MSA1500 Raid size question

[Gary crews]

I have a customer that wants to create a 14 drive RAID5 set for user data. We are about to recommend they split and make 2 7 drive Raid5. We are doing this for performance reasons but I can not find documentation to back this - so are we worried about nothing?

[Jefferson Humber]

Gary,

The 14HDD single array should be faster than the 2x7HDD array, due to the data being stripped across more disks.

I do remember reading something somewhere that said never use more than 14HDD in a single RAID5 array, I guess because the chance of 2 failed drives is more probable.

I assuming your customer doesn't want any online spares e.t.c at all in the array with this config....since there isn't room for any.

Hope this helps,

Jeff

P.S If you go for the 14HDD option, I'd set the rebuild priority to HIGH on the controller....just in case.