Intel Matrix Raid

[Galerius]

So this board has enlightened me to the Matrix RAID solution, and my two WD AALS drives are on the way for my new system. The problem is that I am now in unfamiliar territory.

I have been using RAID arrays for years, but it looks like there is more to getting optimal performance than simply building the array.

There is some terminology that I am not acquainted with. Something about a "short read" partition or something like that...

The Mobo I am getting does have the intel matrix software, I have the two AALS's on the way.

What do I do to get them to be as beefy as the post Here?

Thanks in advance folks!

 

[ochadd]

Short stroking is forcing an array/partition to reside on the outer edges of a disk where performance is best because the platter velocity is highest (think there's a more technical term for it). This also "reduces" seek times because the heads don't have to cover as much area.

When you first create the array use only 15% of the available space. That array/partition will reside on the fastest 15% of the disk available. The percentage is just an example.

 

[jcolby]

This also "reduces" seek times because the heads don't have to cover as much area.

This WILL be true, but only some times. Remember that you are using the rest of the drives for another partition. If you are (for example) storing video on the rest of the drives, then the heads may be positioned in the other partition reading or writing data when a read / write is requested in the "OS" (short stroked) partition. Obviously in those cases, the heads still have to travel back to the OS partition in order to perform the requested operation.

That said, boot times (for example) will be faster because the head is staying in the boot partition the whole time.

 

[Galerius]

Great, so if I am using the Intel Matrix solution all I have to do is take the 640GBx2 and partition 15% of them in a RAID 0 first?

That would be roughly 190 GB for a boot/OS partition. I would assume I should put things I want accessed quickly there too....

If that sounds like I have it, please let me know. I appreciate you guys taking the time to pass on your info.