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Author Topic: Bigger RAID1 or use disks separately?  (Read 4120 times)

jamieburchell

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Bigger RAID1 or use disks separately?
« on: July 31, 2010, 06:33:40 AM »
Hi there

I'm after some advice/thoughts really. My DNS-323 has 2 x Seagate 500GB drives in RAID1 at about 60% capacity. I'm considering ripping my DVDs to ISO for playback on my media streamer and realise I'm going to need more space. My thoughts are either to forget RAID and use one of the drives for films or to upgrade the RAID with 2x1TB Samsung Spinpoint F3s.

Each month I backup the data on the NAS to one of two external disks so backup isn't really an issue. I don't think I would bother backing up the film ISOs.

My concern with dropping the RAID is what happens when one of the disks develops bad sectors? Does the NAS report problems with a disk like it would in a RAID? My concern would be a disk going bad and me not realising - even when backing it up monthly. The only good think about the RAID for me at the moment is the warm feeling that if a disk is failing I will hopefully know about it.

What would you guys do. The Spinpoints look like great drives - but it's going to set me back around £100.
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gunrunnerjohn

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Re: Bigger RAID1 or use disks separately?
« Reply #1 on: July 31, 2010, 10:41:32 AM »
I'd forget RAID if you don't have an issue with restoring from backups if you have an issue.  It sounds like you have a good backup, and RAID is only really for enhanced availability of the data in the event of a disk failure.
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Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience
Remember: Data you don't have two copies of is data you don't care about!
PS: RAID of any level is NOT a second copy.

jamieburchell

  • Level 6 Member
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Re: Bigger RAID1 or use disks separately?
« Reply #2 on: July 31, 2010, 11:11:25 AM »
I'm starting to think, like you, that RAID isn't really necessary for me. If I put the films on one drive another bonus would be most of the time only one drive will spin up- saving heat, electricity and drive ware and tear.

Will the DNS-323 notify me of drive errors if not in a RAID?
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If your little 323 is not working right,
You've racked your brains and been up all night
Take a deep breath and wipe away the sweat,
Login as web admin and try a factory reset!

gunrunnerjohn

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  • Posts: 2717
Re: Bigger RAID1 or use disks separately?
« Reply #3 on: July 31, 2010, 11:38:29 AM »
You'll still get disk error indications without RAID.  I don't really know if only one drive spins up when you have two independent drives, haven't really tried it.
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Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience
Remember: Data you don't have two copies of is data you don't care about!
PS: RAID of any level is NOT a second copy.

Rodent

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Re: Bigger RAID1 or use disks separately?
« Reply #4 on: July 31, 2010, 07:16:13 PM »
Quote from: gunrunnerjohn on July 31, 2010, 11:38:29 AM
You'll still get disk error indications without RAID.  I don't really know if only one drive spins up when you have two independent drives, haven't really tried it.


Yes, only one drive spins up when running in standard mode, I have 1x2TB and 1x500GB drives in my 323 and only the drive I am accessing spins up, this is also faster because I don't have to wait for both drives to spin up before I can access the data.

R.
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