Raid 5 media/nas server

[r0undb0y]

Raid 5 media/nas server?

I am thinking of using some old bits and pieces to build a raid5 network storage on the cheap. One of my concerns is my electricity bill.

Is it possible to have drives on a raid5 setup power down when not in use? I know you can with single drives but not sure with raid and also through a pci controller card(s) that will inevitably be needed.

Googling around the net I notice a hardware review site has an article on a mod that enables windows xp raid5 support. Has anyone tried this?

The data rates are not brilliant but its mainly for storage of music/films etc and streaming them etc.

Thanks.

 

[rpstewart]

The HDDs are probably the lowest power consumption of any part of a modern PC, when idling they use 5-10W each. That's about 5p a week for 24/7 running.

 

[r0undb0y]

Thanks rpstewart, so basically its not worth worrying about the hard drives power saving as its not much anyway..

Has no-one tried the windows XP software raid5?

 

[Fr0dders]

yes and its pathetic

avoid software RAID 5 like the plague

if your want the best of both worlds, you have to pay for it

if you want the performance of RAID 0 but are concerned about data loss

have a backup routine.

sofware RAID 5 just isnt worth it.

 

[allllec]

hang on - is he talking about getting software raid 5 or a hardware raid? if its hardware then i would say go for it. all the advantages of mirrored but 50% less space required. only risk you run is 2 drives dieing simultaneously.. but you'd get that with mirrored anyway.

as for the original issue i dont know first hand, but in my experience ive found windows able to shut down drives on a raid array regardless of it being 0 1 5 or JBOD or anything.


go for it



*edit*

whopseee, typo fixed