CentOS - Dec 2005 - Setting up software IDE RAID

I have some old rack boxes which are going to get some bigger harddrives 
(IDE/ATA, not SATA) in Spring and I'm wondering if I should put two disks 
in them and use them as RAID 1 (software RAID). Objective being that the 
machine can hopefully carry on after (one) disk failure (including 
rebooting).
I don't have any experience with software RAID. Can I do this during the 
normal CentOS (4) setup or can I even do this later (when there's only one 
disk and I add another one)?
Does it make a difference performance-wise? (slight drop?)
Is it reliable, so that it will fulfill on the purpose or should I better 
forget it?
(Replacing the mainboards or adding RAID controller cards is out of the 
question.)
I'm certainly willing to read a How-To or other documentation, but since 
it's completely new to me I'm not really sure where to start searching.

Kai

-- 
Kai Sch?tzl, Berlin, Germany

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On Sun, Dec 18, 2005 at 08:31:23PM +0100, Kai Schaetzl
wrote:
> I don't have any experience with software RAID. Can I do this during
the
> normal CentOS (4) setup or can I even do this later (when there's only
one
> disk and I add another one)?
Yes and yes.
> Does it make a difference performance-wise? (slight drop?)
In theory, yes, but I never noticed any.
> Is it reliable, so that it will fulfill on the purpose or should I better 
> forget it?
Yes, it is reliable.
> I'm certainly willing to read a How-To or other documentation, but
since
> it's completely new to me I'm not really sure where to start
searching.
Then you should do it at install time. It is fairly straightforward.

Doing it after 1 HD is already started is possible and, once you
learn to do it, easy. But it will take you some time to catch all
the tricks, so install time is my recomendation.

[]s

- -- 
Rodrigo Barbosa <rodrigob at suespammers.org>
"Quid quid Latine dictum sit, altum viditur"
"Be excellent to each other ..." - Bill & Ted (Wyld Stallyns)

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