Workstation Storage Proposal

[RichardsD]

Hello:

 

I love Hard Drives, and unfortunately they cost so little I just keep buying them.  I was really shocked when I walked into a computer store and bought a 2TB Red Drive for under $100, when a few years ago that would have been bloody unthinkable, especially for decent quality drives like that.

 

So, I have no realistic intention of doing this, say tomorrow.  Despite that, I want to see if this is a decent idea for a few months down the line (I just got a bloody 970, I won't be spending a bit for quite a while).  

 

So, first, I need a RAID Card that can support many different buckets/volumes whatever they are called.  I don't game that much anymore, I mostly create models in 3DS and use Photoshop, so I want to have reliable, decently fast storage.  What RAID card I would need, I honestly have no clue.  I've looked at the LSI website, and to this day it is so confusing I have no idea which one would be best.  I want essentially three volumes:

 

1. Boot (2x 512 GB ADATA SX900).  I already have one, with a RAID Card, I could get both, and run them in RAID 1 for ultimate data security.

 

2. 3DS/Pro Tools Write Drives (2X 2TB WD Red).  Again, I already have one.  Would buy a second, run in RAID 1 again

 

3. Computer Storage/Games/err nevermind the other data none of your business etc etc.  Could be WD Black for a bit better performance, I already have one of those, again in RAID 1.

 

Does this seem like a good option to segment drive usage for a balance of some gaming with pro app usage?

 

 

 

[Captain_WD]

Hello:

 

I love Hard Drives, and unfortunately they cost so little I just keep buying them.  I was really shocked when I walked into a computer store and bought a 2TB Red Drive for under $100, when a few years ago that would have been bloody unthinkable, especially for decent quality drives like that.

 

So, I have no realistic intention of doing this, say tomorrow.  Despite that, I want to see if this is a decent idea for a few months down the line (I just got a bloody 970, I won't be spending a bit for quite a while).  

 

So, first, I need a RAID Card that can support many different buckets/volumes whatever they are called.  I don't game that much anymore, I mostly create models in 3DS and use Photoshop, so I want to have reliable, decently fast storage.  What RAID card I would need, I honestly have no clue.  I've looked at the LSI website, and to this day it is so confusing I have no idea which one would be best.  I want essentially three volumes:

 

1. Boot (2x 512 GB ADATA SX900).  I already have one, with a RAID Card, I could get both, and run them in RAID 1 for ultimate data security.

 

2. 3DS/Pro Tools Write Drives (2X 2TB WD Red).  Again, I already have one.  Would buy a second, run in RAID 1 again

 

3. Computer Storage/Games/err nevermind the other data none of your business etc etc.  Could be WD Black for a bit better performance, I already have one of those, again in RAID 1.

 

Does this seem like a good option to segment drive usage for a balance of some gaming with pro app usage?

 

Hey RichardsD,

 

That's quite a good plan with lots of security involved. If you are looking only for RAID 1 options, you could simply use software RAID or the RAID support of the motherboard.

 

If you are going only for redundancy, I would suggest to simply set up a backup option like a big HDD dedicated only to that or simply use a NAS. This way you will be sure your data will be safe in case something happens to your whole build like physical damage or power surge. I could suggest checking out WD NAS devices and see if any of them meet your needs. Some of them also offer RAID setups. Here's a link: http://www.wdc.com/en/products/catalog/default.aspx?segment=4#jump5.

 

Happy Holidays!

 

Captain_WD.