Raid question

[Khalil]

On the server I am building I am using 3 WD Raptors 150 gig each. I want them to be exact mirrors. Is that Raid 1?
I have built the machine but not started it yet. I believe my Tyan board should have some kind of Raid utility, do I set up raid prior to installing windows 2000 server?
Thanks

[glc]

I would recommend RAID 5 for a server - with 4 drives. If the motherboard doesn't have a controller capable of RAID 5, you can get a card. You don't need Raptors, you want Seagate ES or WD RE drives. Think server, not workstation.

[Khalil]

I am gonna do just that, I just shipped back the Raptors. Any recommendation on a controller?
It seems the only Tyan/AMD boards that have Raid 5 are the newer AM2 sockets.

[glc]

Which exact Tyan board do you have? Link if possible, please.

[Khalil]

Which exact Tyan board do you have? Link if possible, please.

Thanks for taking the time to help me out glc.

Here is the link

http://www.tyan.com/products/html/tigerk8ssa.html

[glc]

Hmm - looks like that board MIGHT have native RAID 5 capability. If not, or you would rather do it with a good card, I'd use this:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16816103009

You have one PCI-X slot which is what this card requires. Thinking about it a bit more, I'd probably go with the card anyway. It has its own processor and cache ram and it supports SATA II. I've never been terribly impressed with integrated RAID controllers anyway. The card ain't cheap, but nothing for servers is. The Adaptec Storage Manager software is superb.

[Khalil]

Hmm - looks like that board MIGHT have native RAID 5 capability. If not, or you would rather do it with a good card, I'd use this:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16816103009

You have one PCI-X slot which is what this card requires. Thinking about it a bit more, I'd probably go with the card anyway. It has its own processor and cache ram and it supports SATA II. I've never been terribly impressed with integrated RAID controllers anyway. The card ain't cheap, but nothing for servers is. The Adaptec Storage Manager software is superb.
That card is pricy but I went ahead and ordered it. About the hard drives you recommended is the ES or RE at the end of the model numbers?
If not where do I look?
Never mind I found the hard drives.
Thanks

[glc]

Here's some links for you.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16822148156
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16822148215
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16822136062
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16822136055
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16822136053

[Khalil]

glc, thanks again so much for all your help.
I contacted Tyan and they said there was no need for the Raid Card, I did buy it however.
The motherboard ran the Raid set up and the server is running fantastic.
I will be sending the raid card back to newegg.
I bought 4 x 160GB of the HDDs you recommended.
I will be working on a new project for the county pretty soon and I am gonna need help I will post as soon as I start on it to make sure and get it right from the begining.
:)

This site truly rocks.

[glc]

Did you do RAID 5 or RAID 0+1?

[Khalil]

Did you do RAID 5 or RAID 0+1?
Raid 5 :)