Need help bulding a RAID 5 storage system

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d33pblue

Senior member
Jul 2, 2003
225
1
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To make a long story short, I'm a semi professional photographer who takes a huge volume of high resolution pictures. My storage needs have gotten to the point where I'm going to need to do a serious upgrade within the next 6 months or so.

My computer is currently packed with 4 hard drives. I could put two more in the box (in RAID 0), but that would require me splitting my storage archive onto different arrays. What I would like to do instead is build one large RAID 5 array and put everything on. (Note: everything is backed up externally so absolute internal redundancy isnt a huge issue).

What I would like to do is build a RAID 5 array with about 5 320GB SATA drives - if I could find a somewhat affordable controller to run them off of. If not that, then I could get away with a 4 400GB drive RAID 5 array.

The options that accomodates more than 4 drives that I have found is this: this and this this- and they are expensive.

The vastly more affordable option I have found is this: http://cgi.ebay.com/Sil3114-SATA-Serial...8QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I am also keeping open the options of external enclosures.

Does anyone have any recommendations that wont totally destroy my bank account or am I dreaming? I'm basically looking for about 1.2TB+ of RAID 5, ideally.
 
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SuperNaruto

Senior member
Aug 24, 2006
997
0
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Most sata are softraid.. if you're not heavy on i/o, those are find.. I wouldn't really trust those.. I pick areca controllers..

Sil Image are probably one of the worse... that ebay card does not work.. i have it.. u can have it for free, thats how bad it doesn't work.

I been taking high res pics also.. I just get these barracuda 750s.. much easier.. less to work with.. plus if i need to get more, I dont have to remove like 3 or 4 320gbs, i just keep adding larger drive..
 
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Madwand1

Diamond Member
Jan 23, 2006
3,309
0
76
You need to spend money to get good RAID 5 write performance -- the more the better usually. The mid-grade stuff such as HighPoint and RaidCore do a decent job; generally much better than you're going to do for less, but not at the level of an Areca.

I think you'd want (at least) a RocketRaid 2320 (not 2322) and these also assume that you have an available x4 or larger PCIe slot. If you don't, then I'd suggest trying to get one if possible instead of trying to make do with a PCI card, because PCI is going to become a bottleneck.
 
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jose

Platinum Member
Oct 11, 1999
2,079
2
81
Get a PCI-X hardware based raid 5 controller or just do "JBOD" ...(just a bunch of drives).

LSI & 3Ware make good hardware based controllers.

You'll need a mobo w/ a pci-x slot..

Since this is for business, go w/ WD raid ed. hard drives.. Don't bother w/ onboard "software" based solutions. You WILL regret it in the long run.
With a hardware based controller you'll be able to hotswap drives and rebuilds of the array will be alot quicker. Also you'll find there are more utilities available w/ hardware solutions.

Good Luck.


Regards,
Jose
 
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d33pblue

Senior member
Jul 2, 2003
225
1
81
I was told that PCI-X would be compatible with standard PCI, it would just "clock down".

And this will be mainly a storage archive array, so blistering speed isnt really an issue.
 
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RaiderJ

Diamond Member
Apr 29, 2001
7,582
1
76
Many PCI-X RAID cards are downward compatible with regular PCI. My PIII 550MHz PC is running a controller card just like that for a RAID 5.

4 drive RAID controllers are the cheapest, 8 drive controllers get much more expensive. I like having a RAID 5 setup because storage is cheap, and having that extra redundancy means you can keep stuff running if one dies - hopefully long enough so that you can at least backup anything you need.

I just picked up a DFI Lanparty Expert board that has on-board RAID5 across 4 SATA ports. Not the quickest solution I imagine, but as I bought the board used for $100, it's a pretty cheap way into RAID 5. It also has a PCI-e x4 slot, for which several RAID5 controllers can work with.
 
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Arcanedeath

Platinum Member
Jan 29, 2000
2,822
1
76
For good performance an Areca ARC-1220 or the same thing rebranded under tekram are good choices except they cost an arm and a leg, the nice thing is as they come in PCI-E you'll be able to keep it through mutiple systems and w/ the above version w/ 8 ports you'll also have room for expansion in the future, it also supports raid 6 not just 5 so that will give you some extra security abit at the cost of 1 extra drives capasity vs raid 5, performance its pretty much top noch. if cost is a big factor keep in mind you'll prob. be able to keep this much longer than a similar product thats software based as its doubtful those will hold up aswell over time, not to mention their performance sucks vs this.
 
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Rommel44

Guest
Jul 23, 2006
219
0
0
Originally posted by: d33pblue
I was told that PCI-X would be compatible with standard PCI, it would just "clock down".

And this will be mainly a storage archive array, so blistering speed isnt really an issue.
Click to expand...

If you dont need speed simply get 2 750GB HDDs and when you need more space add another one.
 
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d33pblue

Senior member
Jul 2, 2003
225
1
81
Originally posted by: Rommel44
Originally posted by: d33pblue
I was told that PCI-X would be compatible with standard PCI, it would just "clock down".

And this will be mainly a storage archive array, so blistering speed isnt really an issue.
Click to expand...

If you dont need speed simply get 2 750GB HDDs and when you need more space add another one.
Click to expand...

Right, the only problem there is price:) 750GB drives are $400 each :(
 
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