Best way to Implement RAID 0

ChronoGibChronoGib
edited April 2007 in Hardware
Greetings,

I recently performed a full system upgrade where I learned a lot about RAID particularly moving to a new controller and recovering a RAID 0 array.

I had an A7N8x Deluxe with Silicon Image Sil 3112A (RAID 0/1)
I now have a M2N with NVIDIA nForce 430 MCP

I have 4 SATA HDDs, but only want to use RAID on 2 of them for compatibility reasons. But if I switch on the controller all my HDDs need to be put into an Array. I want to be able to plug my non RAID disks into any computer with SATA and not have problems otherwise I'd JBOD each disk individually and then add the RAID0. Also, I prefer to not reinstall windows (again).

Currently I have my RAID0 running through WinXP disk management. I never realized how fast hardware RAID0 was until it was gone.

What would be the best option to implement a hardware RAID0?
1) Give up my 3rd PCI slot for a SATA RAID card
2) Find a MB with 2 controllers
3) Get twin Raptors and continue using XP Raid
4) Other. Please specify.



Thank you in advance for any input on my dilemma,
Chrono


PS I'm no longer friends with anyone involved with the disappearance of my 2nd PATA channel.

Comments

  • edcentricedcentric near Milwaukee, Wisconsin Icrontian
    edited April 2007
    After more than one R0 experience, I would have to say that if you are set on doing it then get a dedicated hardware controller.
  • ChronoGibChronoGib
    edited April 2007
    For all brand new hardware, I can't believe how slow games load now. So yes, I'm set on getting a hardware controller.

    The easiest option would be a PCI card, is there anything I need to look for?

    I know some controllers have "hardware assisted software RAID" Can I assume that if reviews state they were not able to boot their OS from the controller that such is the case?

    I don't need hot swapping and I can see not all controllers support all types of RAID.

    Sorry for all the questions, but I don't want to make any further assumptions. After thinking that since a RAID0 requires precise settings that perhaps an exact description of the array would be stored on the disks so the controller would always know what goes where I don't want any more surprises.

    Thank You again.
  • drasnordrasnor Starship Operator Hawthorne, CA Icrontian
    edited April 2007
    On your A7N8X, the SI chip is a software RAID controller so you've never had a hardware RAID. Software RAID controllers vary in implementation but typically they store the array configuration in ROM and can read the bootloader from the array. Are you using nVidia's software to manage your RAID or are you using Windows Disk Management (dynamic disks and friends)?

    Hardware RAID cards tend to be made by the same companies that make SCSI cards and cost about as much. Every hardware RAID card supports RAID5 whereas software RAID cards will usually only do RAID0 and RAID1. If you decide to go this route then only plug the drives you want to RAID into the controller and plug the rest into your motherboard.

    My personal feelings on the matter are that it isn't really worth the trouble for desktops. I only run two kinds of RAID: RAID1 on my 1U servers that only have two disks and RAID5 on the ones that have more. Of course, those machines all run Linux so my software RAID1 is provided by Enterprise Volume Management System (EVMS) while my RAID5 is provided by a hardware RAID controller. They're fault-tolerant.

    -drasnor :fold:
  • ChronoGibChronoGib
    edited April 2007
    I'm not using the Nvidia controller as enabling it forces you to make arrays with all HDs and windows wasn't ready for that. I'm using "Windows Disk Management (dynamic disks and friends)" right now.

    Yeah, that was a ridiculous idea. It was a desperate attempt to make things *look* right. It was 2 weeks of the worst upgrade experience ever. The drivers where on a CD, my OS was on PATA, the IDE cable wouldn't reach both at the same time. I have a SCSI PATA card but I'm not allowed to use it at the same time as the onboard Nvidia controller. The MB only shipped with 1 SATA cable when I was expecting 2, so I had 4 SATA HDs with 3 cables and 2 PATA HDs plus 2 PATA optical drives but only 1 PATA connector. It took a week to get all the cabling together. I was trying to rebuild my RAID drive (which ironically has my custom copy of XP on it so I couldn't make a new XP disc with the raid drivers) And no matter what tool I used, I couldn't clone my existing OS to a new SATA drive and boot from there.

    Well, I'm off to NewEgg myself a new controller.

    Thanks for your input,
    Chrono
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