From owner-freebsd-hardware Sun Jul 23 10:28:23 2000 Delivered-To: freebsd-hardware@freebsd.org Received: from gabriel.schoolpeople.net (gabriel.schoolpeople.net [216.34.170.167]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id ADCAF37BCA8 for ; Sun, 23 Jul 2000 10:28:10 -0700 (PDT) (envelope-from brandon@schoolpeople.net) Received: from triangulata (cs2887-130.austin.rr.com [24.28.87.130]) by gabriel.schoolpeople.net (8.9.3/8.9.3) with SMTP id MAA16263 for ; Sun, 23 Jul 2000 12:28:08 -0500 (CDT) (envelope-from brandon@schoolpeople.net) Message-ID: <007701bff4cc$0c031ea0$82571c18@austin.rr.com> From: "Brandon S. DeYoung" To: Subject: Hardware RAID, Vinum and a (rather wacky?) idea Date: Sun, 23 Jul 2000 12:32:58 -0500 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0074_01BFF4A2.22315180" X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 5.00.2919.6600 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V5.00.2919.6600 Sender: owner-freebsd-hardware@FreeBSD.ORG Precedence: bulk X-Loop: FreeBSD.org This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0074_01BFF4A2.22315180 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Hello all, I just had an idea that I'd like to bounce of some of you which may = have some insight into both the problem and my attempt at a solution. Problem #1: Hardware/SCSI RAID is expensive. Problem #2: Vinum (or any OS controlled soft RAID system) has serious = drawbacks. What's wrong with vinum? If I understand it correctly. When using vinum, the / partition cannot = be in the array. This means that if you lose the disk which has the = kernel on it you're forced into using a rescue floppy or something like = it to recover data if the system crashes when the drive fails. I'm about to order a few Single Board Computer (SBC) systems which all = have sockets for an M-Systems DiskOnChip (DOC) Solid State Disk. I was = thinking that if the DOC is supported by FreeBSD, I could buy a 32MB = solid state disk, mount the / partition there. Then mirror all the other = partitions (except swap) with vinum on a couple cheap yet huge IDE = drives. Hot swap? I remember reading a posting a while back in which the writer = claimed that if he unmounted an IDE drive first it could be removed from = the system without causing any problems. I've been too scared to try = this yet, is it accurate? Whachya think Mike? Will this work or am I just in need of a very long = vacation? ~Brandon ...It don't mean a thing=20 If you cain't get that ping... Brandon S. DeYoung =20 Systems Integration Manager SchoolPeople=20 brandon@schoolpeople.net=20 =20 =20 ------=_NextPart_000_0074_01BFF4A2.22315180 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

Hello = all,

I just had an idea = that I'd like=20 to bounce of some of you which may have some insight into both the = problem and=20 my attempt at a solution.

Problem #1: Hardware/SCSI RAID is=20 expensive.

Problem #2: Vinum (or any OS controlled = soft RAID=20 system) has serious drawbacks.

What's wrong with vinum?

If I understand it correctly. When = using vinum, the=20 / partition cannot be in the array. This means that if you lose the disk = which=20 has the kernel on it you're forced into using a rescue floppy or = something=20 like it to recover data if the system crashes when the drive=20 fails.

I'm about to order a few Single Board = Computer=20 (SBC) systems which all have sockets for an M-Systems DiskOnChip (DOC) Solid State Disk. I was thinking that if the = DOC is=20 supported by FreeBSD, I could buy a 32MB solid state disk, mount the / = partition=20 there. Then mirror all the other partitions (except swap) with vinum on = a couple=20 cheap yet huge IDE drives.

Hot swap? I remember reading a posting = a while back=20 in which the writer claimed that if he unmounted an IDE drive first it = could be=20 removed from the system without causing any problems. I've been too = scared to=20 try this yet, is it accurate?

Whachya think Mike? Will this work or = am I just in=20 need of a very long vacation?

~Brandon

...It don't mean a thing
If you cain't get that = ping...

Brandon S. DeYoung
Systems Integration = Manager
SchoolPeople
brandon@schoolpeople.net=20

=20

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