CentOS - Jan 2008 - CentOS 5.1 and HP DL145 G2 SATA server configured with Raid

I have a task to set this up, but don't have access to it until I finally I
am needed to do it.

If anyone is familiar with this server, do you know if the motherboard based
raid is software based (I can't find any real pointer at hp's site)? If
so, I suppose it would be better to install CentOS and setup raid inside of
Linux. Given that I have never used anything but hardware raid, what should I
expect if the primary disc fails? I suppose it would only be a problem once it
reboots and the motherboard bios sits and waits to boot the dead disc? Using a
real raid hba isn't possible as the only two expansion slots will be full.

Thanks!
jlc

Joseph L. Casale wrote:
> I have a task to set this up, but don't have access to it until I
finally I am needed to do it.
When you do have access, you should do a lspci to get a list
of controllers in the machine.

If it were me, I would:

1. set up hardware RAID, do some speed tests
2. set up software RAID, do some speed tests

and compare the two.

I'm using:

http://sourceforge.net/projects/array-info

to get status into Big Brother on my old HP ML370 G3's with
hardware RAID.

My machines have hardware RAID CCISS controllers and normal
SCSI controllers. Connecting the disks to the normal SCSI
controllers instead of the Smart Array controllers gives
a factor 2-3 better performance in RAID 5.

However, maintaining software RAID is a bit more difficult,
you'll have to do a lot of things manually when a disk is
replaced: Remove the old partitions from the RAID arrays, spin
up the new disk, partition it, add the new partitions to the
arrays.

Another advantage of using hardware RAID is that a red light
is blinking on the failing drive, reducing the risk of replacing
the wrong drive which would be a disaster.

Mogens
-- 
Mogens Kjaer, Carlsberg A/S, Computer Department
Gamle Carlsberg Vej 10, DK-2500 Valby, Denmark
Phone: +45 33 27 53 25, Fax: +45 33 27 47 08
Email: mk at crc.dk Homepage: http://www.crc.dk