Date: Wed, 9 Apr 2008 10:45:42 +0400 From: Lev Serebryakov <lev@FreeBSD.org> To: freebsd-stable@freebsd.org Subject: [SO]HO Software RAID5 server: which implementation should I choice? Message-ID: <396418019.20080409104542@serebryakov.spb.ru>
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Hello, freebsd-stable.
Does somebody use some software RAID5 on FreeBSD in real production
system?
I want to build storage server for my home: RAW photos, multi-layer
PhotoShop files and FLAC-encoded music consume a lot of space, and
they should be availible both from desktop & notebook.
Also, all photo-content is unique, so I need some insuranse from
single HDD crash. I understand, that I will not safe from fire, PSU
failure and thing slike this.
I selected hardware platform: Intel Q35-based MoBo with 6xSATA-II ports
(all of them is chipset-based, so no SiliconImage/JMicron/Whatever
crappy controllers), some low-end Core2Duo, 2Gb of memory.
Storage will be 5x500Gb WD HDDs for RAID + one small HDD for boot, system,
swap, etc. I want to have 2Tb (ok, not real Tb, I know) of "protected"
storage.
I want to have maximum speed via 1Gb network, because graphic files
are big and should open fast. Not as fast as local ones, I understand
that, but speeds about 12-15Mb/s is not enough for sure :)
Only problem I see: which software RAID5 solution should I prefer?
FreeBSD-based, of course!
I see these variants:
(1) FreeBSD 6(7?) + graid3. Slow, one disk for checksums is bottleneck,
as far as I understand.
(2) FreeBSD 6(7?) + gvinum/radi5. Is it stable enough?! Is it complete?
when I try it about 6 months ago in VMWare installation with 5
virtual disks, I got panics and strange behaviour after "crashing"
one of virtual disks.
(3) FreeBSD 6(7?) + graid5. Again, is it stable enough? There are
THREE versions of it. Which one should I prefer? There was long
thread about it some times ago without any clear conclusion. Does
something changed?
(4) FreeBSD 7 + ZFS "zraid". And again: stability. Too many messages
about locks, crashes, etc. Code is experemental. Is it only for
32 bit systems?
(5) Do I miss something?
(6) Solaris + ZFS? I don't want it, I know a little about Solaris
administaration, and I already have FreeBSD servers and routers.
I know, that 3ware or Areca controllers are very good. I know, that
"gmirror" is very stable. But these variants are too expensive for
home server :(
Does somebody use some software RAID5 on FreeBSD in real production?
Any advices?
--
// Black Lion AKA Lev Serebryakov <lev@FreeBSD.org>
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