RAID Help

[WitchPuncher]

Ok im getting 4 160 gig SATA HDD what raid should i do im thinking about raid 0/1 please help what raid should i do thank you all for helpin

 

[batterytime]

Ok im getting 4 160 gig SATA HDD what raid should i do im thinking about raid 0/1 please help what raid should i do thank you all for helpin

Well, if you want lots of storage, then go for a raid 0 for all four. However, if any crash, then you're left with absolutely no way to restore any stored data. Thus, it's not as safe, although it's still pretty reliable due to the fact that usually hard drives won't physically crash.

However, if you're really paranoid, set up two RAID 1 arrays with two 160 gig drives in each. That way, you've got only half the storage possible, but it means that if any one of the hard drives fail, (or even two, one from each array) you'll still have all your data. If you're REALLY REALLY paranoid, setup a RAID 6: you can have up to 2 of ANY hard drives fail, but with even less usable space.

The best compromise though in my opinion is either a RAID 5 array, and not a RAID 0 and RAID 1 combo, since that way all the hard drives are protected for a minimum of lost space.

RAID 5: You get 3 of the hard disks' space usable, meaning 480 gigs. All the data is safe as long as no more than one disk fail.

 

[WitchPuncher]

Well, if you want lots of storage, then go for a raid 0 for all four. However, if any crash, then you're left with absolutely no way to restore any stored data. Thus, it's not as safe, although it's still pretty reliable due to the fact that usually hard drives won't physically crash.

However, if you're really paranoid, set up two RAID 1 arrays with two 160 gig drives in each. That way, you've got only half the storage possible, but it means that if any one of the hard drives fail, (or even two, one from each array) you'll still have all your data. If you're REALLY REALLY paranoid, setup a RAID 6: you can have up to 2 of ANY hard drives fail, but with even less usable space.

The best compromise though in my opinion is either a RAID 5 array, and not a RAID 0 and RAID 1 combo, since that way all the hard drives are protected for a minimum of lost space.

RAID 5: You get 3 of the hard disks' space usable, meaning 480 gigs. All the data is safe as long as no more than one disk fail.

I want top high speed so should i do raid 0 on all HD?

 

[batterytime]

I want top high speed so should i do raid 0 on all HD?

RAID 0 is fastest, but I'd not recommend it because of the fact that if one drive fails, all the rest also fail. If you really want speed though and won't go with a RAID 5, then I'll have to say a RAID 0 + RAID 1 combo will be best. Link two in RAID 0 and two in RAID 1, that way you have two drives of fast, but easily destroyed, non-critical data storage units, but also two in RAID 1, which will let you have a critical data storage unit.

 

[WitchPuncher]

RAID 0 is fastest, but I'd not recommend it because of the fact that if one drive fails, all the rest also fail. If you really want speed though and won't go with a RAID 5, then I'll have to say a RAID 0 + RAID 1 combo will be best. Link two in RAID 0 and two in RAID 1, that way you have two drives of fast, but easily destroyed, non-critical data storage units, but also two in RAID 1, which will let you have a critical data storage unit.

well if i have two on RAID 0 and i could use my 500gig HD for my Os and Programs that should be good right?

 

[batterytime]

Sure, although I'd still suggest that if you have the hard disks to spare (and it sounds like you do) then you should stripe two in RAID 1 for important stuff and stick everything else either as RAID 0 or by itself.

 

[Mr_Orange]

I'm a fan of RAID 5 cause you get redundancy and the benefit of striping. The one of the few downsides is that it does take up some cpu time when you are doing rights cause it has to calculate parity. The read speeds are close to striping 3 hard drives, and write speeds are better than a single drive as long as you have a decent cpu.

 

[Jubei]

well if i have two on RAID 0 and i could use my 500gig HD for my Os and Programs that should be good right?

Put your OS and apps on the RAID and things that aren't as speed sensitive on the solo 500GB (ie music and word docs don't need to be all that fast).