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RAID 0 Improvement- I've never had an array fail with modern HDD's
Hi folks
I've been using a server for a few years now running 24/7 (OS on SSD and data on a RAID 0 arrary of 4 X 5 TB HDD's) -- I know if I get a fail I lose the whole array but a lot of data is multi-media etc which isn't changed a lot and I have backups. I also run VM's (performance is much faster in this way) and PC backups from Lan plus file shares (media streaming etc).
I read all these things about saying don't use RAID 0 - use RAID 10 -- but the performance is much better with RAID 0 and these days decent HDD's are reliable --and in any case if you have backup it's easy to re-build the array.
If you use RAID 10 you do get some improvement - not as great as pure RAID 0 though but of course you reduce the data volume size due to the amount set aside for mirroring / striping so recovery is possible with the loss of up to half the array.
I tested also with 2 arrays of 2 X 5TB each but the 4 X 5 TB array was far better. (Note if you do this type of thing on a Linux / NAS server the HDD's can be all different sizes too so a good way of using old HDD's as well.
As always with these things --Risk to reward ratio !! but if you have backups then to me the speed / performance advantage of RAID 0 is well worth it - the convienience of having a massive data store staves all the problems of HDD's getting full / moving stuff around / organising volumes etc.
Keep the OS on an SSD and it's really fine. Pesonally given the reliability of HDD's these days then there isn't a problem in using RAID 0. A lot of people on these boards have RAID cards or use Software RAID on NAS type systems -- it's worth looking at RAID 0 if you need more space / performance but ensure you have backups.
Most people aren't running military grade systems which require mission critical availability at all times and the falure these days of HDD's - even consumer grade ones is grossly overdone.
When large volume cheap SSD's are available the improvement will be even more dramatic !!!! especially file sharing / multi-media sharing lwhen a few users on LAN.
Cheers
jimbo