Configure RAID 10

[Ayman Altounji]

Brand new ML370 with Smart Array 5304 and four 9.1 gig drives. This will house our accounting software. The software vendor wants it setup in a RAID 10 config. Do I need to set up two arrays of two drives each with RAID 0+1 on these drives? What exactly do I need to do in order to make this RAID 10. The software vendor has been no help... they just know they want it configured RAID 10. Any help is greatly appreciated.

[Ayman Altounji]

Dude
There is no such thing as a raid 10 thats why the vendor is not any help to you. 0+1 are mirrored strip sets.

[Ayman Altounji]

Ok, I'll buy the Raid 10 argument...I thought Raid 10 was a striped array with segments that are Raid 1 arrays? However, what the vendor now says is they want two mirrored drive pairs, each appearing as a single drive, and then striping across the two "single" drives. Do I need to create an array that consists of two logical drives with each logical drive consisting of two physical drives in a raid 0+1 config or do I need two arrays of two physical drives each?
Thanks

[Ayman Altounji]

Yes. You are describing the same thing. RAID 0+1 is what you need. That would consist of a strip set made up of two drives with one logical and this would be mirrored to another identical strip set.

[Ayman Altounji]

So, do I create two Raid 0 logical drives in Array Config and then create mirror sets in NT Disk Administrator? Or create two Raid 0+1 logical drives in Array Config? Please forgive me mundane questions but as you can no doubt tell, I am rather "new" at all this. Thanks for your help.

[Ayman Altounji]

0+1 under the array con fig. utility. Stay away from the TN side. This would be considered a software raid 0 which is not as good.

[Ayman Altounji]

Sorry for the typo on the last post my fingers were to fast. You should meet with the vendor and tell them to create a sketch of the drive config. because it sounds like they want you to create a raid under hardware and software both witch is not good.

[Ayman Altounji]

Just for knowledge; There is such a thing as Raid 10 http://www.acnc.com/04_01_10.html

[Ayman Altounji]

Thanks mpett1 for your assistance ....

[Ayman Altounji]

HP's array controllers have (or used to, anyway) RAID 10, 40, 50. We all know that such things are really 0+1, 0+4, 0+5, etc.

But some people out there still like to call 0+1 a RAID 10 array... whatever. As long as we know what they're talking about.

To my knowledge, Compaq's array controllers don't support such configurations anyway. I know you can find some 3rd party controllers that'll do it. Or if performance is a big factor, consider a standalone filer connected via fiber or some such.