power outage software raid

[alphabanks]

Guys I have always used hardware raid controllers with a BBU. As of late I've started playing around with software raid my main file server uses software raid 5 on Windows Server 2012. Last night I had a power outage and now my array is doing a resync. So I must ask when dealing with software raid I assume it's best to connect the system to a UPS ?

 

[brutalizer]

But wouldnt hardware raid also have the same problem, and it should be connected to an UPS?

 

[alphabanks]

Maybe but I never had that problem on any of the hardware rid controllers I have used and none were on a ups.

 

[Dangman]

Yes, you would need a UPS if you're using Windows software RAID. I think the other software RAID types aren't as affected as much by power outages.

 

[BobbyTables]

@Danny Bui is correct, for example Linux software RAID supports a Write-intent bitmap which will only resync blocks that have changed in the bitmap before they have been written to all devices. In my experience it can reduce what would take a day or more of checking to a few minutes.

 

[westrock2000]

You don't even need a big UPS. Set the computer to shutdown after 1 minute of being on battery power. That will give the computer time to send shutdown signals and commit the data. Most power losses are just quick bursts anyways and the UPS can handle that no problem.

My computers make it through storms no problems on small UPS. They don't even wake from sleep with the storms at night.