Using Raid

[QBA]

I have never use raid before or really know how they work

I will tell you the way I have my HD set up and you tell me if you think there is any of those raid that could help me to automatically back up my data.

I have:

Drive C: System 60 GB, for the XP pro, installed applications and drivers

Drive D: Personal 120 GB, for personal data, work ect

Drive 120 GB partitioned into: E Music 48 GB, F Applications 48 GB, BackupSystem 14 GB (for an image of my C: drive)

Drive J: 320 GB, To back up all these drives

The way I usually do it is by partitioning this big drive into “Music”, “Appl”, “Personal” and “SystemBackup” and as each partition from my working drivers get new data once a few month or so I turn off my PC connect the 320 GB drive into the hard drive rack and backup a particular partition, then turn off the PC and disconnect the big backup drive again, by keeping the big backup hard drive always disconnect I keep it safe from power irregularities and virus that could destroy my data.

Do you think the way I’m doing it is the best way to go or I should change my routine to take advantage of any of any of the raid features?

[bigzig]

if you were wanting to use a raid, i would sugust a RAID 5 setup.

Which is pretty expensive.. btw is this just for home use ?

http://www.pcguide.com/ref/hdd/perf/raid/levels/singleLevel5-c.html

thats how raid 5 works if u need some help.

[QBA]

Thanks bigzig,

Yes is just for home use

[Just Doug1]

What gets expensive is the multiple identical drives to support it correctly. Trust me on this. 5x80G for 320 w/parity. The controller is a lot cheaper now.

http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=11663&vpn=ROCKETRAID454&manufacture=Highpoint%20Technologies

The cluster-stripe size relationship is important too.

[bigzig]

yeah for home use a RAID 5 setup can get quite insaine

but it is the best setup for your backup needs.

you could also do a mirroring raid setup aswell. Set up a simple RAID 1.

You will need a inddentical drive you wish to back up.. but you do have alota drives which range in size so i woulnd't recomend this.