Stripe Set or Volume Set

[Diane Walker]

I want to setup a Windows 2000 server to do backup only. The server has 18
hard drives. I want to setup the volume set or stripe set. Do physical
drives need to be contiguous? For example, to setup a stripe set, do drives
need to be 1, 2, 3, and 4 or I can setup drives 1, 3, 5, and 6? Thanks.

 

[Cameron Dorrough]

I want to setup a Windows 2000 server to do backup only. The server has 18
hard drives. I want to setup the volume set or stripe set. Do physical
drives need to be contiguous? For example, to setup a stripe set, do drives
need to be 1, 2, 3, and 4 or I can setup drives 1, 3, 5, and 6? Thanks.

Diane, I don't believe the drives need to be contiguous, but it sure helps
with drive management later on and would be preferred by everyone involved
I'm sure. The most important thing for a stripe set is that the drives be
*identical size* - preferably identical hardware.

To manage 18 drives you will likely need some sort of drive management
utility to set all of this up. What brand/model server are you running?

Cameron

 

[Diane Walker]

Cameron,

I have Compaq Proliant ML370. The server has 6 drives. However, we attach
this server to the disk array (12 drives). Would you setup these drives as
a stripe set or volume set? Thanks.

 

[Cameron Dorrough]

Cameron,

I have Compaq Proliant ML370. The server has 6 drives. However, we attach
this server to the disk array (12 drives). Would you setup these drives as
a stripe set or volume set? Thanks.

Diane, the ML370 is a good server so it all depends how much storage space
you really require.

Personally, I would mirror your most critical volumes on the server (eg.
file shares) and set the disk array volumes to be either mirrored (for
safety) or striped (for speed) depending upon what you plan to use the
volume for. The most important thing is file backup - particularly when
using stripe sets where if you lose one drive, you've lost both. I would
suggest using at least one of the server drives to backup all the others...

HTH,
Cameron

 

[Diane Walker]

Cameron,

Thanks for your prompt response and information. I forgot to mention that
this server is used to do backup only. We plan to backup other servers to
this server. We have 15 servers. So, would you still mirror the operating
system and setup striped volume to do backup? Any other recommendations are
appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Cameron Dorrough]

Cameron,

Thanks for your prompt response and information. I forgot to mention that
this server is used to do backup only. We plan to backup other servers to
this server. We have 15 servers. So, would you still mirror the operating
system and setup striped volume to do backup? Any other recommendations are
appreciated. Thanks.

Hi Diane - for a backup server? Yes. I would suggest mirroring all the
drives on your server (the OS and two other volumes) and striping the drives
on the data array.

Use the mirrored volumes on the server to hold nightly systemstate backups
of the OS's on your other servers and to backup critical data stores
(Exchange, SQL, etc.), then use the data array to backup everything else..

HTH,
Cameron

 

[Diane Walker]

Thanks very much, Cameron.

Hi Diane - for a backup server? Yes. I would suggest mirroring all the
drives on your server (the OS and two other volumes) and striping the drives
on the data array.

Use the mirrored volumes on the server to hold nightly systemstate backups
of the OS's on your other servers and to backup critical data stores
(Exchange, SQL, etc.), then use the data array to backup everything else..

HTH,
Cameron