[DM-MUG] HD FW Storage, RAID or other ideas...

[Jon Thompson]

Vicki,

You may want to look at something such as a NAS (Network Attached  
Storage).  While it is not something I would recommend for most  
users, your storage needs are higher than most users, as well.  It  
also will be utilized by more and more users as storage needs increase.

http://www.infrant.com

You can get 2 TB (1.5 TB after RAID 5) for $2,339.  3TB (2.25 TB  
after RAID 5) is $3,139.


As for a short Primer on basic RAID so I am sure that you know what  
the RAID numbers mean...

RAID 0 - "Striping"  -  Part of any given file is written to each  
drive.  _Very_ fast.  However, if you lose a drive you lose _all_ of  
your data.  Not what you want.

RAID 1 - "Mirroring" - Your file is written to both drives  
simultaneously.  You lose half of your storage (if you have two 500GB  
hard drives, they will appear as one).  If one drive dies, you still  
have the other.

RAID 2,3,4 - not used, as they are less efficient or more costly than  
the other types of RAID.

RAID 5 - "Striping with distributed parity" - Your file is written  
across all of the drives, except one.  On the extra drive, a parity  
bit is generated.  What the parity bit does is allow the data to be  
re-created if _one_ (and only one) drive fails.  RAID 5 is computing  
intensive (which is why it is almost always done in hardware, with  
dedicated chips), but gives you almost all of the storage you pay  
for, without the risk with a single hard drive failure.   
(Technically, the parity bits are distributed across all of the  
drives, as this increases throughput, but it is really unimportant to  
a layperson.)


In short, if you need pure speed for temporary data, use RAID 0.  If  
you have two drives - mirror.  If you have more than two drives -  
RAID 5.

Please note, RAID is also not a recommended solution for backup.  It  
provides safety from hard disk failure.  However, it does not provide  
for user or computer errors.  If a file gets corrupt on a RAID, it  
will _not_ be recoverable, just as if it gets corrupt on a single drive.
-- 
Jon Thompson
jthompson at greatapetrust.org
515.360.1351

Insights through collaborations with apes
Great Ape Trust of Iowa
www.greatapetrust.org



On 2006, Oct 23, at 1:58 AM, Victoria L. Herring wrote:

> Thanks much for the links.  I'll check them out too...The idea of a  
> swappable batch of drives comes because I have a proliferation of  
> LaCies FW HDs all over my desk and not only is that clutter, but it  
> makes it hard to remember where to find things etc.  Aperture will  
> let you have one library and portions over external drives unhooked  
> til you need them [apparently] which would be perfect....more later  
> as I research.
> -- 
> Victoria L. Herring, Attorney, Civil Rights, Discrimination &  
> Employment Law, <http://www.HerringLaw.com>;  Travel research,  
> planning & Photography, <http://www.JourneyZing.com>;  Des Moines,  
> Iowa, ph.515-255-4475.
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