For RAID 0 or 1, is a controller necessary?

T

topaimz

Limp Gawd
Joined
Dec 20, 2005
Messages
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I am thinking about doing a RAID 1 with two 640GB drives.

It is for a web/database home server.

I was wondering, is it necessary for me to buy a independent
RAID controller? Or can I just run it off my motherboard?

I've heard the storage controllers built-in on to motherboards
are quite POS.
 
Well, just beware with some of the FakeRAID controllers on many motherboards, especially NVRAID. Generally, my experience with ICH9/10R Intel controllers have been pretty good, and there is no need to add on a secondary PCI/PCI-e RAID controller for something as simple as RAID0. NVRAID tends to have whacky results when I benched them, and the horror stories I've heard about their flaky method of implementing striped arrays doesn't help, either.

However, RAID 0 for a web/database home server isn't really necessary unless you 1) keep backups, and 2) don't mind the potential risk of headache/downtime if one of the disks in the array were to fail. If uptime and redundancy is important, consider RAID 1, and if you need both speed and redundancy, consider RAID 10. I would never consider RAID 0 for something like what you've described unless I kept meticulous off-array or off-site backups for something like what you intend to use it for.
 
My first experience with a RAID 0 was on an MSI mobo, using NVRAID. I had 4 36.7GB Raptors on it, which was quite fast. Peak sustained read transfer was right at the published max STR of the drives (62MB/s * 4 drives).

Right now, I'm running those same 4 drives (yay WD reliability) on my Asus Rampage Formula (ICH9R), which is still just as fast.

Independent RAID controller cards will probably find a bit more perf than the built in controllers, and they'll offer you a few other features that most (if not all) built in solutions won't have, like staggered spin up. If you were really in for more speed, find dedicated controller with a write-back cache in the form of DDR. If you're not as concerned, the mobo solution will get you through pretty well, and save a hundred bucks or two.
 
ICHR8/9/10 are pretty much the same. For your setup Raid 1 would be good. Just get two decent HDs like the WD 640's and you will be good.
 
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