View Poll Results: Which disk config?

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  • Four disk RAID 0

    0 0%
  • Three disk RAID 0, one disk backup drive

    2 12.50%
  • Four disk RAID 0 + 1

    7 43.75%
  • Two disk RAID 0, two disk RAID 1

    7 43.75%
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Thread: The best disk config

  1. #1
    HEXUS webmaster Steve's Avatar
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    The best disk config

    Hi guys,

    1TB worth of storage just landed at Kez central... 4x 250GB Seagate drives, and I'm working out the best way to set them up.

    My NVIDIA SATA chipset is on NF4 AMD, not Intel, so no RAID 5

    However I do have RAID 1, 0 and 0 + 1 to play with. I see myself as having four options...

    1. Four disk RAID 0 - flies like something off a stick, but I'll need damn good backups!
    2. Three disk RAID 0, one disk backup drive - backup drive to boot from in emergencies and to make scheduled backups easy.
    3. Four disk RAID 0 + 1 - Safe and fast, but only 500GB of storage
    4. Two disk RAID 0, two disk RAID 1 - RAID 1 for OS, apps and docs, RAID 0 for downloads and games (things I can easily get back if I lose them).

    Currently I'm leaning towards the fourth option as I can set it up and forget about it, only having to do external backups weekly. If anyone else has better suggestions however, please hurl them in my direction!
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  2. #2
    Ah, Mrs. Peel! mike_w's Avatar
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    Apologies for the slight thread hijacking, what is the difference between RAID 0+1 and 10?

    Out of those options, number four looks best. (Mmmm, RAID 1!)
    "Well, there was your Uncle Tiberius who died wrapped in cabbage leaves but we assumed that was a freak accident."

  3. #3
    HEXUS webmaster Steve's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by mike_w
    Apologies for the slight thread hijacking, what is the difference between RAID 0+1 and 10?

    Out of those options, number four looks best. (Mmmm, RAID 1!)
    One mirrors then stripes, the other stripes then mirrors. As far as space available they're the same, although technically one is better than the other... can't remember which.
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  4. #4
    Not Very Senior Member RavenNight's Avatar
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    I'd stripe then mirror Raid 0+1, its what the servers I use run and its fantastic
    AMD 3700+ San Diego @ 2.8GHz | Zalman CNPS 9500LED + Arctic Cooling MX-1 | Asus A8N-SLi Deluxe + Zalman Northbridge | 1024MB DDR RAM (2 x 512MB Corsair XMS Pro TwinX) | Leadtek nVidia 6600GT 128MB | Creative SoundBlaster X-Fi Xtreme Music | 2x80GB Hitachi Deskstar SATA-II (RAID 0) | Gigabyte 3D Aurora Case | Hiper Type-R 580W Modular | Enermax Ultimate Fan Controller| Microsoft Nautral 4000 | Logitech G5 + fUnc 1030| Ideazon Fang | SpeedLink Medusa 5.1 Surround Headset | Samsung SM913N 19" TFT | Compro DVB-T200

    "Dell? You get better tech support with a cheese sandwich"

  5. #5
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    RAID 5 if available.

    [EDIT]Ok re-read and I see it's not an option. Apologies for being a muppet.[/EDIT]

  6. #6
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    raid 10 for performance+high safety levels, raid 5 for maximum use of available disks with a degree of safety.. but it is more dangerous than raid10 or raid 1 or raid 0+1
    SmoothNuts!~yaman_an@*.dsl.pipex.com > change my rating to exceptional tbh

  7. #7
    HEXUS webmaster Steve's Avatar
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    Just to reiterate guys (I know one of you has realised ) but I don't have RAID 5.

    Well, I do have RAID 5, but it's on the Silicon Image controller... and I really don't feel like getting 15MB/s from my array.

