raid controller's

BudBud Chesterfield, Va
edited September 2004 in Hardware
I was thinking of going to raid. Right now i have a file server 2 x 250GB (ata)and its getting very full. I think i have 20GBs free. So I was debating going raid 5. Any good suggestions on controllers? I was looking at the HighPoint RocketRAID 454. But im debating 1 more 250Gb for raid 5 then setting up more storage with sata. Need some input guys (tex where you at?) Also my file server is a 750 duron 256mb ram 3GB HD for OS with 2003 EE thinking of going to 2000 server though, is that enough power?

Comments

  • TexTex Dallas/Ft. Worth
    edited September 2004
    You realize your two disks are almost full and if you add one for raid-5 there is no new space right?

    Going to raid-5 is gonna kill your write speed for anything. I mean like as fast as a 8 or 10 yearold single IDE drive.

    Do you use the array to just serve stuff so most stuff is reads? A high end controller can get around the bottleneck but I can't see ya putting big bucks in a high end controller on a 750 duron.

    I always need way more then that space (3gb) you allocate for the OS. But tell me what your gonna do with the server first. You use win2k3 or win2k server usually if you want a domain and active directory. If your just serving up a bunch of mp3's and stuff no you don't need it at all. You might consider blowing 49 bucks and getting a faster CPU. That duron would do OK with samba on a character based Linux though.

    Tell me more about what you want to use the array as. For isntance if you want to back up a disk on your network to a low-end raid-5 you will croak when it says its gonna take 132 hours to copy the data.
  • BudBud Chesterfield, Va
    edited September 2004
    I use the file server just to hold everything tons of mp3, movies, os's, back-ups of all my computers. Thats why I was thinking of going raid 5 so if I lose a hd it can rebuild itself. I was thinking raid 0 with the two and make backups of it. For the os all its does is serves files Im actually using 1.5GB's now and that plenty. I just serve files and print server on it and have acronis nothing else. I dont have raid now but my card sucks so thats why Im looking at raid. How fast of a cpu and memory should I look at?
  • TexTex Dallas/Ft. Worth
    edited September 2004
    On the server? if you think the duron works then hang tight and save the money. Your talking very casual use so you may not need much.

    Crap I been buying ECS MB's with a 2200+ AMD sempron for 49 bucks so thats a easy upgrade if you wanted.

    I was concerned because you said the two drives were almost full and you were gonna add one to go raid-5. And then your still full anyway.

    friggin Fry's has been having 160gb drives for 59 bucks out the door and just torturing me weekly with that special also. I mean good gawd. 59 bucks for 160gb and 49 bucks for a 2200+ cpu and MB is outrageous.

    Bottom line... you don't need a big cpu to just copy files. this sounds like 90 percent of its purpose is just to share files. You also really dont need raid either if you just backed up but thats your choice. If your not backing up or copying big chunks of data to it, raid-5 on that box would work. If I was getting a controller for ide raid-5 myself I would lok at 3ware not hpt or promise but thats just me. but then again I wouldn't do raid-5 on ide but rather on my scsi stuff as they have onboard cpu's and cache to offload the stripe action.

    Tex
  • GobblesGobbles Ventura California
    edited September 2004
    I second the 3ware...
  • TexTex Dallas/Ft. Worth
    edited September 2004
    When you get out of the toy ide raid controllers all you see is big 12 foot banners saying

    3WARE

    Tex
  • BudBud Chesterfield, Va
    edited September 2004
    what about adaptec? where can I get a mobo and sempron for $49. My problem is my controller sucks. when i try and access one drive while still accesing another one it freezes so my card sucks. Thats why i was looking at a raid 0 setup. On my file server im the only one who uses it but i access it alot from multiple computers and the server isnt handleing it. I have it also hooked to a gigabit switch with a netgear gigabit card
  • TexTex Dallas/Ft. Worth
    edited September 2004
    What card do you have now? I have used a ton of cards and that should not happen.

    Avoid the adaptec cards.

    Tex
  • TexTex Dallas/Ft. Worth
    edited September 2004
    Sorry I missed the part about "where to get the 49 bucks cpu/mb combo". its at a big chain electroics store called "Fry's". They have differant specials in the paper every day but Tues/Thurs. Today they have a 2500+ sempron and ecs board for like 69 bucks.

    Not sure how they handle the specials for online sales but they have a online store at outpost.com I think it is.

    If you want I'll keep an eye open for a special on the 2200+ and let ya know. I can grab ya one and ship it for like 6 or 7 bucks.
  • ShortyShorty Manchester, UK Icrontian
    edited September 2004
    Tex wrote:
    When you get out of the toy ide raid controllers all you see is big 12 foot banners saying

    3WARE

    Tex
    If I could find one in the UK... ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh :(
  • TexTex Dallas/Ft. Worth
    edited September 2004
    a 3ware card? I'll ship you one. Or were you wanting a 12 foot banner for your living room? (grin)

    I thought at first you were wanting a fry's store. A bunch of people that come down to visit and have never seen something like fry's just freak out. I mean these stores are giant. They probably have 40 or 50 differant MB's sitting there. Cdroms? Probably 20 or 30 differant models and they have skids full of some models. Its just a giant toy store for geeks.

