Advice Please: Raid controller for home server

[Mad Professor]

Hi All

I am looking for help and guidance with regarding to purchasing a suitable raid controller for my home server.

Let me just start with saying that I am a Raid newbie, and as such I would like to get as much help and guidance before I start jumping in with both feet and purchasing something that would not be suitable for my needs.

The home server in question is running ESXi, I don't know if that will make any difference.

The home server is mainly being used as a home media server with Ubuntu and plex, I am slowly converting all my DvD's and Blueray's, and as such starting to used up large amounts of storage space.

The current proposal is to install 5x 4TB WD40EFRX WD Red's with the provision to expand to 10x 4TB WD Red's in the future.

The current setup is using 2x 4TB Red's and 2x 2TB Green's all as single drives, with no redundancy, and this is just not acceptable.

I want at least one drive redundancy, but ideally two drive redundancy. If the latter, then my understanding is that I would be looking at a raid 6 configuration.

Thanks for your time.

Best Regards.

 

[Mad Professor]

Thank you for your replies.

I do not know that I need 5 disks, I only said about 5 disks as my home server already has two 5 disk hot swap bays.
I have looked at the raid types, but as I have not used raid much before that is why I am here asking questions before I go buying anything else. But I am thinking about Raid 5 or Raid 6, unless there is a better raid option for my needs.

I think I am using the term redundancy correctly. as in, if one or more drives fails within the raid array that I will not lose all the data there and then.

I have been doing some reading regarding the HP Smart Array P410 & P420 series controller.

It seems that the P410 can be got for very little money, where the P420 seems to be at least 3 or 4 times the price.

I am all for future proofing as much as possible, and I am more than happy to spend the extra on the P420 if it would be better suited.

As said before I am a newbie to raid setups, and this is why I am here asking for your advice.

Thanks again.

Best Regards.