Noob questions about setting up a RAID (Intel)

[beginner99]

Can anyone explain or point me to a link on how to setup a RAID array using the onboard Intel stuff?

Also on Intel site I found this:
http://www.intel.com/design/chipsets/matrixstorage_sb.htm

Performance with Protection: Matrix RAID

For those users who wish to combine the benefits of two RAID levels, matrix RAID is the solution. When using two hard drives, matrix RAID allows RAID 0 and RAID 1 functions to be combined, where critical files can be stored on RAID 1, and RAID 0 can be used for non-critical items such as software. In 2005, the matrix RAID capability was expanded to include RAID 5 and RAID 10. For instance, RAID 5 and RAID 0 can be combined to provide higher performance, capacity, and fault tolerance. A user can edit digital video on a high-performance 4-drive RAID 0 array, then transfer it to RAID 5 for protected storage when completed.

So I could use 4 disks to setup a RAID 0 array that uses 4 disk for reading/writing and on the same 4 disks put a raid 5 (or RAID 1) for redundancy? (a s an intel specific feature)

Or did I misunderstood this text?

Because that would be pretty useful. Even better would be something like 3 disk with raid 0 and 1. I'm interested in sequential speed but don't need the capacity of so many drives.

 

[Nothinman]

I believe it just means that you can have multiple arrays with different RAID levels. With 4 drives you can do things like RAID10 which is two mirrors striped, but if I'm reading correctly I don't think it works like you're envisioning.

 

[Old Hippie]

Or did I misunderstood this text?

You understood correctly. More than one array can be used on the same disks with Matrix Raid.

Look here to see the various Intel controllers and the RAID configurations avaliable for each.

Matrix RAID is also discussed in the PDF Reference Content for Intel® Matrix Storage Console

file here.

 

[scrubman]

What a great question! I have been thinking about trying to up my RAID from a RAID1 and didnt even know about Matrix RAID! I found this instruction guide.
http://www.intel.com/support/chipsets/imsm/sb/CS-022648.htm?wapkw=(matrix)

 

[scrubman]

Thanks OP! Now I am using Matrix RAID and loving it!!

 

[TexasEd]

Great topic. I learned something new.

Create two arrays on the same set of disks.

 

[Old Hippie]

Great topic. I learned something new.

Create two arrays on the same set of disks.

It's interesting but I find it pretty much useless.

RAID0 and 1 on the same chipset?

Matrix RAID is similar to using different drives in a single array, it will default to the slowest component/array in the configuration.

If you could work/access one single array at a time it would be different.

 

[taltamir]

It's interesting but I find it pretty much useless.

RAID0 and 1 on the same chipset?

Matrix RAID is similar to using different drives in a single array, it will default to the slowest component/array in the configuration.

If you could work/access one single array at a time it would be different.

Just so I get it straight... so you are saying that if I use 2x1TB drives to create a RAID0 array (first 500GB of each drive) and a RAID1 array (second 500GB of each drive) on intel matrix raid, that the RAID0 array will not operate at real RAID0 speeds even when only it is being accessed?
because that is quite a bold claim.

 

[Old Hippie]

Just so I get it straight... so you are saying that if I use 2x1TB drives to create a RAID0 array (first 500GB of each drive) and a RAID1 array (second 500GB of each drive) on intel matrix raid, that the RAID0 array will not operate at real RAID0 speeds even when only it is being accessed?

If you could work/access one single array at a time it would be different.

If you could access a single array it should work normally.

Seemed clear to me but sometimes the keyboard gets in the way and creates confusion. :biggrin:

 

[beginner99]

It's interesting but I find it pretty much useless.

RAID0 and 1 on the same chipset?

Matrix RAID is similar to using different drives in a single array, it will default to the slowest component/array in the configuration.

If you could work/access one single array at a time it would be different.

I think it could be extremely useful if you need redundancy and speed and don't have tons of drive bays and SATA connectors.
Especially with current drive sizes if the fast part eg. RAID0 is enough if its like 500 GB. Assuming 2 2 TB disks you have 1.5 TB (750 GB usable) left for a RAID 1.

 

[scrubman]

I can tell you that the RAID 0 speed is far greater than the RAID 1 speed from this MATRIX setup. Why would Intel bother with this otherwise??

 

[Old Hippie]

Why would Intel bother with this otherwise??

Because they can? :biggrin:

Data recovery outta be a real treat.

I'm glad you guys like it but it's a stop gap solution for the real RAID array and pretty much useless.

 

[scrubman]

Because they can? :biggrin:

Data recovery outta be a real treat.

I'm glad you guys like it but it's a stop gap solution for the real RAID array and pretty much useless.

Dont knock it till you try it! I have much test data showing the performance of these two Samsungs in every config possible and this is NOT useless. I would not have the benefits of both RAID types without buying two more drives.

So what's your real quam with this new hybrid RAID? Is it just early adopter envy?

 

[taltamir]

If you could access a single array it should work normally.

1. why can't you access just one at a time?
2. while accessing both at once will introduce slowdowns (due to controller, as well as due to having multiple concomitant I/O requests per drive), I see no reason why it will be "as slow as the slowest component")... unless you have exactly 2 drives and exactly 2 access operations and a controller that handles that perfectly, in which case you will get the speed of 1 drive by sheer coincidence. It could be slower or faster than the slower component depending entirely on how its accessed.

 

[scrubman]

Here is some more info that I posted on this thread..

http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2137015

The good new is that I have decided to utilize the new (new to me anyway) Intel Matrix RAID. Two drives RAIDed together and partitioned into a RAID 0 and a RAID 1 array. The RAID 1 is almost identical to normal RAID 1 and the RAID 0 is about 33% less performance than normal RAID 0 but still a nice improvement over the single drive.

 

[Old Hippie]

So what's your real quam with this new hybrid RAID? Is it just early adopter envy?

Early adaptor? :biggrin:

I've known about it for a long time and if you'll notice, pointed the rest of you in the general direction. :biggrin:

why can't you access just one at a time?

I dunno. Do you think that the RAID0 will wait while the RAID1 array updates?

You know as well as anyone here that a RAID array can only be as fast/same size as the smallest/slowest drive in the array.

 

[Old Hippie]

The RAID 1 is almost identical to normal RAID 1 and the RAID 0 is about 33% less performance than normal RAID 0 but still a nice improvement over the single drive.

I'm glad you're satisfied but that's what I call stop-gap.

RAID1 isn't a backup solution and now you're mixing it with RAID0 on the same disks.

I'm not intending to be mean but please post when you have a data/disk problem. Recovery could be an unusual situation.

 

[scrubman]

I'm glad you're satisfied but that's what I call stop-gap.

RAID1 isn't a backup solution and now you're mixing it with RAID0 on the same disks.

I'm not intending to be mean but please post when you have a data/disk problem. Recovery could be an unusual situation.

Yeah, thats the only thing I didnt try yet. I was thinking of unplugging one of them and seeing if I truly get access to a the 700GB of the mirrored array. It's prob a good time to try it while I have a fresh copy backed up to my WD 750GB drive.