New Types of RAID

[BlueCat57]

I just saw this item at Newegg:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16816111149

It is the SANS DIGITAL TR4UTBPN 4Bay USB 3.0 / eSATA Hardware RAID 5 Tower RAID.

The description of its RAID capabilities is:

RAID Support The SANS DIGITAL TR4UTBPN boasts hardware RAID support, including RAID 0, 1, 10, 3, 5, JBOD, Clone and hot spare disk for better performance and data integrity. The new Clone mode (N-Way Mirror) - all the hard drives connected will be mirrored - is especially useful when users would like to copy data from one hard drive to several hard drives at the same time.

This is one of those situations where an Internet search just won't work since the new "Clone" mode (N-Way Mirror)" uses terms already associated with RAID. So if I search for "clone" or "n-way MIRROR" I just get millions of hits for RAID but not the answer to the following questions:

1. What is "Clone mode"?

2. Is it part of the "latest" RAID software from companies such as nVidia?

For example: If I determine that this new type of RAID is what I would like to use, can I download software that enables my system to use it?

 

[PhilFrisbie]

No, clone mode in not RAID, it just makes a copy of one disk to many others. Such a feature is used by large companies when configuring hundreds of new PCs. They get one configured with all the right software, then they clone that hard drive to all the others.

 

[BlueCat57]

No, clone mode in not RAID, it just makes a copy of one disk to many others. Such a feature is used by large companies when configuring hundreds of new PCs. They get one configured with all the right software, then they clone that hard drive to all the others.

That doesn't sound like what the product description was describing. It sounded like they were copying to multiple disks in the one box. Or maybe they are using the box to make the clones. Never mind. I just reread it and you're right. It just seemed to imply some new type of RAID.

Thanks.

 

[WyomingKnott]

Heck of a device, if it delivers as advertised.

 

[BlueCat57]

Best answer selected by BlueCat57.