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Disk choices - RAID 1 or 5

  • 07-02-2009 11:42am
    #1
    techguy
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,236 ✭✭✭


    Hi Guys,

    Im kind of stuck on something now.. I want to have 1 TB storage with redundancy in my pc.. while not spending too much.I am currently using a
    500GB drive.

    Here are my options:
    I could add another 2 500GB drives and run a RAID-5 array which will offer 1TB and redundancy. this will cost me approx. €100 for 2 extra 500 gig drives.

    I could go buy two 1TB drives and run a RAID-1 (mirror) array. Overall this will give 1TB with redunancy and 500GB without. This will cost me approx. €200.


    Cost is an issue here but am I kind of wasting if I buy 2 500gig drives as i'll be filling up my pc with smallish drives.

    Can I run raid 5 then partition the array so I have two drives visible Windows, 1 for install and 1 for storage.. Does this make entire setup complicated?

    Oh, and who doesn't like the idea of options for expansion...If I went with dual 1TB and RAID 1 I could, at a later date add another 1TB drive and change to RAID 5. This would offer 2TB of storage..

    Can I change to a different array type without losing data?Is it regaraded as a safe operation?

    What are your thaughts guys..?


Comments

  • #2
    zod
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,025 ✭✭✭zod


    raid 1 two 1TB, continue to run os on 500GB, take an image of 500GB with ghost, store it on ur raid

    Raid migrations are usually destructive, assume so


  • #3
    Khannie
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 37,485 ✭✭✭✭Khannie


    If cost is an issue, raid 5 seems like the obvious choice. It will be more performant than raid 1 also.


  • #4
    techguy
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,236 ✭✭✭techguy


    Ok, lets say cost isn't an issue..

    What would you choose then, and why?


  • #5
    10-10-20
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,071 ✭✭✭10-10-20


    Reconfiguring an array from RAID-5 to RAID-0 is typically a function of a high-end controller. AFIK, you also can't go from R5 to R1. It can consume serious amounts of time. Do you already have the RAID controller?

    To be honest, R5 is probably overkill for a home system. It also suffers from performance issues (due to the multiple reads and writes per single write) so I'd have to say that a mirror (R1) is a better option.

    Or, purchase an external hard drive of the same capacity as the internal one and run RSYNC on the system to keep a frequently updated mirror of the critical data.
    I have a linux box which does this anytime it sees some of my other PC's on the network.
    It's like an automated backup.


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