I want to build my dad a new computer. I'm thinking about a 74gb raptor for the OS/programs and 2 320gb drives in raid 1 for data. any issues here?
Raptor and Raid 1
- Thread starter ralston
- Start date
Nope, no issues here except personally I'd rather use external drives for data back up or even optical storage. Mirroring is usually good for instant and up to date back up of data or OS/Apps, and usually applies to time critical applications like business or school application. Of course, there is really no hard rule how to back up although it's always recommended to have an external backup outside of the system.
An external backup scheduled on a daily basis is a lot easier.
Raid 1 saves you from drive failure, but it's not any help for data corruption. Unless he has to be up all the time, go external.
Raid 1 saves you from drive failure, but it's not any help for data corruption. Unless he has to be up all the time, go external.
Cheapest 74GB raptor pricegrabber found was 1.35/GB. Rip off. Go ahead, do yourself a favor and buy a 500GB hdd using perpendicular technology (ahem Seagate) and the 74GB hdd. Which ever proves to be the better deal (speed and storage space taken into concideration) you keep, the other you send back. I'll bet you $20, here and now, you return the raptor (you eat the restocking and shipping fee's). Do you dad a favor and buy him 2 WD75000AAKS hdds (~$160). They use perpendicular technology and rival the raptor (yes, the 150GB raptor too, though the 1 platter 74GB raptor is still the highest performing end user drive... if pure performance is your goal).
what does your dad have thats so vital? Whatever it is, have the 2nd 750GB hdd as storage w/ a daily/weekly backup schedule to a 500GB/750GB external drive (so.. buy 3 750GB hdds, and 1 external encloser, enclose one of said hdds into enclosure and its a done deal).
Or duh, just thought of this, have the 2 750GB hdds mirror each other (software). If one should fail, at least you have it backed up on another internal drive.
what does your dad have thats so vital? Whatever it is, have the 2nd 750GB hdd as storage w/ a daily/weekly backup schedule to a 500GB/750GB external drive (so.. buy 3 750GB hdds, and 1 external encloser, enclose one of said hdds into enclosure and its a done deal).
Or duh, just thought of this, have the 2 750GB hdds mirror each other (software). If one should fail, at least you have it backed up on another internal drive.
Raptors are always compared to other drives in benchmarks.
In real life I don't do single tasks at a time. I'm doing different things at the same time.
The Raptors are my favorite drives for OS/programs. :laugh:
BTW, I'd pop for the 150GB Raptor IF you have to buy one anyway.
The only issue that I'd have about your RAID 1 / 320GB plan is that 500GB drives are about the same price. I would use 500GB drives in RAID 1 OR store data on one drive then use a backup program to clone the data to the other drive.
It's a slower process than mirroring, but you'd take the RAID controller out of the mix and make things simpler IF you had to move the drive to another PC for some reason.
In real life I don't do single tasks at a time. I'm doing different things at the same time.
The Raptors are my favorite drives for OS/programs. :laugh:
BTW, I'd pop for the 150GB Raptor IF you have to buy one anyway.
The only issue that I'd have about your RAID 1 / 320GB plan is that 500GB drives are about the same price. I would use 500GB drives in RAID 1 OR store data on one drive then use a backup program to clone the data to the other drive.
It's a slower process than mirroring, but you'd take the RAID controller out of the mix and make things simpler IF you had to move the drive to another PC for some reason.
Rhonda the Sly
Senior member
- Nov 22, 2007
- 818
- 4
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What does your dad even need a Raptor for? I doubt he'll even notice the difference. My vote is go simple: one drive. Depending on what he does he may not even need a backup drive. If the guy is going to be doing word documents and surfing the internet, maybe get a 4GB thumb drive instead of a external HDD for things he needs to backup or move, transporting the USB drive is much easier and there is a much smaller risk of it breaking down on him if he drops it.
- May 13, 2003
- 13,704
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While the need for a Raptor and his noticing the difference might be debated, NO ONE does not need a backup. I might understand a thumb drive as secondary backup (IE backup of backup for important docs, etc), but you can get an 80gb hd for the price of 2 4gb thumb drives. There is no reason not to get a backup hd as far as I'm concerned.
I would get a single disk for boot and another for backup. If this is a non-production (eg normal use) I would get two 250-400gb disks. Partition the first disk with a 120gb primary and whatever remaining. This will allow you to install windows without having to worry about enabling 48-bit LBA (unless you are installing with SP2 already, which you don't have to worry about it then). But it still isn't a bad idea. Doing the boot partition in this way lets you storage documents, etc on the remaining partition and you can reformat the drive without bothering this data.
