Which would be better/faster raid 0?

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Undercover_Man

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Trying to decide which HDD would be better and/or faster in raid 0.

2x 2TB WD Caviar Black - 3 Gb/s, 64 MB Cache, 7200 RPM

- or -

2x+ 300GB WD VelociRaptor - 3 Gb/s, 16 MB Cache, 10,000 RPM

If I went with 2x 2TB, I wouldn't need any more hard drives....at least any time soon. :rolleyes:

If I went with the 2x+ 300GB, I'd start out with 600GB, but I could always add a drive when ever I needed more storage. I know these are faster, but I was wondering if the 64MB Cache would change anything even though it spins slower than the Raptors.

Let me know what you guys think. Thanx. ;)
 
2x300GB at 10k will be faster in RAID 0.


Also, faster for what? Games, Web I/O, files?


But yea it usually goes 15K.... 10K.....7200......almost all the time.
 
Technically, the 600GB RAID 0 Velociraptor would be faster than the 4TB RAID 0 (man does that sound insane) setup.

With that said, neither of those two setups would be an intelligent use of money considering the following: A RAID 0 1TB array using 2 x Samsung F3 500GB drives would provide at least 90% of the performance of a 600GB RAID 0 Velociraptor drive array but at 1/4 the costs. In addition, that same Samsung RAID 0 array would provide the same performance, if not better, than the WD 2TB Black drives but at 1/6th the cost.

So do you really want that extra 10% of performance so bad that you're willing to pay an extra $300 for it?
 
Hmmm.....I'll consider the Samsung's too.

Another few questions. Can you partition drives in raid 0? If not, then never mind. However, if possible, would partitioning have an affect on performance in raid 0? If so, then never mind again, if not, when adding a drive to two partitioned raid 0 drives, do I tell it how the new drives gets partitioned and it just adds whatever to the existing partitions or how does that work?

And these drives will be backed up to a server that I will be building after I build my monster PC. Doing a raid 0 on 2+ drives with possible partitions can be backed up if a drive dies, right? How would I backup a disk that died in a raid 0 in my computer by using a server backup? Do I have to "reload" the all the raid 0 drives or just the one that died?
 
Undercover_Man said:
Hmmm.....I'll consider the Samsung's too.

Another few questions. Can you partition drives in raid 0? If not, then never mind. However, if possible, would partitioning have an affect on performance in raid 0? If so, then never mind again, if not, when adding a drive to two partitioned raid 0 drives, do I tell it how the new drives gets partitioned and it just adds whatever to the existing partitions or how does that work? And these drives will be backed up to a server that I will be building after I build my monster PC. Doing a raid 0 on 2+ drives with possible partitions can be backed up, right?
Click to expand...

Yes you can partiition drives in any kind of RAID array. It's been shown in the past that if you partition about 20% to 25% of the total drive storage (this include both RAID arrays and single drives) off as an OS partition, you do see a small performance increase than if you were to use the entire drive as the OS partition. However that doesn't work with SSDs IIRC.

Not sure if OCE or Online Capacity Expansion is a feature of many motherboard's onboard RAID controller. OCE would allow you to add and extend a RAID array without having to completely reformat the RAID array every time you add a drive.

Yes you can backup any RAID array with multiple partitions.
 
The answer depends on your definition of "fast".

The two caviar-blacks will probably provide "faster" sequential read/write than the velociraptors (just barely). As Danny Bui pointed out, you can go even faster for less money using 3 (or more) cheaper drives.

The Velociraptors will still win for seek latency (always, due to a combination of 10k and smaller 2.5" platters). They will probably win for random read/write and IOPs for this same reason.

So, it you want fast sequential io, go with the blacks (or even 3+ cheaper drives)
If you need random read/write speed, go with the velociratpors.
If you need randeom read/write and don't really need 600GB, get with SSD.
 
Hmmmm......I'd need 6 Raptors to even cross into 2TB range.

Here's what I was thinking so far.

I was planing on getting two Intel X25M and RAID 0 them for OS and for the few programs that would REALLY take advantage of SSD speeds. I guess that'd only cover photo/video editing programs, right? I can't have too many programs on there cuz space is short.

Then I was going to have the next best thing, speed-wise, and stick x2 300GB RAID 0 Raptors in there for "D:". This would cover programs. I *WAS* thinking about partitioning the Raptors, to separate Programs from Misc. files such as downloads, finished photoshop pics, music library and such, and adding more and more Raptor as needed, which would end up in the TB's.

However, I'd end up needing quite a bit of Raptors to fulfill my capacity hording needs. I have a HUGE gaming backlog, will be editing HD videos and photos, catching up on all my video podcasts, and converting my music library to lossless audio ALL of which will need A LOT of Raptors.

