[ale] RAID, IDE and/or Linux

[Denny Chambers]

You can setup more than two drives in a RAID1/Mirror. I have actually
setup up a 4 way mirror.

Keith Hopkins wrote:
> 
> David Corbin wrote:
> > I'm contemplating setting up a "big file server" to act as storage for
> > all my "personal critical data".  This will include source control for
> > home projects, digital pictures, ripped CDs, digitized audio, and
> > perhaps even some video eventually - other stuff too, I'm sure..
> > Naturally, the server will run Linux. Because of the great volume of
> > data that will not be replaceable, I'm contemplating a RAID solution.
> > This is for "backup and reliability", rather than for "speed".  I am not
> > so silly to think that this server will survive the rest of my life as
> > is, however it is my intent that this be a place to be data I wish to
> > keep the rest of my life.   However, I don't want to spend "lots" of
> > time administrating it, or doing maintenance every week.
> >
> > The question for you folks is, what experiences do you have with Linux
> > doing RAID, or an IDE RAID controller that I can benefit from?
> >
> > One thing I'm concerned about, is what happens when 2 years down the
> > road, one drive fails-  First, do I find out about this failure
> > immediately.  Second, what if I can't find an exact replacement for the
> > dead drive.
> > There is an implied issue here.  If this data is that important to me,
> > I'll want to periodically make a copy for offsite.  To me, the best way
> > to do that these days is on another drive.  Is there a viable RAID
> > solution that will let me do this?  Can I have "3 equal drives", one of
> > which is only there occaisionally?
> >
> > Thoughts and comments please.
> 
> If you are going IDE, and wanted the max in safety, I would suggest using TWO pci-ide controllers (non-RAID, or RAID0/striping), and use software RAID1/mirroring across them.  That way you can protect yourself and have any easy replacement in the case of a controller failure.
> 
> I've not seen seen any setups of "3 equal drives" in Linux (I have in HP-UX), but IIRC from reading the md-config docs it doesn't seem to support more than 2 disks for mirroring.
> another note:
> http://unthought.net/Software-RAID.HOWTO/
> 3.2 Hot Swap
> This has been a hot topic on the linux-kernel list for some time. Although hot swapping of drives is supported to some extent, it is still not something one can do easily.
> Hot-swapping IDE drives
> Don't ! IDE doesn't handle hot swapping at all.....
> 
> Lost in Tokyo,
>    Keith
> 
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-- 
Denny Chambers
Quantum Corporation, Inc.
Network Attached Storage Division
Java Linux Engineer
Phone: 251-478-5730
Cell: 251-605-3446
IM: bugfixer at jabber.org

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