RAID Suggestions

[kluss0]

After two years of suffering, I am thinking about migrating my Scalix server to new hardware. I am currently running a Penguin Computing Altus 2100 with an 8-Channel 3Ware SATA 9500S-8 w/battery, with a RAID 1+0 Volume of 800.0 GB (4 x 400.0 GB).

The problem that I have is that disk I/O is unbearably slow because I can't use the write cache on the raid controller. Every time I turn on the write cache, I end up with corrupted mail stores.

What are other people using for RAID? 1+0? 5? 1? What is the optimal configuration? Obviously I will be going from SATA to SCSI...

Thanks,
Kenny

[Kris]

I'm using an Areca Sata raid controller with 4x 300GB disks in a raid 1+0 config. Works fine here, performance is good. (about 150 premium users + 70 imap (thunderbird and swa) users).

[kluss0]

Normally, I would say that it is just a bad controller, but this is the second server that this has happened in. It could be a problem with 3Ware. Both boxes had the same model controller in them.

[btisdall]

Hmmm, I was going to spec a 3ware card for a customer upgrade... Which Areca card are you using Kris? Is it suitable for a tower server or only a rackmount?

Cheers.

[Kris]

I'm using the Areca 1110 controller (4 ports). I'm using it in a tower server.

[btisdall]

Cheers!

[kluss0]

I'll have to look into that card. I was planning on switching to a SCSI-based system and going with the tried and true Adaptec

[savant]

We're running on 3ware SATA-Raid controllers (8/12 disks) with write cache enabled without any trouble at all (RAID-10 and RAID-50); however, we're using newer models (9590 & 9650).

The 9500S has been flaky for us as well, which is why we replaced it. This specific controller series has given us trouble; all later ones worked fine.

HTH,
Simon.