[mythtv-users] NAS RAID 5 for MythTv

[Jim - MythTV]

I went with a 3ware when i started using myth,  I wanted stability as I was 
unsure of how  software raid would work.  I have been thinking about trying 
this as I want t setup another file server at my house but do not want to 
spend money on a hardware raid again (I think my wife will divorce me if I 
do that <grin>)  I think now the software raid to be more stable than when i 
setup my myth 3 or 4 years ago.

but as the saying goes your mileage could vary.  the thing to do is try 
software raid and if it works great.  if not go for a hardware solution as 
it will definately work., but is a more pricy solution.   When i got mine 
SATA drives were still pretty expensive and the 3ware raid was more pricey. 
I went with the8 drive ATA version of the 3ware card (populated with 8 x 120 
gig drives.   Now the only problem I may run into eventually is where do I 
get ATA drives to replace a dead one <grin> as I am sure they will go the 
way of the dinosaurs..


just my 2 cents plus tax


Do you have some pics of this setup i would love to see it  I am wanting to 
redo my current server with sata2 drives rather than the current ATA's that 
I am running on my file server.

jim


----- Original Message ----- 
From: <genestapp at charter.net>
To: "Discussion about mythtv" <mythtv-users at mythtv.org>
Sent: Saturday, February 10, 2007 11:18 PM
Subject: Re: [mythtv-users] NAS RAID 5 for MythTv


I guess I'll throw in my input as well :)

I don't see any reason to use the 3ware cards when the Linux software raid 
is so excellent. It can now do NCQ, hotplug and online capacity expansion 
(through mdadm which I have used to add a 5th drive in the last couple 
months took about 8 hours). For the non-enterprise usage of myth, the speed 
difference between software and hardware raid in linux is minimal. I'm still 
seeing the drives themselves as the limiting factor. The other thing to take 
into account is if the hardware raid card itself becomes DOA. You would be 
forced to replace with the same hardware to get your data back whereas I can 
just plug my drives into another linux based system with the same kernel or 
above.

I'm using a sata 2 port multiplier and a pci-e 1x SIL3132 based card and 
having great results. Hotplug works correctly and I'm not having to shell 
out $300+ for a hardware raid solution. I'm running the eSata cable through 
a wall into a storage room that is behind the wall of my media/theater room. 
I also house my external watercooling system there. My myth server is a 
P5WD2-E with an intel D 830 (processor runs very hot and is why watercooling 
was a must), 5x300GB internally, with 5x500GB seagate.10s in the external 
raid case. I still have room for another 15 drives if it I need them in the 
future by adding more icy docks, port multipliers and a second pci-e sata 
card.

Cost breakdown for my ext. raid setup:
port multiplier - $85 (addonics 5x1)
pci-e sata 2-esata card (2 channel) - Chipset: Silicon Image Sil 3132 - $35 
(ebay)
Icy Dock - 3 to 5 sata 2 enclosure - $95 (ebay)
Coolmaster stacker case - $150
Ultra-V 500w power supply - Free
total cost (not including drives) - $365 (not inluding shipping costs) or 
basically the same cost as one of those low end sata 2 3ware cards.


---- Robin Hill <myth at robinhill.me.uk> wrote:
> On Fri Feb 09, 2007 at 05:37:45PM -0600, matthew.garman at gmail.com wrote:
>
> > On Fri, Feb 09, 2007 at 11:00:00PM +0000, Stroller wrote:
> > > And I find them to be fairly affordable on eBay. I'd find the
> > > off-the- shelf prices (here in the UK, at least) a little
> > > prohibitive, but I  don't think I'm impatient enough that that
> > > needs to be a problem. It  looks like one can pick up a 9500-12
> > > for a couple of hundred quid,  6TB should be enough for anybody.
> >
> > This thread prompted me to take a gander at 3ware cards on ebay.  I
> > didn't see any used (or reasonably priced) PCI Express 3ware SATA
> > RAID cards.  All the ones I would consider affordable (e.g. 9500)
> > are 64-bit PCI cards.
> >
> Yeah, I think it's only the 9550 which comes in PCI Express format, and
> that's really too new to have hit the second-hand market.
>
> > So, to those of you who own these cards, do you also have
> > motherboards with 64-bit PCI (which are usually found only on
> > "server" grade (i.e.  very expensive) boards), or do you just run
> > them in 32-bit PCI slots found on most commodity motherboards?
> >
> I used to use it in a 32-bit slot but my latest board has a 64-bit PCI-X
> slot.  These seem to be more common since PCI Express came in - it just
> needs a cheap bridge chipset off a PCI Express bus.
>
> > I used to use a 64 bit SCSI card.  None of my mobos have ever had
> > the bigger PCI slots, and this card would actually *not* work in
> > several motherboards.  I'm not sure if this was a failure of the
> > motherboard or the SCSI card.
> >
> I've had a problem with the card in some boards - not from any
> compatability issues but just because of where they've sited the
> capacitors and other chipsets have made it impossible to fit the card
> in.  I think it should work in any 3.3V PCI slot.
>
> Cheers,
>         Robin
> -- 
>      ___
>     ( ' }     |       Robin Hill        <myth at robinhill.me.uk>  |
>    / / )      | Little Jim says ....                            |
>   // !!       |      "He fallen in de water !!"                 |

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