Typology Central - View Single Post - Computer-construction tips please!

spirilis · 05-04-2008, 03:23 PM

well, on the RAID piece... and a little babbling about data protection:

Whenever you build a machine and intend to store data on it (such as your own personal stuff, financial records, documents, etc) you should always roll with a back-up plan, whether that involves purchasing an external hard drive to use for backups or use one of the on-line backup services (eg JungleDisk - Reliable online storage powered by Amazon S3 ? - Jungle Disk) and make sure you back-up your data as often as you can stand to lose it. (ie if you're working on a book, and make changes every day and can't stand to lose more than 1 day's worth of work, force a back-up of your data once a day)

When choosing a disk layout, consider the following:

1. A single WD Raptor 150GB disk is already a fast mo-fo, reading about 60-80MB/sec sustained off the platters. It's basically a server-class hard drive (~140-150GB at 10,000RPM is a common size you find with SCSI, SAS and FiberChannel drives) with a cool-looking case and a SATA interface on the back.
2. If this isn't enough performance for you, consider purchasing two WD Raptors and using RAID0. Be aware that RAID0 doubles your risk of data loss--with 1 disk you lose all data if 1 out of 1 disks fail; with 2 disks striped (RAID0) you lose all data if 1 out of 2 disks fail.
3. If you're fine with the performance of 1 disk but really want it to be resilient--ie NOT lose all your data if 1 out of 2 disks fail--purchase two hard drives and implement RAID1 mirroring.
4. Regardless whether you choose #1, #2 or #3, be sure to purchase a chassis that has a fan shroud in front of the hard drives so you can install a fan there to keep them cool at all times. This is CRITICALLY important with WD Raptor drives as they operate at 10,000RPM and usually generate more heat than typical 7,200RPM desktop drives (though from what I've read, they're also amazingly heat-resilient, but still). Even if the chassis does not include a fan shroud, there are hard drive cooling solutions out there you can buy.

05-04-2008, 03:23 PM	#5 (permalink)
spirilis Senior Membrane Join Date: Jul 2007 Type: InTP Location: Hanover, PA Posts: 2,122	well, on the RAID piece... and a little babbling about data protection: Whenever you build a machine and intend to store data on it (such as your own personal stuff, financial records, documents, etc) you should always roll with a back-up plan, whether that involves purchasing an external hard drive to use for backups or use one of the on-line backup services (eg JungleDisk - Reliable online storage powered by Amazon S3 ? - Jungle Disk) and make sure you back-up your data as often as you can stand to lose it. (ie if you're working on a book, and make changes every day and can't stand to lose more than 1 day's worth of work, force a back-up of your data once a day) When choosing a disk layout, consider the following: 1. A single WD Raptor 150GB disk is already a fast mo-fo, reading about 60-80MB/sec sustained off the platters. It's basically a server-class hard drive (~140-150GB at 10,000RPM is a common size you find with SCSI, SAS and FiberChannel drives) with a cool-looking case and a SATA interface on the back. 2. If this isn't enough performance for you, consider purchasing two WD Raptors and using RAID0. Be aware that RAID0 doubles your risk of data loss--with 1 disk you lose all data if 1 out of 1 disks fail; with 2 disks striped (RAID0) you lose all data if 1 out of 2 disks fail. 3. If you're fine with the performance of 1 disk but really want it to be resilient--ie NOT lose all your data if 1 out of 2 disks fail--purchase two hard drives and implement RAID1 mirroring. 4. Regardless whether you choose #1, #2 or #3, be sure to purchase a chassis that has a fan shroud in front of the hard drives so you can install a fan there to keep them cool at all times. This is CRITICALLY important with WD Raptor drives as they operate at 10,000RPM and usually generate more heat than typical 7,200RPM desktop drives (though from what I've read, they're also amazingly heat-resilient, but still). Even if the chassis does not include a fan shroud, there are hard drive cooling solutions out there you can buy.