Raid 1 ?

[24c]

I want to set up 2 WD 640 GB spinners in a RAID 1 array for storage, my 1st attempt at a RAID 1 array. As I understand it, RAID 1 writes the same data to each HD, therefore creating 2 identical drives. 2X safety for files.

I am wondering:

1. could each drive be removed from the array and used separately?
2. if 1 fails, the other is still readable in the array?

My purpose for this is to have 2 copies of my files on separate drives for obvious safety reasons. I currently copy from one drive to another, not good if I forget to copy something and a drive fails.

ETA - title of post should be RAID 1 ?, not Raid i ?
I picked a heck of a month to give up coffee................

 

[Kirsch]

1. could each drive be removed from the array and used separately?
2. if 1 fails, the other is still readable in the array?

1. Absolutely
2. There wouldn't be much use of RAID 1 if it wouldn't be, eh?

 

[24c]

1. could each drive be removed from the array and used separately?
2. if 1 fails, the other is still readable in the array?

1. Absolutely
2. There wouldn't be much use of RAID 1 if it wouldn't be, eh?

Thanks, just checking. Sometimes I don't know what I think I know, and what I think I know is just plain wrong.

 

[pparks1]

Keep in mind with RAID 1 that while you do have 2 copies of the data...in the event that you accidentally delete a file or get a virus and it corrupts a file that it's going to corrupt both copies of the file at the same time.

I prefer having data redundancy on an external hard drive that I can keep offsite. This way if somebody steals the computer or my house burns down...I don't lose my backup copy at the exact same time.

 

[24c]

@paprks1

I wanted to make the RAID 1 include 1 internal, 1 external drive, but I can't do that unless I get a real long SATA cable so I can connect the external drive to an internal SATA port. I think this correct anyway.

I do have an external drive case I'm using now, and after I get the RAID 1 set up, I may be able to copy to the external drive once a week or so for just such situations as you mentioned.

 

[pparks1]

Sure, just wanted to make it clear that RAID was not a substitute for backup. So many people forget that and are left with a bad taste in their mouth when they lose their data and thought they were protected.

 

[Kirsch]

Sure, just wanted to make it clear that RAID was not a substitute for backup. So many people forget that and are left with a bad taste in their mouth when they lose their data and through they were protected.

Correct, and incorrect. I like your wording in your previous post.

It DOES backup against failed hard-drives (unless, obviously, both fail).

So.. RAID 1 can be considered a backup for faulty hardware.. how does that sound?

 

[pparks1]

Sure, just wanted to make it clear that RAID was not a substitute for backup. So many people forget that and are left with a bad taste in their mouth when they lose their data and through they were protected.

Correct, and incorrect. I like your wording in your previous post.

It DOES backup against failed hard-drives (unless, obviously, both fail).

So.. RAID 1 can be considered a backup for faulty hardware.. how does that sound?

RAID is never a backup....it's redundancy....they are 2 different things. For example, get a virus on your machine. Then try to use your "backup" drive from your RAID set to see if things are fine.

RAID 1 is really necessary when uptime is critical. Suffice it to say that nothing in my home "has" to be up and operational. I can suffer from some downtime if my server crashes and I have to reload the OS. However, I cannot recover very easily if I don't have a backup of my data.

 

[Kirsch]

RAID 1 can be considered a backup against a faulty hard drive, that's all I am saying.

 

[pparks1]

RAID 1 can be considered a backup against a faulty hard drive, that's all I am saying.

RAID 1 can save you in the 1 and only 1 instance that a hard drive fails. That is true. As a server admin for a living, I never utilize the terms RAID and backup to be interchangeable in any way. They are very different concepts. While you do understand this...other's don't.

 

[24c]

RAID 1 can be considered a backup against a faulty hard drive, that's all I am saying.

RAID 1 can save you in the 1 and only 1 instance that a hard drive fails. That is true. As a server admin for a living, I never utilize the terms RAID and backup to be interchangeable in any way. They are very different concepts. While you do understand this...other's don't.

I do now, thanks to this thread, may adjust plans to improve safety of all data.

 

[24c]

I have a Rosewill ext HD case - eSATA - has an adapter to install in rear of case to allow drive to be plugged in to an internal SATA port.

If I got another one of these and used the 2 cases with the adapters, WD HDs, could I build the RAID 1 with these 2 drives?

This would keep the drives out of the case, on their own power supplies, and should the machine blow up, they'd be safe.

 

[pparks1]

You could do that. But honestly, if I had 2 external drives (which I do), I would setup something like robocopy to sync data between my internal hard drive to the external drives on a regular basis and I would be sure to keep 1 offsite at all times and just rotate the one which is offsite back and keep the backups of the data current. That's pretty much exactly what I do.

Since robocopy just copies files that have changed since the last backup...the subsequent backups usually finish in about 2 minutes or less.

 

[24c]

If possible, I'd like to keep the spinners out side the case and just have the 4 SSDs in the case. No good logical reason for this other than "I want".

I have an eSATA port in the back I could add another external drive to in the future to make use of the robocopy idea.

In my case, it is my personal computer and there is nothing on it that isn't replaceable. I also have a laptop for another back up source for my data.

I just like these project for "learning experiences".

Thanks for all your help.