    But if you want a 3ware card I'll send ya one. i have sent you a bunch of otehr stuff and its made it there ok hasnt it?

    Tex
  • BudBud Chesterfield, Va
    edited September 2004
    yea tex that would be sweet if you could keep an eye on that cause i went online and they didnt advertise it. Well what woul dyou say would be a decent raid card for $100 max
  • TexTex Dallas/Ft. Worth
    edited September 2004
    Are you wanting raid-5 for sure? Is sata impportant? Its just a 32bit slot right?
  • TexTex Dallas/Ft. Worth
    edited September 2004
    something along these lines if it doesnt have to be new or sata

    http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=39968&item=5124967354&rd=1
  • ShortyShorty Manchester, UK Icrontian
    edited September 2004
    Tex wrote:
    a 3ware card? I'll ship you one. Or were you wanting a 12 foot banner for your living room? (grin)

    I thought at first you were wanting a fry's store. A bunch of people that come down to visit and have never seen something like fry's just freak out. I mean these stores are giant. They probably have 40 or 50 differant MB's sitting there. Cdroms? Probably 20 or 30 differant models and they have skids full of some models. Its just a giant toy store for geeks.

    But if you want a 3ware card I'll send ya one. i have sent you a bunch of otehr stuff and its made it there ok hasnt it?

    Tex
    Frys rocks :cool:

    When I eventually make it over to Texas for beer 'an ribs.. Im gonna force ya to take me .. hehe

    Il find out what kinda 3Ware I need. 4 channel SATA is the type as I have stopped using PATA drives :)
  • TexTex Dallas/Ft. Worth
    edited September 2004
    If its for the dualy shorty look at the 8506 I think it is. Its in the 8500 line but that may be the wrong exact model.

    This has to bump up a lot in the next 12 hours but take a look. 8 port sata

    http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=39968&item=5124091394&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW

    Tex
  • BudBud Chesterfield, Va
    edited September 2004
    just one catch i have ide hard drives
  • TexTex Dallas/Ft. Worth
    edited September 2004
    Thats what that is though? Shortys was sata. The 7410 I linked you is normal ide. See the four connectors? ide = ata
  • ShortyShorty Manchester, UK Icrontian
    edited September 2004
    Tex wrote:
    If its for the dualy shorty look at the 8506 I think it is. Its in the 8500 line but that may be the wrong exact model.

    This has to bump up a lot in the next 12 hours but take a look. 8 port sata

    http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=39968&item=5124091394&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW

    Tex
    Oh my .. that's pretty.

    Bookmarked the auction.. gonna keep an eye on it!
  • BudBud Chesterfield, Va
    edited September 2004
    thats a 64 bit card i have 32 bit slots
  • TexTex Dallas/Ft. Worth
    edited September 2004
    It fits in both. I don't buy anything but 64bit disk controllers or gigabit cards. They just hang out the end. I'm running a 64bit scsi controller in my msi amd64 based neo in a 32bit slot as I type this.
  • TexTex Dallas/Ft. Worth
    edited September 2004
    Bud Here is another one to consider for ya. Its a 4 channel one from LSI.

    http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=39968&item=5125537622&rd=1
  • GobblesGobbles Ventura California
    edited September 2004
    3ware 7506... 4channel ide lovin.. just installed one yesterday.. nice break from the 7006's we install in 90% of our machines...

    we get the 7006's by the case..


    Gobbles
  • BudBud Chesterfield, Va
    edited September 2004
    are the 3WARE 3W-5800 any good? theres one on ebay good price
  • TexTex Dallas/Ft. Worth
    edited September 2004
    its several generations earlier. For updated drivers and stuff I would try and get the highest numbered model range
  • BudBud Chesterfield, Va
    edited September 2004
    does it still have pretty good performance?
  • BudBud Chesterfield, Va
    edited September 2004
    no ideas if its still any good?
  • TexTex Dallas/Ft. Worth
    edited September 2004
    I would begin worrying about how long they will continue having drivers for new OS's. Go to their site and see if they have them for win2k3, XP and see if they intend to produce them for XP 64bit for example.
  • TexTex Dallas/Ft. Worth
    edited September 2004
    Bud wrote:
    yea tex that would be sweet if you could keep an eye on that cause i went online and they didnt advertise it. Well what woul dyou say would be a decent raid card for $100 max

    Hey they got 2400+ sempron and ecs MB today for 59 bucks and I think its the retail one with heatsink.
    Tex
  • BudBud Chesterfield, Va
    edited September 2004
    is it on the site?
  • TexTex Dallas/Ft. Worth
    edited September 2004
    Have no idea its in this mornings newspaper here. I never go to their site. We have three big stores in the dallas area.

    Tex
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