Should I set up RAID 1?

[1Wolf]

I'm in the process of building a machine primarily for gaming (Will be used for lots of other stuff, but gaming performance is of paramount importance)....

I'm going with a Crucial M4 512 GB for an OS/Programs drive and a 2 or 3 TB 7200 RPM Spindle drive for storage and other stuff.

Do you think I should be picking up 2 of the spindle drives instead and setting them up in RAID 1 for data protection? Or do you think I'd be better off with no RAID at all and rely on backups?

I don't know very much about RAID setups....would using 2 spindle drives in RAID 1 slow down the rest of my gaming system in any way or in any way make it less reliable or more bloated?

Thanks!

 

[Silenus]

Let me be the first to say then... RAID IS NOT A BACKUP.

Get your backup solution in place, preferably at least 2 backups with one offsite....THEN you do RAID if you want to. RAID is optional...backup is not.

 

[BecauseScience]

Yes, you should raid1 but you need real backups too.

 

[1Wolf]

Oops...it seems that I may have misled you...let me correct myself.

I'm not asking whether I should do a RAID 1 instead of Back ups. I do have a back up strategy in place (although that will have to change with the system I'm building, but thats another subject).

What I'm trying to determine is whether or not RAID 1 will slow down my system, bloat it in any way, cause any performance loss in gaming from extra "stuff" that needs to load to support the RAID. I'm trying to determine whether the RAID is worth the additional expense, setup, and work...or whether I'm just better off without it.

I really don't know very much about RAID and I don't want to shoot myself in the foot or make things more difficult than they need to be.

Also, I'm in the process of putting together a build list...so if RAID 1 is the way to go...then I'll order 2 of the spindle drives I chose instead of 1.

If you guys tell me that RAID 1 is a nice option, but might cause me issues, slow down my system, bloat it, or what not...then I'd just forego the RAID and rely on the backup solution alone (that is already in place).

 

[odditory]

With a single fast SSD for the boot drive (and a 512GB Crucial is more than adequate), get two large spinners for drive D: and E:, don't raid them -- for backup/redundancy purposes you're better off syncing files between them on a schedule, and even better enable Volume Shadow Copy on them so you have some versioning. If the purpose of the second spinning disk was backup then you can crank the paranoia meter a click further and put it in an external enclosure so that if the power supply in the PC blows up or there's a short or a surge, it won't effect the external drive with the backup data. It's rare but it happens - it happened to me once, circa 2001 - a loose molex connector created a short and hosed every one of 8 drives connected: click-click-click and dead controller, all of them.

RAID is a performance and uptime multiplier, nothing more. At home you want to care less about uptime - unless downtime would cost you money - and more about minimizing points of risk.

 

[Silenus]

To answer your question directly, no RAID 1 won't slow you down or cause any particular bloat ect. RAID 1 has no parity calculation overhead like RAID 5, 6 ect. It is simple. If you want to have some up time in case of drive failure then go for it. I don't think it is particularly important for most home uses, unless as odditory said...you would loose money from downtime, in which case it may be more important.

 

[1Wolf]

Thanks odditory and Silenus. That answers my question perfectly.

I think I'll skip the whole RAID 1 thing then and just keep it simple.

I like this idea you mentioned of "syncing" files between 2 drives and enabling "Volume Shadow Copy". I'm not very familiar with those terms...could you explain that a bit more? That sounds like it would be perfect for me.

Should both Drives be the exact same size?

I love the idea of keeping one of those 2 drives out of the machine. The case I have (NZXT Switch 810) has a "Hot Swap" bay that I was previously thinking I wouldn't even use. But that sounds like an absolutely perfect use for it. If I'm understanding you correctly...then I could just throw my 2nd drive in the Hot Swap....Synch it (Once I understand what and how that works)...then remove it and store it outside the PC.

Thats really a brilliant idea for me (storing it outside of the PC) because we have pretty severe power issues in my neighborhood. I've got surge protectors and UPS's and you name it....but nothing beats just not having the drive in the PC.