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SnapRAID + Liquesce = same functionality as FlexRAID?
- Thread starter lsudvm
- Start date
It would be very close, yes.
Some differences I know of.
FlexRAID can support any number of parity drives. SnapRAID is only 1 or 2.
FlexRAID has a proprietary recycle bin feature built into the drive pool. It basically makes deletes not compromise parity integrity.
Some differences I know of.
FlexRAID can support any number of parity drives. SnapRAID is only 1 or 2.
FlexRAID has a proprietary recycle bin feature built into the drive pool. It basically makes deletes not compromise parity integrity.
Depends on your definition of "very close".
Liquesce = buggy, development stalled since April, not working in latest Windows, unclear if developer is going to continue
SnapRAID = Single command line executable, thus no SMART monitoring, no scheduling, no alerting, limited to two parity disks, no realtime raid.
FlexRAID = Pooling, snapshot and realtime RAID, SMART monitoring, alerting, scheduling, unlimited parity disks, all-in-one solution and the author is working on implementing ZFS-like features in his current development project NZFS or "Not ZFS".
SnapRAID + Liquesce are free, FlexRAID costs. FlexRAID offers a free trial so I would test that and then test the free solutions and decide if you want to spend more time than money, or more money than time setting up a total solution.
That said, I think SnapRAID is *excellent* in its technical aspects - small and efficient code that does one thing and one thing well - hashing files and creating parity blocks. And the author has been making small improvements consistently including a few I've suggested. Going the free route simply means you'll have to DIY a "total solution" using a mixture of disparate components that don't talk to one another, meaning writing your own batch files, setting up task scheduler jobs for scheduled syncs and scrubs, use smartmon or HDSentinel for SMART monitoring, setting up pooling software in a way that allows snapraid to still interact with the individual disks, etc.
DriveBender is another pooling solution worthy of consideration, active development, latest beta has added a new Windows8/Server2012 compatible filter driver and other small improvements. And its only $10 this weekend down from $40. DriveBender + SnapRAID can work together but takes some monkeying - and the DriveBalancing feature should be disabled.
Liquesce = buggy, development stalled since April, not working in latest Windows, unclear if developer is going to continue
SnapRAID = Single command line executable, thus no SMART monitoring, no scheduling, no alerting, limited to two parity disks, no realtime raid.
FlexRAID = Pooling, snapshot and realtime RAID, SMART monitoring, alerting, scheduling, unlimited parity disks, all-in-one solution and the author is working on implementing ZFS-like features in his current development project NZFS or "Not ZFS".
SnapRAID + Liquesce are free, FlexRAID costs. FlexRAID offers a free trial so I would test that and then test the free solutions and decide if you want to spend more time than money, or more money than time setting up a total solution.
That said, I think SnapRAID is *excellent* in its technical aspects - small and efficient code that does one thing and one thing well - hashing files and creating parity blocks. And the author has been making small improvements consistently including a few I've suggested. Going the free route simply means you'll have to DIY a "total solution" using a mixture of disparate components that don't talk to one another, meaning writing your own batch files, setting up task scheduler jobs for scheduled syncs and scrubs, use smartmon or HDSentinel for SMART monitoring, setting up pooling software in a way that allows snapraid to still interact with the individual disks, etc.
DriveBender is another pooling solution worthy of consideration, active development, latest beta has added a new Windows8/Server2012 compatible filter driver and other small improvements. And its only $10 this weekend down from $40. DriveBender + SnapRAID can work together but takes some monkeying - and the DriveBalancing feature should be disabled.
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^ thats a really nice summary that Id agree with from some testing with Liquesce and snapraid. I really love snapraid, and the eucalide GUI makes it easy for noobs like me. But I found Liquesce too glitchy right now eg. it will mount the virtual (pooled) drive the first time you use it, then if you dismount them the pooled drive will stay there but not be accessible. Also if you change the drive letter of the pooled drive sometimes it wont update for 1 minute or after a reboot.
I also tried the trial of Poolit by tiger technologies. From the trial (only allows 2 disks to be pooled) it seems to work very well, instant mounting and dismounting of the pooled drive. The only thing is the drive letters of the original drives disappear when you create the pooled one, so im not sure if that affects snap raid (I will do some testing). The other problem is it is $40 just for the pooling software which seems quite expensive...
Snapraid is amazing, but a freeware just pooling software doesn't seem to exist.
I also tried the trial of Poolit by tiger technologies. From the trial (only allows 2 disks to be pooled) it seems to work very well, instant mounting and dismounting of the pooled drive. The only thing is the drive letters of the original drives disappear when you create the pooled one, so im not sure if that affects snap raid (I will do some testing). The other problem is it is $40 just for the pooling software which seems quite expensive...
Snapraid is amazing, but a freeware just pooling software doesn't seem to exist.
I also tried the trial of Poolit by tiger technologies. From the trial (only allows 2 disks to be pooled) it seems to work very well, instant mounting and dismounting of the pooled drive. The only thing is the drive letters of the original drives disappear when you create the pooled one, so im not sure if that affects snap raid (I will do some testing).
SnapRAID needs direct access to drives either through drive letter or mount folder, so if PoolIt doesn't allow you to expose them while they're pooled then its a no-go. PoolIt development also doesnt appear active, and the biggest dealbreaker: cannot share pool over network without separate product.
for unimportant storage it doesnt matter what you do. for important storage you need to stay on the beaten path. you need something popular, something old, and something with money behind it so there is a future.
where you draw the line on this depends on the person and the requirements. a business wouldnt use either snapraid or flexraid, but a smart frugal person might find justification for flexraid if the posters here are to be believed.
where you draw the line on this depends on the person and the requirements. a business wouldnt use either snapraid or flexraid, but a smart frugal person might find justification for flexraid if the posters here are to be believed.