Topic: IDE RAID

[woyzeck]

Are there any IDE RAID controllers that work with SME Server 6.01?  I  cannot seem to find any information on this site regarding this.

Thanks in advance,

Derek Lamparty

[unreal33]

I've been working with the Mitel version of this software (teleworker 6.1) and I have been unsuccessful with using the adaptec 1200A, There are supported RAID cards (Mitel does mention support for hardware RAID in their user documentation) I will be calling Mitel shortly to inquire about specific models, in the mean time does anyone have a list of supported ATA Raid cards?

[Reinhold]

guy's
No bad feelings but ...how's about using that little "Search Site" icon on the upper left ... this has been discussed a zillion times .-)

Two things +1 may lead you directly:
(i) 3ware is the most recommended hardware controller (search for more using that)
(ii) SME is basically RH7.3 thus search for that (or the Red Hat hardware compatibility list HCL 7.3) here or at Red Hat.

(0) If you want/need RAID1 ... it's built into SME ... and software may be better than hardware look in the manual or search one of the Raid posts (or my name .-)

Regards
Reinhold

[woyzeck]

Sorry, I haven't been using this site very long.

I have used that search function a zillion times over the past month and never saw the "show more results".  I thought that it was odd that there was not more information on the subject.

I had already made my way to the redhat site and found info on 3ware products.

Thanks for the response as it made me take a closer look at the search results page. Don't know how I missed that.  I will take another look at the search results.

Thanks,

Derek

[unreal33]

yea, I've been looking at that RHCL listing, it's very scarce there must be more hardware that is supported (ie from boot) that isn't listed - Why do you suggest software RAID, will it have the same tolerance as a hardware? as in either disc can completely fail and we will still boot?

thanks

[jmvelez]

3ware 6000, 7000 and 8000 works with sme.  The 9000 series do not.  The 8000 Series SATA works great.

[Reinhold]

woyzeck ... never mind happened to most of us ...but afterwards a whole new world does open - doesn't it  

unreal33 ... c those two fields left&right for search???
Integrate a RAID System in a running sme server system  

Raid=Raid !=Raid1 !=Raid5  -> The Software-RAID HOWTO Jakob Østergaard
...in the end it's always SOFTWARE !!! most "cheap" "Hardware-Raid-Controllers" are
nothing but a IDE Chip with a Raid-Software in ROM ... (3ware isn't).
Some IDE controllers (Promise) even could be reflashed and voila 4x Price for "Raid Hardware Controller".



Linux iow SME built-in Software Raid1 does what you want and IMHO is superior - not only pricewise.

Regards
Reinhold[/url]

[jmvelez]

I have build both with 3ware and native software raid.  The performance difference is a great.  I have customers running autocad with a software raid with 5 stations and the server is slow.  The same server but with 3ware can take 10 or more autocad users without lost of performance. To fix or repair the raid can be done in the server at boot with the bios or from a workstation with the web frontend.  A four drive cage hot swap and 3ware 4 port is $400.  Hot swap and Hot spare option allows you to keep the server up with very large storage capacity.

[gpin75]

3ware 6000, 7000 and 8000 works with sme.  The 9000 series do not.  The 8000 Series SATA works great.

Will these be auto detected by sme server on install or will they require drivers loaded from disk at boot?

[Reinhold]

jmvelez
I'm not a missionary - far from it,
but "GREAT" ... "fast","slow" doesn't qualify...
...and from what you seem to say the Autocad thingy is a networked file server
... where (unless you use a Gbit setup) things are limited by the network - nothing else (different if you talk database server which wouldn't be Raid1 anyway!!!).
I do recommend 3wares, but the old ones (still sold last year! - were painfully slow compared to a software 2GHz+ CPU)
... you find some data from an el cheapo setup I donated in the discussion I referred too in this thread.
For an SME RAID1 <= 160GB - say YES at install - that's all you need - IMHO that is.

gpin75
YES - 3ware drivers are in the Linux kernel for "ages" .)

Regards
Reinhold

[unreal33]

and when you say the 8000 series works, I'm guessing that includes the cheaper 2 port version?  8006-2LP? even though its not listed in the RHCL -and yes I did search on this

I guess from here on out when my company sells these (mitel teleworker/SME servers) we will have to stay away from IDE raid... I know software is a good option by I think from a sales point of veiw its probably easier to sell hardware RAIDed systems


thanks guys

[jmvelez]

Reinhold

Both are using gigabit ethernet.  3ware 8000 with two 250GB SATA with Sony AIT1 Turbo will copy 200MB/min.  The same setup with software RAID but IDE drives copy 53MB/min.

We are using SME server with very large capacity (750GB or more) to backup windows customer PC and Servers.  Speed is important.

[Reinhold]

3ware 8000 with two 250GB SATA with Sony AIT1 Turbo will copy 200MB/min.
The same setup with software RAID but IDE drives copy 53MB/min.

Jmvelez
Please confirm the data you gave.
(That would be awfully sloooow - for hard as for software Raid?)
...or do you copy to the tape - fankly I do not understand...???
BTW:...I still have to find a SATA drive where it's ATA sibling isn't +-10% in speed...
which drives do you use?
What was the CPU & memory in those two PCs ?

Thanks
Reinhold

[kruhm]

Reinhold

For an SME RAID1 <= 160GB - say YES at install - that's all you need - IMHO that is.

why does it have to be <= 160GB? What if it's 200GB?

[raem]

unreal33

> Why do you suggest software RAID, will it have the
> same tolerance as a hardware? as in either disc
> can completely fail and we will still boot?

Software RAID1 will run in degraded mode (ie with either disk failed) and should still boot up OK.
You can keep running indefinitely on one disk, until you get around to replacing the failed drive.
You can also use the server while the disk array is rebuilding after replcaing the failed drive.
You will need to power down for a few minutes while you physically replace the failed drive, you could install the drives into removable caddies if minimum down time and ease of replacement are important.