Suggestions for a 10-20TB linux compatible storage array ?

[Lennart Sorensen]

On Thu, Feb 28, 2013 at 04:22:08PM -0500, William Park wrote:
> I picked non-RAID model, because I've heard that builtin controller is
> crappy.  I guess you can try their hardware raid, and then opt for
> software raid if not satisfied.

The built in controller does a very nice job.  At least assuming it is
anything like the 4 bay version I have used.

It is not very flexible though.  You will have one raid setup on all
disks.  No splitting and mixing or making multiple volumes as far as I
recall from when I configured the 4 bay one.

The non raid is quite different in that it has a USB interface that simply
does 8 separate usb storage devices, and a SATA port multiplier (it will
NOT work with a controller that does not support port multipliers).

The raid model works with any eSATA controller since it only presents
one disk.  USB of course also only shows one disk.

> I generally don't like hardware raid because you're now locked to that
> card/version/firmware.  Of course, you'd replace disks more often than
> card itself, unless there is fire, lightning (happened to me), flood,
> etc.

Well hardware raid saves bandwidth and is vastly easier to use.

Software raid required a competent admin.

Of course if your machine has room for the disks internally, a nice
hardware raid controller like a 3ware or areca would give much better
performance, and certainly software raid could be an option if you are
willing to administrate it.

-- 
Len Sorensen
--
The Toronto Linux Users Group.      Meetings: http://gtalug.org/
TLUG requests: Linux topics, No HTML, wrap text below 80 columns
How to UNSUBSCRIBE: http://gtalug.org/wiki/Mailing_lists