building a RAID system

[Gerry Creager N5JXS]

I've recently built a 2TB (well, a little less really) ATA RAID using a 
pair of HighPoint 374 controlers and 10 250-GB Maxtor 8 MB cache drives 
(plus a 60 GB drive for the system).

It's running as 2 1TB arrays, because of disparate applications, right 
now.

Initially, the drivers for RH9 were not available so we started with 
RH7.3 and all the updates; they're there now and  and allow cross-card 
arrays.  Down the pike we might re-install and span the controllers.

I've also recently done a 2-drive striped array supporting a meteorology 
data application with a lot of data acquisition and database work.  It's 
mounted to a number of other systems via NFS.  Uses a Promise 
Technologies TX2000 and a pair of 80 GB Maxtors.

Both RAID systems have worked very well.  I suspect the next one I build 
will incorporate Serial ATA instead of parallel.  I doubt I'll build 
another SCSI RAID for my applications.

Gerry Creager
Texas Mesonet
Texas A&M University

Daniel Fernandez wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> I would like to know some advice about what kind of technology apply
> into a RAID file server ( through NFS ) . We started choosing hardware
> RAID to reduce cpu usage.
> 
> We have two options , SCSI RAID and ATA RAID. The first would give the
> best results but on the other hand becomes really expensive so we have
> in mind two ATA RAID controllers:
> 
>                 Adaptec 2400A
> 		3Ware 6000/7000 series controllers
> 
> Any one of these has its strong and weak points, after seeing various
> benchmarks/comparisons/reviews these are the only candidates that
> deserve our attention.
> 
> The server has a dozen of client workstations connected through a
> switched 100Mbit LAN , all of these equipped with it's own OS and
> harddisk, all home directories will be stored under the main server,
> main workload (compilation and edition) would be done on the local
> machines tough, server only takes care of file sharing.
> 
> Also parallel MPI executions will be done between the clients.
> 
> Considering that not all the workstantions would be working full time
> and with cost in mind ¿ it's worth an ATA RAID solution ?
> 

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