[clug-talk] OT: RAID Questions

[Johnny Stork]

I have a Dell SC1425 which will be running CentOS x64 and which has an 
on-board Adaptec CERC RAID controller. I also have a cheap Syba 
SD-PCXSA2-2E2R SATA II RAID controller

My question is, are both of these cards/controllers simply BIOS 
controlled SOFTWARE RAID controllers? The reason I asked is that on my 
first test, I simply pulled the SATA cable off the first drive after 
building a RAID-1 array and installing CentOS. The system just hung 
until I rebooted, but it did boot with degraded array. After shutting 
down again and plugging in the first drive, it did not "appear" to 
rebuild the array automatically, but I am not sure.

I have been using 3ware controllers for years with no problems and am 
trying to save a few bucks by using the on-board, or Syba controller, 
but if they are both software RAID, then I guess they wont support 
hot-swap and so thats why the test of pulling the drive while running 
hung the system? With the 3ware controllers I can get alerts when the 
array is down, or rebuilding and can access the controller through the 
3Dm interface.

Basically I would like the ability to have the system remain up when a 
drive dies, and of course to automatically begin rebuilding the array 
after replacing a dead drive. I suppose I might hear what I suspect all 
along, go with the 3ware hardware solution.


Thoughts, suggestions?
**

-- 
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Johnny Stork

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