Where to start with Linux RAID NAS for media storage/fault-tolerant backup?

[santanan]

Dude, at the end of the day, since you aren’t sure what you need, just get an off-the-shelf product. At least until you understand the benefits of building your own. Remember you can always sell it.

What it really comes down to is Storage Capacit vs. Performance. There are many factors that come into play when deciding which route to take.  And remember the cost factor also. 

I choose best performance over anything else. Bandwidth is important to me since networks tend to grow and the performance is crucial. With RAID 10 I have the comfort of having performance and fault tolerence needs met, at the expense of storage capacity. But this is the most costly route to take. Besides, you can have multiple RAID configs.

I suggest you decide the storage capacity you need first and then go from there. Building your own HTPC/NAS can become rather expensive. Remember, at the end of the day, it’s a computer and you can always change configs and/or upgrade if you need to. But as long as you have the foundation, the posibilities are endless. Start with something simple and modify as your needs expand/grow.

 

To simplify RAID 5/6 vs. RAID 10:

RAID 0 or RAID 1 are not options for your wants/needs/requirements, that is the reason i didn’t bother mentioning them.

Raid 5(RAID 6 is similar but IS NOT always offered as an option with controllers):

RAID 5 is the preference for HOME use since you get more storage capacity and you get the fault tolerence needed.  This RAID option requires extral processing power to write parity information, which benchmarks show a performance decrease on writes.

The storage capacity is equal to the total of all drives minus 1.

RAID 1+0 (currently better known as RAID 10):

A Raid 10 VD performance is similar to its equivalent Raid 0 VD.  A minimum of 4 HDD is required.

Example: “2” HDD Raid 0 VD = “4” HDD Raid 10 VD

This RAID config will ALWAYS have the best read/write performance hands down.  Any benchmark will prove that. 

 

[SpacemanSpiff2000]

Thanks to everyone again. This is interesting to watch and learn.

Further clarifications:

VD = Virtual Disk? No one else is talking “VD” here (or elsewhere in my reading), so I’m curious how this comes into play.

Wants: I do know what I want … in the end (see OP). Just trying to figure out how best to get there. The best advice so far here may be to start small but expandable and build from there. This is not my 1st build (it’s my 3rd, but I also have a 20 yr history in IT and I am new to the entertainment media party).

Off-the-shelf: I am a bit resistant b/c I’ve kinda “been there done that” with a WD WorldBook w/ 2x1TB disks (RAID1) that I filled. Wanted to upgrade to 2x2TB Samsung disks in-hand. WD only allowed it to recognize WD HDDs … until I hacked the Linux down to reading the code myself and found/commented out the 1 line where it detected the WD drives (and told it all HDDs were WD), AND figured out how to keep the mirrored drive from overwriting the hack. That (+ the 1TB copying) only took 3 weeks of my life around Christmas of doing little else. Never again. So, I’m a bit wary, but still will look @ ReadyNAS.

Performance: I’m not looking for “best” performance but “good enough” performance. P1 files (fault tolerant) are written overnight (don’t care about speed) and are only read if files are lost or for local sharing (don’t care again). P2 is all about serving movies, so I need the performance to serve a ripped Bluray w/ 5.1 sound at full speed with 0 lag and 0 dropped frames … a little more is a buffer … any more than that is overkill.

Performance Q: So what performance is good enough to serve BRs over the network? Or what will give me that performance?

If it matters, the network will be at least wireless-N (when I upgrade the router), up to gigabit later (when I figure out how to run cable from the office in my basement, horizontally thru a half-bath and along an external wall to the family room, which is also in my fully-finished basement … worst case scenario there). Thanks once again!

[santanan]

Dude, you claim to have experience in IT and built several computers, but yet you know nothing.  I see you have posted several threads on building your first HTPC.  Before you keep wasting everyone’s time, read the comments and suggestions everyone has been kind enough to post.  ALL the info you need is within them, repeated over and over.  GOOD LUCK! seems you’re gonna need it.

[SpacemanSpiff2000]

[quote=santanan]

Although I’ve been in the IT tech field for 20 yrs, I’m new to the Media Enthusiast arena, but in my adventure …

[/quote]

Hmm. That describes me, too. Thought we had more in common. As I said, the best overall approach idea so far came from you (if not the technicals for “best” perf required). Oh, well.

My apologies for not being as far along or on the same adventure as you, or not coming from similar areas of IT, or that my questions do not conform to your way of thinking (or whatever has offended your sensibilities). This is a discussion, which has been interesting and informative until now. What is now clear is that you are not patient enough to assist a fellow Media Enthusiast noob. Someone who is would have simply linked or pointed out where a given question is already answered. If we are of similar age, I would have expected a similar level of maturity.

[swoon]

Folks, let’s stay on topic here. There are no stupid questions and no apologies must be made. The goal of these forums is to share and exchange ideas. We all have different experiences and we all can stand to learn a thing or two no matter who we are. Sometimes we may not see things obvious to some which is understandable given the complex nature of technology.

Public Service Announcement over, carry on.

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