These are all very standard features in hardware SCSI RAID controllers that I know of, but my knowledge of IDE RAID controllers is very limited. If all of the RAID controller functions are not transparent to the operating system, it is not a hardware RAID controller as far as I am concerned. If it requires software, then it is a software controller!
I am very interested in the subject though, as I am going to need a RAID5 IDE controller in the near future. I was looking at the AMI i4, now the LSI Logic i4, http://www.lsilogic.com/products/storage_standard_prod/raid/ideraid.html. Check out the features on that PDF. It is i960 based. They do not list Debian under OS support -- the bastards ;) , It probably works though. Promise has something called the SuperTrakSX 6000. http://promise.com/Products/Default.htm. This is getting really non-Debian, but I would be very interested in the knowledge of IDE controllers in this area. It is going on a Debian box if that is any consolation. # Jesse Molina lanner, Snow # Network Engineer Maximum Charisma Studios Inc. # [EMAIL PROTECTED] 1.303.432.0286 # end of sig > -----Original Message----- > From: Jason Lim [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Monday, November 05, 2001 4:28 PM > To: Debian-Isp > Subject: "Transparent" IDE RAID controller > > > Actually... come to think of it... I wonder if ANY RAID > controller does > the following... > > - appears to be just ONE hard disk (eg. hda) to the server > - actually has 2 or more hard disks connected to the RAID > controller (but > only shows up as one to the OS) > - if in RAID1 mode (mirroring), if one disk fails, the controller > AUTOMATICALLY uses the remaining hard disk(s), and perhaps a LED could > light up, indicating a problem with a disk. Once a new disk > is connected, > the RAID controller automatically rebuilds > - if in other modes, does 99% of operations by itself with no > intervention > required by the OS (auto rebuilds, etc.) except manual things like > replacing a dead drive > > This would mean the RAID controller is, more or less, OS > independent, and > requires no OS level software to make it run, thus making it a > "transparent" RAID controller. > > I've pondered this for a while, and i'm certainly no hardware > raid expert > but it appears like a workable and doable solution. > > So, for example if i mounted hda, the controller would transparently > activate both the drives (if you are running raid1 with 2 > hds). A cp to > hda would tell the controller to do a normal cp to hda on the > OS level, > but the "transparent" hardware raid controller would know that it is > running in raid1 mode and automatically cp the file(s) to > both hard disks. > After cping the file to both hard disks, it would tell the OS, like a > regular hd controller, that it had finished the operation, > and thus the OS > would not need to know that the file(s) were actually copied to 2 > different hard disks. > > If there is such a solution on the market... I haven't seen it. But > perhaps you could tell me WHY there is no such product when > it seems like > it would solve many problems with software/hardware > incompatibilities, and > would solve many many admin's troubles? > > Failing that... is there ANY product on the market that does plain > hardware level mirroring (for IDE)? What we do now is > (essentially) cp hda > to hdb every 24 hours, so in the case of a major hd failure on hda, we > simply swap hdb over to hda and continue running (but with stuff that > could be up to 24 hours old). What would a solution be to > make it so hdb > is never so out of date with hda, or perhaps even a LIVE copy > (considering > the above proposed transparent hardware raid, and without > causing massive > load during the day)? > > I think this is something many admins have to consider... what is YOUR > solution to this? > > Sincerely, > Jason > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Jesse Molina" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; "Debian-Isp" <debian-isp@lists.debian.org> > Sent: Tuesday, November 06, 2001 9:41 AM > Subject: RE: hardware raid > > > > > > If you are looking for Ultra 160 SCSI, the Mylex AcceleRAID > 170 may be > > something that you want. I recent purchased about 30 of > these cards for > a > > RAID 1 solution for some rack servers. They work pretty > good. RAID0, > > RAID1, Spanning (JBOD), RAID5. You can backup and restore the > controller > > configuration to a floppy disk, the BIOS interface is > fairly nice and > > simple. Rebuilding takes awhile, but no big deal. > > > > They also make an AcceleRAID 170LP, a low-profile PCI card. Pretty > neat. > > > > AMI recently sold all of their RAID card business to LSI Logic, this > making > > getting some of the AMI cards a bit difficult right now. > Otherwise, I > would > > also recommend the AMI Express 500. > > > > If you are looking for IDE, I have no comment there. > > > > > > > > # Jesse Molina lanner, Snow > > # Network Engineer Maximum Charisma Studios Inc. > > # [EMAIL PROTECTED] 1.303.432.0286 > > # end of sig > > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > > From: Andrew Kaplan [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > Sent: Monday, November 05, 2001 3:20 PM > > > To: Debian-Isp > > > Subject: hardware raid > > > > > > > > > I'm looking for a good hardware raid 1 (mirroring) solution > > > for Debian. Will > > > the promise cards work with Debian or is there a better > > > solution thanks. > > > > > > Andrew P. Kaplan > > > Network Administrator > > > CyberShore, Inc. > > > http://www.cshore.com > > > > > > "I couldn't give him advice in business and he couldn't give me > > > advice in technology." --Linus Torvalds, about why he wouldn't > > > be interested in meeting Bill Gates. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > > > From: Craigsc [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > Sent: Monday, November 05, 2001 4:17 AM > > > > To: Debian-Isp > > > > Subject: VIM > > > > > > > > > > > > H > > > > > > > > > > > > -- > > > > To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact > > > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > > > > > > > > > --- > > > > Incoming mail is certified Virus Free. > > > > Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). > > > > Version: 6.0.286 / Virus Database: 152 - Release Date: 10/9/01 > > > > > > > --- > > > Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. > > > Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). > > > Version: 6.0.286 / Virus Database: 152 - Release Date: 10/9/01 > > > > > > > > > -- > > > To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact > > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > > > > > > -- > > To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > > > > -- > To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] > with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact > [EMAIL PROTECTED] >
