Can you use a RAID array to cache HDDs?

[Oshino Shinobu]

So, I'm trying to sort out my storage solution after I get my new SSDs and external HDD enclosure. 

 

I'm going to have 3x 250GB SSDs in RAID 0 as my bootdrive, along with either 4 2TB HDDs in RAID 10 or 3 2TB HDDs in RAID 0 in an external RAID enclosure. I'm going to have two 64GB SSDs left over from this upgrade and I'm trying to figure out what to do with them. I though about using them as a cache for the HDD RAID array, but I'm not sure if you can use a RAID array to cache a drive. 

 

So basically, can it be done? If so, can it be done through the controllers on my motherboard (Asus Sabertooth Z77)?

[ionbasa]

So, I'm trying to sort out my storage solution after I get my new SSDs and external HDD enclosure. 

 

I'm going to have 3x 250GB SSDs in RAID 0 as my bootdrive, along with either 4 2TB HDDs in RAID 10 or 3 2TB HDDs in RAID 0 in an external RAID enclosure. I'm going to have two 64GB SSDs left over from this upgrade and I'm trying to figure out what to do with them. I though about using them as a cache for the HDD RAID array, but I'm not sure if you can use a RAID array to cache a drive. 

 

So basically, can it be done? If so, can it be done through the controllers on my motherboard (Asus Sabertooth Z77)?

If you want to cache the drives in the external drive enclosure, the answer is probably going to be no. You may be able to do it the RAID array of HDDs were on your motherboard controller instead of an external drive enclosure.

[Oshino Shinobu]

If you want to cache the drives in the external drive enclosure, the answer is probably going to be no. You may be able to do it the RAID array of HDDs were on your motherboard controller instead of an external drive enclosure.

Yeah, I could set up the drives, but I don't have the room (or more, it will look awful) in my case. I'm going to be using eSata, but I'm unsure how internal and 'external' drives will interact with each other. I guess I can just use the SSDs as sort of USB drives and scrap storage  

[ionbasa]

Yeah, I could set up the drives, but I don't have the room (or more, it will look awful) in my case. I'm going to be using eSata, but I'm unsure how internal and 'external' drives will interact with each other. I guess I can just use the SSDs as sort of USB drives and scrap storage  

Actually, it might work if you are using eSATA. I believe that many eSATA drive enclosures use SATA multiplexers. If that is the case, then your motherboard should be able to identify the external enclosure as one disk or each individual drive independently. Then if your motherboard supports SATA caching, it should work. Please note YMMV.

 

So it may work, but it ultimately comes down to how the external enclosure passes SATA information back to the motherboard.