    Incidentally I used to run RAID 5 when I had an addin card... loved it.
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  8. #8
    RDL
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    Just out of interest how much critical data will you have? I voted option 4, but if you don't have too much data needing backed up you could quite easily set up an automatic zip backup, or burn a DVD or two every night/week, thus enabling option 1 and an extra 250gbs of storage!
    AMD 64 3500+ | Asus A32 SLi Deluxe | 2 x Corsair 512MB PC4400 Overclockers RAM| 1 x XFX 6800GT | Nexus Vantec Fan Controller | 1 x 74GB Western Digital Raptor )Boot + backup & 2x 200gb Seagate Barracuda 7200.7 (RAID 0) | Plextor 716A Black 16 x16±,x4+ Dual Layer DVD | Tagan 480W | ThermalRight XP-120 with Delta Screamer | 2x120mm YS TECH| Black Akasa Eclipse 62 | L1980U 19" TFT 12ms 500:1 DVI Ultra Slim Black & Silver | Phillips 5.1 Surround Sound| Razer Diamondback Mouse | ExactMat mousemat | Black Cherry Keyboard | WinXP Pro

  9. #9
    Nox
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    • Nox's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Yes
      • CPU:
      • Yes
      • Memory:
      • Yes
      • Storage:
      • Yes
      • Graphics card(s):
      • Yes
      • PSU:
      • Yes
      • Case:
      • Yes
      • Monitor(s):
      • Yes
      • Internet:
      • Yes
    You forgot Option 5: JBOD

    Really, though, it will depend exactly what you want to do with it, baring in mind you will see negligible real life performance gains if you play games from striping. Though mirroring certainly has its merits. I have a seperate 120GB partition on my setup, that is exactly the same size as my external USB drive - once a week, a complete backup - its where any important data goes.

    Nox

  10. #10
    Gentoo Ricer
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    • aidanjt's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Asus Strix Z370-G
      • CPU:
      • Intel i7-8700K
      • Memory:
      • 2x8GB Corsiar LPX 3000C15
      • Storage:
      • 500GB Samsung 960 EVO
      • Graphics card(s):
      • EVGA GTX 970 SC ACX 2.0
      • PSU:
      • EVGA G3 750W
      • Case:
      • Fractal Design Define C Mini
      • Operating System:
      • Windows 10 Pro
      • Monitor(s):
      • Asus MG279Q
      • Internet:
      • 240mbps Virgin Cable
    I'd personally opt for RAID5 if you're talking real storage, RAID10 will clobber 2 disks and depending on implimentation the performance can be pants too.

    If you don't want high CPU usage and low bandwidth on array writes then get your mittens on a 3ware RAID card, I know they ain't cheap, but they are hot fast and work with practically any computer with a PCI 2.2 bus regardless of operating system.
    Quote Originally Posted by Agent View Post
    ...every time Creative bring out a new card range their advertising makes it sound like they have discovered a way to insert a thousand Chuck Norris super dwarfs in your ears...

  11. #11
    Banhammer in peace PeterB kalniel's Avatar
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    • kalniel's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Gigabyte Z390 Aorus Ultra
      • CPU:
      • Intel i9 9900k
      • Memory:
      • 32GB DDR4 3200 CL16
      • Storage:
      • 1TB Samsung 970Evo+ NVMe
      • Graphics card(s):
      • nVidia GTX 1060 6GB
      • PSU:
      • Seasonic 600W
      • Case:
      • Cooler Master HAF 912
      • Operating System:
      • Win 10 Pro x64
      • Monitor(s):
      • Dell S2721DGF
      • Internet:
      • rubbish
    Quote Originally Posted by Steve
    3. Four disk RAID 0 + 1 - Safe and fast, but only 500GB of storage
    Only??

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by kalniel
    Only??
    Only. My media storage is getting insane and I still have 5 series of West Wing and several Buffy series to get on there. I could do with a TeraStation or something but don't have £600 lying around.

    500GB is easy to use if you store video on there. I can't wait until H264 is a usable standard (x264 is a long way from being ready yet).

