i think saying 'fasttrak software raid is faster than windows software raid,
hence it will be faster than linux software raid' is a severe over
simplification of what is going on here.
if there _were_ to be fastrak software drivers under linux, i sincerely doubt
they would be better than the code we currently have for linux.
i point out that linux software raid can do raid 5 just to show that the
promise device, which uses the SAME cpu as linux software raid (the system
one), is not as advanced.
yes, a nice big cache and fast parity engine is a must with raid5. hence, i
have a 512 meg ecc sdram cache and a pair of 550 mhz parity cpus in MY raid
box :) and a really big battery.
it is fine to be all caught up in the merits of hardware raid. i use them on
some of my boxes too. just dont get burned by a 'PROMISE' that does not
deliver. whether it be a software abstraction layer or a dos TSR, the fasttrak
is _just_ software
allan
Bryan Batchelder <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> said:
> I bought the promise card because it acts like an abstraction layer between
> OS and RAID Array. Windows sees it as a huge 60GB drive, while it is really
> 2 30GBs. DOS sees it as one big disk.
>
> I would like to point out that the FastTrak outperforms software raid in
> Windows. Take the same disk drives, same array configs and switch out
> between Promise and NT Software and you will see an increase (noticeable)
> when you use the FastTrak.
>
> I know you are going to say "Who gives a crap about NT software RAID, this
> is a linux software raid list"....but I will remind you that I posted
> originally asking about what the best controller to buy for Linux RAID
> was.....I just mentioned as an aside I had a promise FastTrak on my windows
> box.
>
> When the fasttrak does work on linux, I would like to see it compared
> against linux software raid.....
>
> Also, isn't RAID5 incredibly slow on anything but a well cached hardware
> controller??? If yes, then why not use the FastTrak again?
>
> Thanks,
> --b
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: m. allan noah [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
> Sent: Tuesday, June 06, 2000 4:37 PM
> To: Bryan Batchelder; [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Subject: RE: ATA66 Raid
>
>
> i will point this out AGAIN. the promise fastTrak is NOT hardware raid. did
> you really think 30 seconds with a soldering iron and a 7 cent resistor
> could
> make a hardware raid device from a 20 dollar ide card?
>
> there is no cpu on board the card, and all the 'raid' functionality is
> provided in software, by the system cpu. think of it as 'WinRaid'.
>
> you would be MUCH better off using software raid under linux where you can
> get
> more modes (like raid5), or forking over some real currency to pick up a
> hardware controller.
>
> allan noah
>
> Bryan Batchelder <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> said:
>
> > Cool, thats what I run on my personal machine (I have a BP6 with dual
> 550s)
> > and I got the Promise card and modded it to be a FastTrak66 :-)
> >
> > I am waiting for the linux FastTrak66 drivers though.
> >
> > --b
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Cavanaugh, Craig [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
> > Sent: Tuesday, June 06, 2000 10:11 AM
> > To: 'Bryan Batchelder'; '[EMAIL PROTECTED]'
> > Subject: RE: ATA66 Raid
> >
> >
> > Try the following
> >
> > http://www.3ware.com/products/linux3ware.shtml
> >
> > I have a Promise Utlra66 Card that is working great with a couple of WD
> > Ultra DMA 66 drives
> >
> > On top of that, it's inside a BP6 system in the slot that share an Irq
> with
> > a HPT??? ide controller. Everything works great without any lockups. I
> am
> > not using the HPT contoller at this time.
> >
> > I'm using Raid 0.9 with the IDE patches.
> >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: Bryan Batchelder [SMTP:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
> > > Sent: Tuesday, June 06, 2000 8:48 AM
> > > To: '[EMAIL PROTECTED]'
> > > Subject: ATA66 Raid
> > >
> > > Hi guys--
> > >
> > > I am setting up a small server (its an old dual PentiumPro 180
> > > rig), and its main job is just serving files. I want to throw in 3 or 4
> > > 30GB Seagate Barracuda 7200RPM ATA66 drives. What is the best ATA66
> card
> > > to buy? Promise? I have a friend who set up a promise card and he said
> > > it kept crashing on him (once a day)
> > >
> > > Are there any hardware raid ATA66 cards that have drivers for
> > > Linux? The FastTrak66 doesn't yet (that I know of).
> > >
> > > How about cheap SCSI RAID? I have a VA Research box with a
> Mylex
> > > controller....anything cheaper?
> > >
> > > I was thinking about buying an adaptec 29160N (the 32bit PCI
> card)
> > > and a few 18GB Barracude 18XL drives. How about that setup?
> > >
> > > I am not so much worried about speed as I am reliability. But I
> > > want either ATA66 or SCSI, and if I go SCSI I might as well go SCSI 160,
> > > right?
> > >
> > > Thanks in advance for your help,
> > > --b
> > >
> >
>
>
>
