linux IDE RAID question

[Priit]

I have a box that goes into small database server and I can't decide how should I set it up. It will have 2 IDE drives on RAID 1 (mirror), but should I do that with software RAID on "usual" IDE controller or use on-board HighPoint hp-370 RAID controller (mirroring HDD's from it's BIOS)? I've read from somewhere that those IDE RAID controllers actually perform worse with linux than software RAID applied to IDE devices. Thanks for advice!

 

[neuralfx]

those HPT370 controllers are software raid, i dont know what context you are using software raid in .. linux does not have the "dynamic volume software raid" function that win2k has, if thats what you mean, but "hardware raid" is used, when the raid controller has a processor, like the i960rs, the 3ware 6200 is an example of a hardware raid card .. well maybe im just no seeing what you are saying ..
-neural

 

[Priit]

Yeah, I know it's not "hardware RAID" that way. I just want to know does HPT370 would have better performance/reliability (using it's BIOS for making a RAID array, loading kernel modules to support it etc) than just making RAID 1 over 2 discs attached on on-board VIA ata-100 controller. I don't know what "dynamic volume software raid" is in W2k, but I can make software RAID arrays with linux using any IDE controller...

 

[Nothinman]

I really dislike HPT controllers, IDE RAID in generally is bad but HPT does it worse than others. You'll have better luck, and more support, if you use Linux software RAID with md or lvm.

 

[Priit]

OK, did RAID with md and didn't use HPT controller at all. Performance isn't very high but still good enough.

 

[neuralfx]

like i said before, you a real hardware raid solution would yield better performance .. good luck ..
-neural

 

[Nothinman]

like i said before, you a real hardware raid solution would yield better performance .. good luck ..

Not always, especially with IDE RAID.

 

[Priit]

Sure, hw RAID would be better, but I just don't have one: only HPT370 IDE RAID controller on Abit KG7-RAID mobo. Like I said, performance isn't much of a issue, data reliability is way more important.

 

[Nothinman]

Sure, hw RAID would be better, but I just don't have one

Most IDE RAID cards (like the HPT you mention) are software RAID because all the RAID is done in the driver, it's otherwise a regular IDE controller. And unless you're using RAID5 you won't gain much because RAID 0 and 1 need very little CPU time because there's no checksumming being done.