Re: RAID for backup. RAID 5 or RAID 1?

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in which case, should the array be corrupted you lose all three generations.

RAID is about continued operation in a hardware failure scenario.
Backup is about system, and DATA, recovery in a worst case scenario.

I recently attended a meeting of SME 'implementers'. A crowd of 50 or so
'consultants'. I was asked a question which _literally_ confused the
bejeesus out of me. 'How do I move my existing installation to new hardware'
(a topic frequently treated lightly in this group).

Why did this question confuse me? Why do I mention it now? Why do I consider
most of the people in that room to be deficient in their support of the
systems they implement?

Because one day they will need to restore a system with NOTHING but a
successful backup as their starting point. A FULL disaster recovery.

Why do I mention it now?
Will the RAID array you intend to create and store your backup on be
available in a full disaster recovery situation?
Why did the question confuse me?
I expected everyone in the room to be able to recover a system from a full
disaster to a box which may not be exactly the same.
Why do I consider them deficient in their responsibility?
'SORRY, the system's lost. I can't recreate the original box but I can get
most of the data back. Unfortunately the domain SID will change so we've
gotta 'work around' profile issues and maybe swing all the wokstations
through a workgroup and back to the domain. I'm gonna be here charging you
for three days for something I should be able to achieve in a couple of
hours. BUT IT'S NOT MY FAULT'

I'm willing to concede that backup to USB 2 (do yourself a favour and don't
consider it for earlier USB) or FireWire can become available early in a
disaster recovery situation.

"Marshall Lai" <marshall_lai@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:%23CpLmE0PFHA.3560@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>I will be having 3 different generations of backups on 1 RAID1 config.....

> "Andrew H" <ajhpms@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
> news:%236WKk0zPFHA.3156@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> In terms of redundancy, I'd rather have 3 different generations of backup
>> on 3 different disks, than 1 backup on a RAID volume consisting of 3
>> disks.
>>
>>
>> "Marshall Lai" <marshall_lai@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
>> news:%23NZYjxyPFHA.4024@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>> Thanks for the suggestion. Thought of that before but performance
>>> probably is a bit slower then internal harddisks.
>>> Except if you are talking about 3.5" external enclosures of course. But
>>> then those things are very bulky. Not to mention there is no
>>> redundancy......
>>>
>>>
>>> "Godfrey Nicholson" <godfrey at ofektech dot com> wrote in message
>>> news:363C3A60-3C15-449F-AB64-9D1F210282F2@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>>> Marshall:
>>>>
>>>> Another possibility you might want to consider is to back up onto an
>>>> external USB drive. It is a cheap, very fast option. I use it
>>>>
>>>> Godfrey
>>>>
>>>> "Marshall Lai" wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> I am contemplating adding some hard disks for backing up my SBS2003
>>>>> server.
>>>>> Should I go for RAID 5 or RAID 1?
>>>>> Any consensus here? The array will be used ONLY for backup and
>>>>> restore
>>>>> purposes and nothing else.
>>>>>
>>>>> Any insight will be much appreciated.
>>>>>
>>>>> Marshall
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>
>


.

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