storage situation: HTPC media

[Dallamar]

finially upgrading the PoS second comp in my sig to something much better for the HTPC field

I would like to have around 10tbs of storage

I do not need this to stream to other rooms in the apartment. (if I ever do, I'll do a NAS system or a WHS)
the mobo I am getting for this HTPC has 8 sata ports, 6 sata II
2 sata III am going to use the sata III ports for the OS drive (SSD) and the optical

the case I am using can fit all this -- (6) 3.5" drives, (1) 2.5" (1) 5 1/4" drive if I am smart about it

A) I can use onboard raid and do raid 5 (which I like since there is some redundancy in the arry, and I don't mind buying the 6th 2tb drive for this reason)

B) I can just keep adding 2tb drives as they fill to the case and have multi drive letters, not a huge issue.


can someone give me some opinions on either method, pros, cons, etc. just looking to see what others think of either choice so I can get some more information

 

[drescherjm]

My best advice (from a person who has had 6 consecutive years using computers to record and playback tv content) is to leave the server with the raid or just separate disks in a back room. Next to the tv use a atom based machine like this

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...103228&cm_re=acer_revo-_-83-103-228-_-Product

 

[Dangman]

A) That is doable but comes with two caveats:
1: Constant CPU usage ranging from 15% to 50% depending on the size of the array and CPU as the PC's CPU is being used for all of the parity calculations.
2: Relatively low write speeds (If using Windows).

And finally: RAID IS NOT BACKUP!

B) That is also doable

You're gonna have to narrow down exactly what you want your storage setup to do.

Though I concur with drescherjm that you should seperate the HTPC from this storage setup completely. This way the HTPC can run cooler, quieter, and without performance inhibitors. In addition, it'll allow you to setup the storage without adversely affect the HTPC and vice versa. In most situations, you rarely want the HTPC and storage to be on the same PC.

 

[Dallamar]

A) That is doable but comes with two caveats:
1: Constant CPU usage ranging from 15% to 50% depending on the size of the array and CPU as the PC's CPU is being used for all of the parity calculations.
2: Relatively low write speeds (If using Windows).

And finally: RAID IS NOT BACKUP!

B) That is also doable

You're gonna have to narrow down exactly what you want your storage setup to do.

Though I concur with drescherjm that you should seperate the HTPC from this storage setup completely. This way the HTPC can run cooler, quieter, and without performance inhibitors. In addition, it'll allow you to setup the storage without adversely affect the HTPC and vice versa. In most situations, you rarely want the HTPC and storage to be on the same PC.

oh, I understand 100% that it is not back up. (I am the jackass friend that yells at the people I know to back their crap up) I actually have the physical media for all the movies, TV, etc. if it explodes, all I have lost is time ripping and coding

basicly, the storage set-up if going to be for playing media onto a HD tv, secondary function is going to be recording HD TV if the ceton card ever gets released., third function is going to be gaming, so the heat/power usage is a moot point since I am planning on jamming a 5830/5850 card inside to go with that.

from a pure playback stand point, I see no reasons for a raid set-up if I am not streaming to other HTPCs in the apartment. (mind you I live in a one bedroom small apartment)

and if one drive goes boom, then all I have lost is the media on that drive, but having said that, the raid 5 would at least give me some piece of mind that if one goes I can recover.


I'll start looking at NAS enclosers for a 6 drive raid 5 set-up to see if it will fit what i want to do