RAID 5 Setup Questions

[Umberger]

I currently have a server with all of my Movies and TV shows that I stream via network to my home theatre. The server has two 500GB drives, both formatted in NTFS. Each drive is about 75% full (each drive with different data, not a backup). I just got a third 500GB drive and I would like to create a RAID 5 array to have some redundancy. I have been looking for PCI RAID controllers on Newegg and am looking for advice on a good model to buy.

I need:
-PCI Interface
-RAID 5 Support (don't care about other configurations)
-All SATA (don't need IDE or other)
-At LEAST 4 SATA ports. (Preferably 6)

Questions:
1) Can anyone recommend a RAID controller card?

2) Will I be able to set up the RAID array without killing all the data that is on the two drives to begin with?

3) Do RAID controllers come with management software? I know you can do management in the BIOS, but I have also read about OS-level management programs. (I am running XP)


Cliffs:
I want a PCI interface RAID 5 controller with at least 4, preferably 6 SATA ports. Recommendations and advice are appreciated.

 

[Fullmetal Chocobo]

Originally posted by: Umberger
I currently have a server with all of my Movies and TV shows that I stream via network to my home theatre. The server has two 500GB drives, both formatted in NTFS. Each drive is about 75% full (each drive with different data, not a backup). I just got a third 500GB drive and I would like to create a RAID 5 array to have some redundancy. I have been looking for PCI RAID controllers on Newegg and am looking for advice on a good model to buy.

I need:
-PCI Interface
-RAID 5 Support (don't care about other configurations)
-All SATA (don't need IDE or other)
-At LEAST 4 SATA ports. (Preferably 6)

Questions:
1) Can anyone recommend a RAID controller card?

2) Will I be able to set up the RAID array without killing all the data that is on the two drives to begin with?

3) Do RAID controllers come with management software? I know you can do management in the BIOS, but I have also read about OS-level management programs. (I am running XP)


Cliffs:
I want a PCI interface RAID 5 controller with at least 4, preferably 6 SATA ports. Recommendations and advice are appreciated.

What kind of budget are you working with for the RAID controller? Yes, it is possible to setup an array without destroying the original data, but I would take every precaution possible and backup everything before doing so. The best thing to do is read the manual of any RAID controller you are considering to ensure that the manual states it has the capability. And yes, RAID controllers generally come with some sort of front-end for RAID management within the OS. If that is a feature that is important to you, I'd check the website of the controller you are looking at getting--it will be in the software downloads section.

 

[RebateMonger]

Think twice before implementing a RAID 5 array. It significantly complicates your system, makes monitoring and maintenance much more difficult, and can STILL corrupt or lose your data. I've seen it many times, even with systems managed by IT professionals.

For the same price, I'd buy a 1 TB hard drive and put it in an external eSATA housing. Make weekly backups and then disconnect the drive and put it some place safe. The odds of losing data will be a LOT lower this way.

As Fullmetal Chocobo points out, if you do decide to go the RAID 5 way, take precautions with your data. Manipulating data without a backup somewhere is really risky.