OS Drive - SAS or SSD?

[VooDooAddict]

It would all depend on the size of the data sets that you are working on. But with the way capacity is these days your best route at this point in time is both:

OS Boot, Page file, user profile, application, and TEMP directories on a single 160GB Intel SSD (on the Motherboard's Intel controller).

Data on a 4+ Disk SAS or SATA array on separate expandable controller. (SAS or SATA based on capacity needs). RAID 10 or RAID 5 based on the number of reads vs. writes.


Personally, I have a heavy experience preference for RAID 1/10 over RAID 5 when possible. I hate when controllers for parity arrays bite it.

 

[imipenem]

Well, I just ordered my new PC components MINUS my storage solution...

I am going purchase the Areca ARC-1680i controller. I am still researching drive options.

Due to budget constraints I am considering the following SSDs:
- Corsair Extreme Series 32GB - 4 disk RAID0
- OCZ Vertex 30GB - 4 disk RAID0
- OCZ Vertex Turbo 30GB - 4 disk RAID0
- Intel X25-M 80GB - 2 disk RAID0

Thoughts?

 

[Rubycon]

22 mechanical drives in RAID??

Yes - Fujitsu MBA3300RCs. I actually miss the seek noise. It was relaxing like rain falling on a tin roof. The SSDs are silent. I'm actually considering using the activity headers to trigger a synthesizer to simulate disk access. Insane as it may seem, I'd like to do this!

 

[imipenem]

I submitted a question to Areca support regarding TRIM and the use of Corsair 32GB SSD (model CMFSSD-32D1) in a RAID0 setup on the ARC-1680i. Their response is causing me to reconsider the use of SSDs all together...

Here is their response:

"Dear Sir/Madam,

we did not test this SSD before, and also no usage or problem reported from customers. so we do not sure this drive do works with this controller or not.
there have some compatible issues between SAS processor and SSD control chip, normally we will suggest customer choose SATA controllers to avoid possible issue.

and all our currently available controllers do not support TRIM yet. but we will add TRIM support in the new 6G SAS products.


Best Regards,"

 

[Rubycon]

I have no problems whatsoever using SATA SSD on their SAS hosts. Now there have been issue with SATA drives dropping off arrays on these controllers and I believe they are playing it safe. Lots of discussion of this and possible solutions in the storage section over at 2cpu.com forums.

 

[imipenem]

Thanks for the reply. I guess I am being paranoid about SSDs. Their lifespan, performance degradation, and now the disclaimer from Areca support. I will probably still go with the 4 SSD RAID0 array... I just don't want to be six months into using the pc and notice a performance decline. I will image the initial install, but I don't want to be installing images every six months either...

Thanks again for all the info...

 

[imipenem]

Newegg has the Kingston SLC drives in stock - I am asking for a budget increase...