If a hard drive fails...

[TheyCallMeSAK]

OK, im setting up a RAID0 array with 3 40GB 7200RPM drives. 2 are maxtor DM+, the third being an IBM GXP60.

Now, I have only had one HDD fail on me in my life, and it was a small WD one years ago running on a novell server

So, I don't want to sound paranoid or anything. But I don't want to be too lax and not worry at all. After all, this array would be approx 120GB of superfast, but unprotected, storage.

If one of the drives were to go out, is there a good chance I could have the data recovered for little cost? Or is this process always costly and innective (I've heard they usually only recover a portion, etc)

If anyone has useful info, advice, etc for me I would really appreciate it, thanks

 

[SpeedTrap]

if im right you cant run all 3 together its either 2 drives on one channel or 2 drives as 1 and the extra drive as the backup image.

which would mean 40 + 40 so youd need a 80

 

[Fardringle]

In Raid0, there is no redundancy, so if one of the drives should fail, the entire array is gone. You MIGHT be able to recover a portion of the data (those files that did not have ANY part of them stored on the failed drive) but it will cost you a bundle.

Best choice (in my opinion) would be to RAID the two Maxtors and use the IBM as a backup/secondary drive where you keep a copy of the files you really need from the RAID set...

 

[Zach]

Even if you use all 120GB, will it all really need backing up? Probably not. A 40-80GB drive will probably do.

And, yes you can RAID 0 three drives SpeedTrap, although I know what you are thinking of. I think some of the Promise based cards only want drives on opposite controllers to be RAIDed, but I'd assume they let it be 2+1 for RAID 0. It's for RAID 10 that the two RAID 0 and RAID 1 drives must be on opposite controllers.