🚀 go-pugleaf

Tom Kustner (emjay@execpc.com) wrote:

: I have done some research on this and drawn some conclusions
: (corrections welcome), but still have a few questions:
: 
: Duplexing
: 
: - Initially cheaper than RAID 5, but eventually more expensive (twice
:   the drives)

While I haven't performed a cost-analysis vis-a-vis the number of drives
in the array vs. the duplexing, my understanding is that with the RAID,
your cost will be dependent on the number of drives that you have on the
array; ie. 3 drives?  5 drives? 

: We are a Compaq environment and currently duplexing our current
: server.  These questions are more for a new server we may be ordering
: from Compaq (Proliant 1500).  Any comments on Compaq's RAID  solutions
: or on their SmartArray controllers are welcome.  Thanks for your help.

One of the sites where I'm involved in is a Compaq shop, and they have
about 10 servers; with the exception of a ProLiant 2000 with the Compaq
Smart ARRAY controller, the rest are Compaq ProSignias with the the
integrated CPQ SCSI adapter and an Adaptec EISA adapter (duplexed).  The
ProLiant 2000 has grown to a 4 2.1 GB RAID 5 array with 64 MB of RAM and I
have all the confidence in Compaq's SmartARRAY controllers.  They seem to
be well designed, engineered (battery-backup too!), and if implemented
properly (keep an eye out on the software updates and driverss), they
should be a suitable fault-tolerant platform.

By the way, the RAB (RAID Advisory Board) publishes some white papers and
or documents about the pros and cons and the virtues of RAID, etc.  Let me
know if you need a copy or can't find one.  I may have some lying around
literature center.

Regards,

--
 David Tay                              | E-mail    : tsr@clark.net
 Tay Systems Research                   | CompuServe: 74213,2471
 3554 Chain Bridge Road, Suite 100      | Telephone : +1-703-760-9022
 Fairfax, VA 22030-2709, U.S.A.         | Facsimile : +1-703-893-1154