Enable Software RAID-1/5 on WHS?

[Slaimus]

Seeing how WHS is based on Server 2003, is there a way to disable the JBOD setup and enable software RAID-1 or RAID-5 in disk management?

 

[JackMDS]

WHS does not support RAID from within.

Since WHS has a Redundancy system RAID is Not really necessary.

However, if RAID makes you "Feel Good", you can put a standalone RAID card and configure it work through Hardware.

You have to configure the RAID and format on the computer before you install WHS.

In the process of the Installation you would get one time a BSOD. At that point you will have to restart and provide the original RAID drives to the system (WHS is a subset of Windows 2003 SBS so when Win 2003 kicks in during the installation it needs the RAID drivers).

Once it is Ready install WHS (it would recognize it as a single drive) and copy the data (if needed) to the Data partition of WHS.

 

[Raduque]

WHS does not support RAID from within.

Since WHS has a Redundancy system RAID is Not really necessary.

However, if RAID makes you "Feel Good", you can put a standalone RAID card and configure it work through Hardware.

You have to configure the RAID and format on the computer before you install WHS.

In the process of the Installation you would get one time a BSOD. At that point you will have to restart and provide the original RAID drives to the system (WHS is a subset of Windows 2003 SBS so when Win 2003 kicks in during the installation it needs the RAID drivers).

Once it is Ready install WHS (it would recognize it as a single drive) and copy the data (if needed) to the Data partition of WHS.

Don't forget that this is also an Unsupported user scenario. You may/may not get help from Microsoft with WHS if something goes wrong.

 

[JackMDS]

Don't forget that this is also an Unsupported user scenario. You may/may not get help from Microsoft with WHS if something goes wrong.

Yeah it is not Not supported (on the other hand WHS is probably the least in need for support of all Windows OS').

In addition if something goes wrong with a Drive it is Not a simple affair to recuperate from disaster.

Unless some one has a real compelling technological reason (as oppose to social needs) for doing RAID with WHS, it is really a waste of time and money.

 

[notposting]

If you want to make life more difficult for yourself by going RAID in a WHS, do it in hardware so WHS is oblivious to the fact. However, it's meant to *not* use raid, and it's not JBOD--underneath the user exposed system it is quite aware of multiple drives, and depending on your folder duplication choices it will keep your data spread on multiple, standard NTFS formatted drives.

Your best bet would be getting some external drives, using them to backup the WHS, and keeping them offsite. And optionally use some of the cloud storage systems as well for further redundancy/convenience factor.

 

[wlee]

What you might want to do is use a hardware RAID1 solution for the master drive that does NOT require OS system level drivers. There are a few diff models avail. Some use 2x 2.5" HD's and mimic the mounting dims of a 3.5" HD. WHS would be none the wiser that it was running RAID. By doing this you would have redundency for the OS and user database. For the rest of the drives, just use the built in spanning and make sure to enable folder replication. It auto keeps the replication on diff physical discs. Mind you, NONE of this is a substitute for regular backups.

This is one model that NewEgg sells.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16816142016

http://www.raidon.com.tw/content.php?sno=0000095&p_id=14