So, I'm wondering if this would be the best solution for me:
C: - 2x 80GB SSD raid 0 - OS, select few progs.
D: - 2x 300GB WD Raptor raid 0 - covers every other programs I would need installed
E: - 1x 2TB WD Black - OR - 2x 1TB WD Black raid 0 - OR - 2x 2TB WB Black raid 0 (but 2nd hdd will have to be future upgrade) - used for Misc. stuff

Would that be a good setup price be damned? Eventually everything will be backup up on my new shiny server so that won't be a problem. I assume the two 1TB drives would be faster than the single 2TB drive, correct? Can the onboard raid thing control all this? I will have the evga Classified mobo. Let me know what you think.
 
You're gonna have be a bit more specific with the mobo: There's three eVGA Classified mobos out there each with a different number of SATA ports and features.

The C: setup is fine.

D: is ok if you're that needy for 10% performance increase to the point that you're willing to pay $300 more. But totally unnesseary for the following uses that you've said so far:
- Video podcasts
- Downloads
- Converting my music library to lossless audio

None of those uses will need a RAID 0 array of any sorts.

E: is just dumb. Regardless of whether or not the data is already backed up and from what you've said in past posts, there's ZERO reason for a RAID 0 2TB RAID array for purely storage. In addition, since this is just a storage drive, you can go with cheaper 2TB drives or even 3 x 1TB drives for the price of that one WD 2TB Black.

So all in all, it's good setup (C: and D:) but a stupid waste of money (D: and E:)

A better setup would be as so:
C: 2 x Intel 80GB SSD RAID 0 - OS and select programs
D: 2 x Samsung F3 500GB RAID 0 - Covers all programs + TEMPORARY storage of files being actively editing/modified (Photoshop files and HD video)
E: 1 x Hitachi 2TB - Misc storage as well storage of downloads, video podcasts, and finished products from your Photoshop and HD video editing needs.
F: 1 x Hitachi 2TB - Any other files needing storage.
 
Actually, I think you misread what D: was for. I always intended D: for only installed programs and E: for Misc. files like music and podcasts and other large files.

However, I looked at the Samsung drives and they are really unorganized with their drives. Which F3 drives were you talking about? Can you link to me which one plz?
 
Undercover_Man said:
Actually, I think you misread what D: was for. I always intended D: for only installed programs and E: for Misc. files like music and podcasts and other large files.

However, I looked at the Samsung drives and they are really unorganized with their drives. Which F3 drives were you talking about? Can you link to me which one plz?
Click to expand...

This is the Samsung drive I've been referring to:
$55 - Samsung Spinpoint F3 HD502HJ 500GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive

As for the D: setup, I still recommend using it as a temporary storage drive when you're doing photoshop or HD video editing work. In addition, you statement about needing lots of Raptor drives for storing your audio threw me off abotu the use for the D: setup.
 
Undercover_Man said:
Another few questions. Can you partition drives in raid 0? If not, then never mind. However, if possible, would partitioning have an affect on performance in raid 0? If so, then never mind again, if not, when adding a drive to two partitioned raid 0 drives, do I tell it how the new drives gets partitioned and it just adds whatever to the existing partitions or how does that work?
Click to expand...

Danny Bui said:
Not sure if OCE or Online Capacity Expansion is a feature of many motherboard's onboard RAID controller. OCE would allow you to add and extend a RAID array without having to completely reformat the RAID array every time you add a drive.
Click to expand...


Danny Bui said:
You're gonna have be a bit more specific with the mobo: There's three eVGA Classified mobos out there each with a different number of SATA ports and features.
Click to expand...

I will have the Classified 4-Way.
 
Undercover_Man said:
What controls the raid? Its own chip or something else?
Click to expand...

Well 6 of those SATA ports are controlled by the Intel ICH10R storage controller. The other two are controlled by a separate storage controller. The separate storage controller as well as the Intel ICH10R controller can both setup a RAID array. However both controllers will be using the computer's CPU to handle all of the parity calculations. But since you're using RAID 1 and RAID 0, the actual CPU usage isn't that much. 5% at most.
 
And I set them up in the bios menu, right? I can group the first two drives in a raid and the other two drives in a separate raid, correct? That can all be done with the one controller? It wouldn't make much of a difference by getting a separate raid controller card, would it?
 
Undercover_Man said:
And I set them up in the bios menu, right? I can group the first two drives in a raid and the other two drives in a separate raid, correct? That can all be done with the one controller? It wouldn't make much of a difference by getting a separate raid controller card, would it?
Click to expand...

Yes you use the BIOs to setup the RAID arrays. Yes you can create seperate RAID arrays on one controller. Not that much of a difference when using a seperate RAID controller unless you're going for a RAID 5 array.

Now what are your thoughts on my proposed setup earlier?
 
Should've thrown him a raid faq.

this setup seems extremely crazy and really expensive. almost enuff to build another computer.
 
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