Windows server and Software raid

[larciel]

I have a dilemma.

A server I'm trying to build already have a board w/ ICH8 SB. meaning no Intel RAID.

I'm thinking about getting another board that has ICH8R to setup raid.

Would getting a new board be better than having a software raid5 in win server with dynamic disk? I assume that with the latter choice, I wouldn't have option to have the OS loaded on the Dynamic disk, since I have to change the disk after OS has been installed.?

 

[AnnonUSA]

NO SOFTWARE RAID for a Server, ever. I would never do it.

 

[larciel]

I normally would recommend same thing but this is just normal workstation-server that'll handle only 10-12 PCs.

 

[Nothinman]

Software RAID is fine, well on Windows it's a little trickier and ironically not as capable as software RAID on Linux but in general it'll probably do the basic things that you need. But I don't believe you can put the system partition on a software RAID5 so you'll probably need a separate software mirror for that.

but this is just normal workstation-server that'll handle only 10-12 PCs.

You realize that workstation versions of Windows are limited to 10 concurrent connections with MS server components, right?

 

[drebo]

Always go with hardware RAID, even one as incapable as an ICHxR RAID.

Software RAIDs cause more trouble than they're worth.

 

[Nothinman]

Software RAIDs cause more trouble than they're worth.

Got any facts to back that up?

 

[Madwand1]

With write caching enabled, Intel RAID 5 can significantly out-perform Windows OS RAID 5 for writes.

 

[RebateMonger]

As ALWAYS, keep ongoing backups of any important data. As long as you do that, and the speed of software RAID is adequate for your purpose, then, hey, go for it.

One other recommendation with Windows software RAID:
PLAY WITH IT before you put any critical data on it. Practice replacing drives, breaking mirrors, etc. You can do this with real hardware or in a virtual server. Know how to fix common RAID and drive problems BEFORE they happen. The best way to do this is by practicing.

 

[larciel]

Thanks for the tip, I'll remember that

Originally posted by: drebo
Always go with hardware RAID, even one as incapable as an ICHxR RAID.

Software RAIDs cause more trouble than they're worth.

AFAIK onboard raid controllers are software raid as well.

 

[Nothinman]

With write caching enabled, Intel RAID 5 can significantly out-perform Windows OS RAID 5 for writes.

If you're talkin about onboard Intel RAID with no dedicated cache, and are indeed correct, then that just says that Windows software RAID 5 sucks. The only extra burden on the OS when doing software RAID 5 is the parity calculation, not exactly something that really taxes a current CPU.

AFAIK onboard raid controllers are software raid as well.

It's not as black and white as that, it's perfectly possible to find a motherboard with a real hardware RAID controller embedded but it's not very likely and definitely not in any consumer products.

 

[Madwand1]

Originally posted by: Nothinman
If you're talkin about onboard Intel RAID with no dedicated cache, and are indeed correct, then that just says that Windows software RAID 5 sucks.

Yes, I'm talking about on-board Intel RAID such as ICH8R/ICH8DO/ICH9R.

The conclusion is also correct.

 

[Nothinman]

Yes, I'm talking about on-board Intel RAID such as ICH8R/ICH8DO/ICH9R.

The conclusion is also correct.

Even assuming that Windows software RAID is really that much worse than the alternatives one still has to decide if the performance difference is that important. In a small business with a dozen or so machines only saving excel sheets, word docs, etc to the thing they'll probably never notice.

 

[Madwand1]

Originally posted by: Nothinman
one still has to decide if the performance difference is that important. In a small business with a dozen or so machines only saving excel sheets, word docs, etc to the thing they'll probably never notice.

Sure. Another factor for a small business with a few clients, is if cost of a Windows server OS for a poor RAID 5 implementation is worth it.

 

[Nothinman]

True, Windows is a pretty steep cost but finding a board with a half-decent RAID5 controller would probably be comparable in cost and you'd lose some flexibility.

 

[redbeard1]

Windows OS raid may be fine for a network with few users, but it generally uses a fair amount of overhead, causing slower server processes like copying files as an example.

The other thing in my experience is a crashed drive in a windows software raid can be very problematic to get installed back. The last one I dealt with, we could not get the new drive into the software raid properly, so we redid the server with a hardware raid, reinstalled the os and did a recovery from tape.

They may have saved money when they bought the server using the OS raid, but paid more than what they would have originally in our recovery fees.

These days, a base LSI scsi or sata card is in the $150 range, has raid capabilities, and can usually build multiple types of raids.