[GLLUG] Software RAID advice

[Imran Chaudhry]

Just a follow-up:

Purpose of server: mainly serving files (assume low-volume of
connections) and acting as a mail gateway (with MailScanner). It will
also run Webmin (so LAMP
stack).

One other question:

I've seen HDDs specified as "Enterprise" grade - if given a choice I
would go for these over non-Enterprise but I wondered what others
experience are with non-Enterprise HDDs in home office servers
operating 24/7/365. In real-world use can I expect lower-noise, better
reliability and less frequent failures?

My thinking is that if I have a fully RAID set-up then it may be
sensible to view the HDD as a consumable "wear and tear" part that I
expect to fail and that any HDD will be fine (even 2nd user HDDs that
have been thoroughly tested and erased).