Storage Server Suggestions - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

mpedrummer2 · 05-05-2005, 12:23 PM

Hi guys -

I have some fairly massive storage requirements on my home network...I'm a producer and record engineer, and the digital recordings can often hit 100GB for a single album.

Currently, I'm running a server with Mandrake 10. In it are two RAID1(software) arrays, 1 is 250GB, 1 is 200GB. They're full.

My current plan is to buy a Broadcom RAIDCore 4852 (8x SATA) and 3 400GB Seagate SATA drives. I've chosen the Seagates because they have a 5-year warranty. This will be put together into an 800GB RAID5. The beauty of the RAIDCore is that I can add more drives later, to expand the array.

Problem 1: The RAIDCore doesn't seem to support Mandrake. If I set up RH9, will it be able to read my drives (reiserFS)?

Problem 2: From what I've been able to tell, there's no GUI for the linux version of the administrative software. Does anyone have experience using the RAIDCore on linux? How difficult is it to handle via the command line?

Problem 3: IF I go back to Windows...well just yuck.

Any thoughts?

MPEDrummer

sashime76 · 05-05-2005, 01:08 PM

Wouldn't it be easier/quicker if you email Mandrake or RH support directly? I doubt there are many Linux gurus at TFP. As much as I hate Windows I'm stuck with it. I've tried out three different Linux LiveCDs only one actually runs but won't reconize my network card - no Internet.

bendsley · 05-05-2005, 01:51 PM

Redhat can read ReiserFS fine. You would just have to mount the array. I'm not sure I would go with Broadcom either. I would suggest something from 3ware.

www.3ware.com

mpedrummer2 · 05-06-2005, 05:33 AM

Why do you suggest that (3ware)? All the reviews I've read seem to agree that the Broadcom is the best bang for the buck, and from feature lists, it's the only one to offer online capacity increases for the arrays, something that's very important in my book. 800GB would just be the start.

At the current rate (and assuming I keep getting gigs, knock on wood) I'll be expanding to 1600GB within two years, and I REALLY don't want to break the array.

Anyway, I'm not trying to be belligerant (sp?) - I'm just wondering if you can back up your suggestion, or if it's just a "geek intuition" thing.

MPEDrummer

boober · 05-07-2005, 08:48 AM

I can't help with the LInux stuff,but I will say just be careful with your RAID5 arrays. They're awesome up to a certain point. Basically remember that you can only ever have ONE drive fail in a RAID5 array. If you lose more than one you're toast. So, as you keep expanding the array, your chances of experiencing a concurrent drive failure increases. I'd say once you reach five or six drives, it's time to start a new array, since you're using IDE instead of SCSI.

mpedrummer2 · 05-09-2005, 04:50 AM

The RAIDCore allows for disributed sparing, which means it essentially creates a RAID1 across all the drives, which it then uses as a hot spare. It also supports RAID6, which I think I'd eventually migrate to once I hit a certain point.

Also, windows can't handle anything larger than 2TB, which would be reached after 6 drives in the array. Unless you use dynamic discs, which I've never been entirely confortable with.

Rawb · 05-09-2005, 08:44 AM

If you are going with Linux, I would go with the 3Ware card.

3Ware always has, and probably always will support Linux extremely well. The 3Ware card series is probably better supported on Linux than most SCSI RAID cards availible.

If you set it up correctly in Linux, you can have your RAID-5's act as single drives, and then turn them into a striped software-raid, so even though the 3Ware card might not support expanding an array (which I don't know if it does or not), you can expand the cluster directly in linux (using either LVM or MD, I'm not sure which is the best option nowdays).

