Suggestions for Raid

[npolite]

Hello everyone,

I currently have a Gigabyte GA-EP35-DS3L motherboard with a C2D 6420. This is my work PC but I've come to the point that with all of my files, on top of backing everything up, I would rather have an extra drive for insurance. So I'm planning on setting up raid 1. The Gigabyte MB doesn't have raid, so I have two options, 1) go with an external card or 2) buy a new MB.

For 1) I'm thinking of something like
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16816132008

For 2) I'm thinking of something like
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128358

For #1 my only concern is that I somehow get notified that a drive has failed. Usually with dell Perc controllers there is an audible alarm that goes off when something is wrong with the array. I'm looking for something similar for this but it doesn't appear to have a speaker built on it.

I would opt for option 2 but would also like to know if I do buy it with built in raid on the MB that the hookup to the PC speaker will generate an alarm when a drive has failed in the array. Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Nick

 

[bilbat]

With the Intel MOBO raid, you get this monitoring software that runs in the background, confirms the status of your RAIDs at bootup, and repairs any problems in a 1 on the fly...

 

[npolite]

Thanks for the information. Does the utility pop up with an alert if something is wrong and/or does the speaker beep indicating a problem?

 

[bilbat]

No speaker beep - what will happen is, during the boot, your BIOS runs a block of RAID code that 'discovers' the drives, one by one, and highlights them in red if any are showing inconsistencies. Then, when the system boots, the above screen pops up with the drive pair colored yellow, and keeps you informed of its progress at the background 'rebuild' with a precentage counter...

 

[npolite]

Thanks billbat. I guess it helps since you have software running in the O/S it will notify you this way and every time you reboot. I can live with this. Are you able to put the computer to sleep without any issues?

Now do you or anyone else see any difference with buying a new board over getting the raid card? I'm guessing there shouldn't be any difference but may be missing something.

 

[bilbat]

Are you able to put the computer to sleep without any issues?

I can't sleep my computer - to high an OC, way, way too many oddball devices on/in it; were one to run standard clocking on a less complex system, I'm absolutely sure the RAID stuff would not be an added problem - if it were, I'd have heard about it here...

Now do you or anyone else see any difference with buying a new board over getting the raid card? I'm guessing there shouldn't be any difference but may be missing something.

There certainly will be a difference - even on the RAIDed MOBO there will be about a 15% difference in speed between the Intel port's RAID and the GigaByte (jMicron) port's RAID, as well as a difference in the reliability of the software/firmware itself. Partially, this is due to the fact that there are extra busses involved - the Intel southbridge, which does the Intel RAID, is 'hung off' the northbridge, which 'talks' directly to the CPU; the jMicron chip is 'hung off' the southbridge, adding another layer of comms; that Rosewill will be 'hung off' the PCIeX1 bus, which is 'hung off' the southbridge, etc., etc., ad nauseam. Think of the size and reputation of the companies involved - pretty much intel has more money, experience, and personnel than god, and Rosewill makes what - mostly cheap gadgets? Don't get me wrong, I have Rosewill hardware in my system, and it does what it's supposed to, and does it well; but trust them with my RAID? Never happen!