  13. #13
    Banhammer in peace PeterB kalniel's Avatar
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    • kalniel's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Gigabyte Z390 Aorus Ultra
      • CPU:
      • Intel i9 9900k
      • Memory:
      • 32GB DDR4 3200 CL16
      • Storage:
      • 1TB Samsung 970Evo+ NVMe
      • Graphics card(s):
      • nVidia GTX 1060 6GB
      • PSU:
      • Seasonic 600W
      • Case:
      • Cooler Master HAF 912
      • Operating System:
      • Win 10 Pro x64
      • Monitor(s):
      • Dell S2721DGF
      • Internet:
      • rubbish
    What's wrong with DVDs?

  14. #14
    Anthropomorphic Personification shaithis's Avatar
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    • shaithis's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Asus P8Z77 WS
      • CPU:
      • i7 3770k @ 4.5GHz
      • Memory:
      • 32GB HyperX 1866
      • Storage:
      • Lots!
      • Graphics card(s):
      • Sapphire Fury X
      • PSU:
      • Corsair HX850
      • Case:
      • Corsair 600T (White)
      • Operating System:
      • Windows 10 x64
      • Monitor(s):
      • 2 x Dell 3007
      • Internet:
      • Zen 80Mb Fibre
    Please consider RAID5

    Might even be tempted to part with my 3Ware Escalade 8506
    Main PC: Asus Rampage IV Extreme / 3960X@4.5GHz / Antec H1200 Pro / 32GB DDR3-1866 Quad Channel / Sapphire Fury X / Areca 1680 / 850W EVGA SuperNOVA Gold 2 / Corsair 600T / 2x Dell 3007 / 4 x 250GB SSD + 2 x 80GB SSD / 4 x 1TB HDD (RAID 10) / Windows 10 Pro, Yosemite & Ubuntu
    HTPC: AsRock Z77 Pro 4 / 3770K@4.2GHz / 24GB / GTX 1080 / SST-LC20 / Antec TP-550 / Hisense 65k5510 4K TV / HTC Vive / 2 x 240GB SSD + 12TB HDD Space / Race Seat / Logitech G29 / Win 10 Pro
    HTPC2: Asus AM1I-A / 5150 / 4GB / Corsair Force 3 240GB / Silverstone SST-ML05B + ST30SF / Samsung UE60H6200 TV / Windows 10 Pro
    Spare/Loaner: Gigabyte EX58-UD5 / i950 / 12GB / HD7870 / Corsair 300R / Silverpower 700W modular
    NAS 1: HP N40L / 12GB ECC RAM / 2 x 3TB Arrays || NAS 2: Dell PowerEdge T110 II / 24GB ECC RAM / 2 x 3TB Hybrid arrays || Network:Buffalo WZR-1166DHP w/DD-WRT + HP ProCurve 1800-24G
    Laptop: Dell Precision 5510 Printer: HP CP1515n || Phone: Huawei P30 || Other: Samsung Galaxy Tab 4 Pro 10.1 CM14 / Playstation 4 + G29 + 2TB Hybrid drive

  15. #15
    not posting kempez's Avatar
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    RAID 0 + 1 tbh
    Check my project <<| Black3D |>>
    Quote Originally Posted by hexah
    Games are developed by teams of talented people and sometimes electronic arts

  16. #16
    sneaks quietly away. schmunk's Avatar
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    • schmunk's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Abit NF7-S v2.0
      • CPU:
      • AMD Athlon-M 2500+
      • Memory:
      • 1GB of Corsair BH-5 and 512MB of something else
      • Storage:
      • 160GB Seagate Barracuda
      • Graphics card(s):
      • ATI Radeon X800Pro, flashed to XT
      • PSU:
      • Hiper Type-M ~400W
      • Case:
      • Antec cheapy
      • Monitor(s):
      • AG Neovo F19 LCD
      • Internet:
      • Virgin Media 4MB/s
    I chose option 4, but could you not stretch the &#163;70 or so for a 4-channel PCI SATA RAID controller?

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