[Wylug-discuss] Q1: RAID capable network file servers and Linux

[JConner at ssp-uk.com]

Gary,

My understanding is that the RAID controller is responsible for all of this
- the OS need never know.  Typically, if you're looking at mirrored arrays,
you can specify what % of time the controller spends rebuilding mirrors vs
serving actual i/o, so you can essentially rebuild mirrors with no downtime
at all (I assume you're planning to use mirrored disks in raid 1+0 or 0+1,
or something along those lines).

Additionally, four drives does not necessarily mean that you need a "large"
server.

John



|---------+---------------------------------->
|         |           Gary Stainburn         |
|         |           <gary.stainburn at ringway|
|         |           s.co.uk>               |
|         |           Sent by:               |
|         |           wylug-discuss-bounces at w|
|         |           ylug.org.uk            |
|         |                                  |
|         |                                  |
|         |           16/05/2005 17:30       |
|         |                                  |
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  |       To:       wylug-discuss at wylug.org.uk                                                                                   |
  |       cc:                                                                                                                    |
  |       Subject:  [Wylug-discuss] Q1: RAID capable network file servers and Linux                                              |
  >------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|




Hi folks.

We're looking into ways of performing backups of our Windows XP network
and we've just had a salesman in suggesting a VERITAS based solution.

Part of this solution consisted of having a large DELL/IBM/HP server
with a RAID controller and 4 hot-swap disks, running NT/2003/whatever.

How well does Linux behave on such a platform?  Can you do a hot-swap of
a faulty disk and rebuild the RAID array with no downtime, and if so,
how easy is it?  Are there any gotchas I need to be aware of, or any
reason for me to not put Linux forward for this solution (seem like the
perfect Linux application for me)?

Gary
--
Gary Stainburn

This email does not contain private or confidential material as it
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and undisclosed purposes - Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act, 2000



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