to set up a raid0 on my pc would it speed up boot time and application launching etc?

    Yes it will support raid.

    You'll need 2 identical hd's, raid 0 only provides about 30-40% more speed, its not an astonishing increase. Be prepared tho cos if one hd fails tho you'll loose everything. I backup my Raid volume to my storage volume with Acronis True Image. My advise would be to get 2 ssd's and raid them, these have a very low fail rate and a longer life than sata hd's.


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    #9
    py2006
    Registered Users Posts: 9,847 ✭✭✭py2006


    PogMoThoin wrote: »
    Yes it will support raid.

    You'll need 2 identical hd's, raid 0 only provides about 30-40% more speed, its not an astonishing increase. Be prepared tho cos if one hd fails tho you'll loose everything. I backup my Raid volume to my storage volume with Acronis True Image. My advise would be to get 2 ssd's and raid them, these have a very low fail rate and a longer life than sata hd's.

    Oh I didn't realise it was that volitile. SSD's are a bit pricey for me at the moment!


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    #10
    PogMoThoin
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,874 ✭✭✭✭PogMoThoin


    py2006 wrote: »
    Oh I didn't realise it was that volitile. SSD's are a bit pricey for me at the moment!

    Its not, Raid doesn't put any extra strain on a hd, but with 2 of them you increase the chance that if 1 of them goes, all data will be gone. Most people trust a single hd. Computer hardware can always just fail for no apparent reason, I've had 2 brand new hd's DOA in the last 2 yrs.


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    #11
    Orion
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,807 ✭✭✭✭Orion


    I use RAID1 at home - mirroring. Thinking of buying another 750Gb disk and moving to RAID5.

    http://www.acnc.com/04_01_01.html has a good diagrammatic explanation of all the RAID levels.


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    #12
    Orion
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,807 ✭✭✭✭Orion


    PogMoThoin wrote: »
    You'll need 2 identical hd's, raid 0

    With different size disks you can always use JBOD - similar to RAID0 but doesn't care about the disk sizes.


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