05-05-2005, 12:23 PM	#1 (permalink)
mpedrummer2 Insane	Storage Server Suggestions Hi guys - I have some fairly massive storage requirements on my home network...I'm a producer and record engineer, and the digital recordings can often hit 100GB for a single album. Currently, I'm running a server with Mandrake 10. In it are two RAID1(software) arrays, 1 is 250GB, 1 is 200GB. They're full. My current plan is to buy a Broadcom RAIDCore 4852 (8x SATA) and 3 400GB Seagate SATA drives. I've chosen the Seagates because they have a 5-year warranty. This will be put together into an 800GB RAID5. The beauty of the RAIDCore is that I can add more drives later, to expand the array. Problem 1: The RAIDCore doesn't seem to support Mandrake. If I set up RH9, will it be able to read my drives (reiserFS)? Problem 2: From what I've been able to tell, there's no GUI for the linux version of the administrative software. Does anyone have experience using the RAIDCore on linux? How difficult is it to handle via the command line? Problem 3: IF I go back to Windows...well just yuck. Any thoughts? MPEDrummer __________________ My sig can beat up your honor student.

05-05-2005, 01:51 PM	#3 (permalink)
bendsley Professional Loafer Location: texas	Redhat can read ReiserFS fine. You would just have to mount the array. I'm not sure I would go with Broadcom either. I would suggest something from 3ware. www.3ware.com __________________ "You hear the one about the fella who died, went to the pearly gates? St. Peter let him in. Sees a guy in a suit making a closing argument. Says, "Who's that?" St. Peter says, "Oh, that's God. Thinks he's Denny Crane."

05-06-2005, 05:33 AM	#4 (permalink)
mpedrummer2 Insane	Why do you suggest that (3ware)? All the reviews I've read seem to agree that the Broadcom is the best bang for the buck, and from feature lists, it's the only one to offer online capacity increases for the arrays, something that's very important in my book. 800GB would just be the start. At the current rate (and assuming I keep getting gigs, knock on wood) I'll be expanding to 1600GB within two years, and I REALLY don't want to break the array. Anyway, I'm not trying to be belligerant (sp?) - I'm just wondering if you can back up your suggestion, or if it's just a "geek intuition" thing. MPEDrummer __________________ My sig can beat up your honor student.

05-09-2005, 04:50 AM	#6 (permalink)
mpedrummer2 Insane	The RAIDCore allows for disributed sparing, which means it essentially creates a RAID1 across all the drives, which it then uses as a hot spare. It also supports RAID6, which I think I'd eventually migrate to once I hit a certain point. Also, windows can't handle anything larger than 2TB, which would be reached after 6 drives in the array. Unless you use dynamic discs, which I've never been entirely confortable with. __________________ My sig can beat up your honor student.

05-05-2005, 01:08 PM	#2 (permalink)
sashime76 Addict Location: Hoosier State	Wouldn't it be easier/quicker if you email Mandrake or RH support directly? I doubt there are many Linux gurus at TFP. As much as I hate Windows I'm stuck with it. I've tried out three different Linux LiveCDs only one actually runs but won't reconize my network card - no Internet.

05-07-2005, 08:48 AM	#5 (permalink)
boober Crazy Location: Western Cananananda	I can't help with the LInux stuff,but I will say just be careful with your RAID5 arrays. They're awesome up to a certain point. Basically remember that you can only ever have ONE drive fail in a RAID5 array. If you lose more than one you're toast. So, as you keep expanding the array, your chances of experiencing a concurrent drive failure increases. I'd say once you reach five or six drives, it's time to start a new array, since you're using IDE instead of SCSI.

05-09-2005, 08:44 AM	#7 (permalink)
Rawb Crazy Location: Salt Town, UT	If you are going with Linux, I would go with the 3Ware card. 3Ware always has, and probably always will support Linux extremely well. The 3Ware card series is probably better supported on Linux than most SCSI RAID cards availible. If you set it up correctly in Linux, you can have your RAID-5's act as single drives, and then turn them into a striped software-raid, so even though the 3Ware card might not support expanding an array (which I don't know if it does or not), you can expand the cluster directly in linux (using either LVM or MD, I'm not sure which is the best option nowdays).