I would then use a imaging program (such as Acronis True Image) to image that primary disk onto the backup hard drive. Not as fault toleranct as RAID 1, but you have protection against software errors this way (virus, accidental deletion, etc).
Two 500GB drives (current GB/$ sweet spot), no RAID. Run a scheduled backup like Chocobo says. Occasionally burn an image of important data to DVD or something. No need to complicate things or throw money at the problem (raptor).
Editorial note: Blain mentioned a scheduled backup first. And what a fitting idea it is.
Hooray Blain!
Editorial note: Blain mentioned a scheduled backup first. And what a fitting idea it is.
Hooray Blain!
Welp, sorry Blain, I've stolen your thunder and given it to Chocobo. I blame reading his post last and seeing Acronis in it to make the association.
- May 13, 2003
- 13,704
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Originally posted by: Roguestar
Welp, sorry Blain, I've stolen your thunder and given it to Chocobo. I blame reading his post last and seeing Acronis in it to make the association.
Yay! I get to play with thunder!
Thanks all for the input. I appreciate it. I am leaning away from the original plan and towards the imagin software or external (or some combo).
- Sep 28, 2005
- 21,025
- 3,497
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uhhh... whats RAID1 then if its not mirror?
I guess having an identical copy of the RAID drive isnt backing up. By your definition.
Im sorry, if the info is vital, and theres a lot of it, theres no way you can cram all that data into a optical dvd. Tape backups take forever too once you get large storage in account. You guys didnt ask how important the data is. Is it something that can take your company under? or will your company have problems in its standing if the data was lost?
I have RAID1 on my important data. Things that i would die if i lost.
If you need to backup large amounts of data on a fast IO drive, nothing beats RAID5. You can always rebuild the raid partition if 1 drive fails, and you have the speed bonus of RAID.
Raid1 should be used when you need to pair a drive. However Raid5 spans across 3+ hard drives. Raid1 only mirrors. Raid5 offers backup and spanning. You need to re evaluate which Raid you need.
Also i dont trust externals. The PSU of a external is nothing compared to that a computer uses. Ive also heard stories about people frying there drives on externals. In my line of work, i cant take that kind of risk. Show me a external PSU which matches an ETASIS PSU in quality.
So what do i use?
So i use RAID1. 2x500gigs on RAID1. Sure i only have 500gigs of space, but the chances of both drives dying at the same exact moment is rare. Also should 1 drive die, i have the other to mirror a new one to, and no data is lost, no one is crying, and all is well without needed to do long backups off dvd's or tapes.
In short my backup is now idiot proof, and that means a lot to me on that system because only human stupidy can be infinite like the universe.
And believe me, ive had my share of stupidity. Even i fall into that catigory sometimes. :T
I guess having an identical copy of the RAID drive isnt backing up. By your definition.
Im sorry, if the info is vital, and theres a lot of it, theres no way you can cram all that data into a optical dvd. Tape backups take forever too once you get large storage in account. You guys didnt ask how important the data is. Is it something that can take your company under? or will your company have problems in its standing if the data was lost?
I have RAID1 on my important data. Things that i would die if i lost.
If you need to backup large amounts of data on a fast IO drive, nothing beats RAID5. You can always rebuild the raid partition if 1 drive fails, and you have the speed bonus of RAID.
Raid1 should be used when you need to pair a drive. However Raid5 spans across 3+ hard drives. Raid1 only mirrors. Raid5 offers backup and spanning. You need to re evaluate which Raid you need.
Also i dont trust externals. The PSU of a external is nothing compared to that a computer uses. Ive also heard stories about people frying there drives on externals. In my line of work, i cant take that kind of risk. Show me a external PSU which matches an ETASIS PSU in quality.
So what do i use?
So i use RAID1. 2x500gigs on RAID1. Sure i only have 500gigs of space, but the chances of both drives dying at the same exact moment is rare. Also should 1 drive die, i have the other to mirror a new one to, and no data is lost, no one is crying, and all is well without needed to do long backups off dvd's or tapes.
In short my backup is now idiot proof, and that means a lot to me on that system because only human stupidy can be infinite like the universe.
And believe me, ive had my share of stupidity. Even i fall into that catigory sometimes. :T
- Sep 28, 2005
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good point. However if your system had an AV software installed, and RAID is to prevent data corruption by mirroring it.
Then all your solutions would be taken care of.
Also if your data is corrupted to being with, then theres no point in backup as well, so you'd dig yourself a perpetual loop hole.
bob4432
Lifer
- Sep 6, 2003
- 11,726
- 45
- 91
you back up your data before the corruption and then you are ok. there are many ways to look at it, imho raid1 w/ a external backup done weekly and one done daily would be best if the data is that important. more than likely you would notice the corruption within a short time so the 1 wk backup would save your ass
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