SSD boot, SSD cache, RAID 5 hard-drives?

[c3k]

I have not taken the plunge into the goodness which is SSD. Before I do, I'm trying to come to terms with what I'd like to do first.

Having a dedicated SSD for the OS (W7/64) as the boot drive seems to make sense. I think I'd only need 120G for that. Is that about right?

I would load ALL my applications onto hard-drives. The ONLY program which I would ever put on C:\ would be Windows.

The harddrives would be 4 or 5 WD, Caviar Black 1TB drives in a Raid 5 array. (I have several of them already. I like them. ) Any program I ever install would go onto this array. Call it drive "D".

Additionally, I'm hearing that the Z68 mobo's allow an SSD to be installed and used purely as a cache drive. I understand that is about 1/2 the speed of an SSD as the "C" drive, and is useful when you don't have an OS on an SSD.

Would the addition of a cache drive, say 64 or 128 Gig, speed up the programs on the "D" array?

Would using a group of physical platters as my program file install location wipe out any speed/response benefit of using an SSD for just the OS? (Meaning, does the speed benefit of an SSD only occur when programs are INSTALLED on the SSD, rather than how I've described what I'd like to do?)

My goal is to have a LOT of redundant storage and a fast system. Yeah, I want my cake and I'd like to eat it, too.

Thanks for any help!

Ken

 

[kleox64]

OS/Applications on the SSD. Media and everything else on the RAID volume.

As SSD caching is only a stop gap solution at the moment, I would avoid it and wait until a better implementation comes along besides there's a 64GB limit anyway. Also Id be worried about latency affecting the SSD caching algorithm due to the RAID.

Also an external drive(USB3/esata) equivalent in size to the RAID volume for back-up purposes.

 

[Old Hippie]

kleox64 has it figured out for ya.

OS/programs on an SSD (that's about double the size of the OS/programs combined) and the remainder on your array.

As for SRT......

Intel's Smart Response Technology (SRT) is an interesting addition to the mix. For starters, it's not going to make your high end SSD obsolete. You'll still get better overall performance by grabbing a large (80-160GB+) SSD, putting your OS + applications on it, and manually moving all of your large media files to a separate hard drive.

Yeah, I want my cake and I'd like to eat it, too.

Quality ingredients always cost more but are worth it.

 

[c3k]

So the best way - for speed - would be to load all my games (which are what make up most of my applications) as well as all the other programs with the OS on the boot SSD?

"Media and everything else on RAID volume" means only music and photo files. Perhaps the odd video or show. I don't have much need for a multi-terabyte array for that...

Hmmm, perhaps it's a bit too early for me to transition to SSD.

 

[Forceman]

The best solution is to put everything you use on the SSD (no sense paying for the speed if you aren't going to use it). Having an SSD just for the OS is better than nothing, but in my opinion not worth the cost - better to save up until you can get an SSD to hold the stuff you commonly use.

 

[Brahmzy]

+1 - EVERYTHING I use comes off of SSDs. Only static data sits on the spinner. Otherwise, what's the point?

 

[Old Hippie]

Hmmm, perhaps it's a bit too early for me to transition to SSD.

LOL!

Too early?

If you didn't change @ a year ago with Gen2 SSDs, you're about a year to late.

 

[Red Falcon]

OS/Applications on the SSD. Media and everything else on the RAID volume.

^ This.

Loading the apps off of the RAID array makes little sense. An OS does not require 120GB of the SSD. Makes more sense for the RAID array to be used for storage.