Topic: New user- RAID setup

[torsion]

Hi,

I am new to this ! Do I need to install a RAID controller card to setup a RAID when I install the server software. or can I just install the two hard drives on the seperate IDE connectors on the board? I read on one of the posts that it is best to setup on one hard drive and then install the second afterwards and run the upgrade.

If I need a RAID Controller can anyone recommend one?

Thanks

[raem]

> Do I need to install a RAID controller card to setup a RAID when I install the server software.

No, you can do a software RAID1 which is supported by sme, just select software RAID1 when you do the instal.

> or can I just install the two hard drives on the seperate IDE connectors on the board?

If you are doing software RAID1 you should connect the drives to the Primary Master and Secondary Master

> I read on one of the posts that it is best to setup on one hard drive and then install the second afterwards and run the upgrade.

No that's wrong, you must do a software RAID1 instal only at the time of a fresh installation with both disks installed and connected as above. Software RAID1 cannot be created by doing an upgrade instal, (although you can upgrade the OS version OK).

You can add second drives later, but they will not be software RAID1 mirrored (unless you want to configure it all the hard way manually).

> If I need a RAID Controller can anyone recommend one?

You only need that if you want ultimate speed (and that is debatable although I'm no expert), in that case the drives connect to the controller board and you do a single disk instal of the OS.

You could use a RAID controller card to upgrade from a single disk instal to a hardware RAID1, as the selection you make when installing the software is still "single disk". The card needs to be RH compatible and in that case should be automatically recognised by the system.

Software RAID1 works quite nicely for me.

Regs
Ray

[Reinhold]

Torsion,

Do as Ray told you to .-) - this is just a "me too"
IOW: Install a SME 6.x-Raid 1 at install time by all means and make sure to install in a master/master not master/slave HD configuration.

- You do not need additional hardware for a 2 HD SME Raid 1 (actually a controller would be a waste of money IMO).
- You could however think about making those 2 HD's removable.
- If you still need to buy board and HDs ...go for Serial ATA, you won't regret it.

If you want more, i.e. a Raid 5 with large capacity, this is also reasonably easy with SME 6.x and works&performs quite well in software on a 1 GHz cpu with plain standard IDE controllers. If you are interested I'd recommended reading http://www.tldp.org/HOWTO/Software-RAID-HOWTO.html for starters.
NOT needed if you just do an SME Raid 1 install... (but it never hurts either).

Enjoy

[torsion]

thanks to both of you for your help. i am downloading the software now and should be able to give it a go tomorrow..

Great forum

Thanks again

Daz