To RAID or not to RAID

[HirgaLTTki]

So I am planning on getting another drive, probably a black WD one. Since I am already running a blue WD drive, is it possible to get those 2 to a RAID config, or do i have to get another blue one?

Also, do i need to format my existing blue one to RAID both?

[alpenwasser]

What kind of RAID do you want to run? RAID0 or RAID1? Hardware or software?

is it possible to get those 2 to a RAID config, or do i have to get another blue one?

4 possible scenarios

• Same capacity, same speed: Optimal scenario.
• They're the same capacity, different speeds: RAID0 and RAID1 is possible,

  but the array's top speed will be hampered by the slower drive. The additional

  cost of the more expensive drive is wasted money in this case.

• Different capacity, same speed: Overall capacity will be limited by the

  smaller drive.

• Different capacity, different speed: Well that's just stupid... :lol:

Also, do i need to format my existing blue one to RAID both?

Depends. If you're talking about RAID1, you might be able to attach the

second drive and mirror the first one to it. It probably depends on your

controller and/or software. ZFS for example allows this (although I

doubt you're running that).

If you want to make them into a RAID0, I believe you'd need to reformat

the drive to attach it to the array, but considering ZFS allows this

I may be wrong on that one.

To answer more specifically we need more specific info on exactly what setup you

are intending to run.

[HirgaLTTki]

What kind of RAID do you want to run? RAID0 or RAID1? Hardware or software?

 

Then can I just dont run any RAID for both drives? And let the black and blue one standalone. 

[alpenwasser]

Then can I just dont run any RAID for both drives? And let the black and blue one standalone.

Well you need more than one drive for RAID, so if you want to run both drives standalone

then you can't make a RAID array with them (one drive is just one drive, can't make

RAID with that).

What exactly is your priority with this? Data mirroring/security (RAID1) or speed

(RAID0)? What are you going to put onto the drive(s), games, software or just data?

What you could of course do is buy a second blue and a black drives (so three drives

in total), and then make a RAID with the two blue drives and let the third drive

run standalone (I'm not sure if that's what you mean though).

[HirgaLTTki]

Well you need more than one drive for RAID, so if you want to run both drives standalone

then you can't make a RAID array with them (one drive is just one drive, can't make

RAID with that).

What exactly is your priority with this? Data mirroring/security (RAID1) or speed

(RAID0)? What are you going to put onto the drive(s), games, software or just data?

What you could of course do is buy a second blue and a black drives (so three drives

in total), and then make a RAID with the two blue drives and let the third drive

run standalone (I'm not sure if that's what you mean though).

 

Just normal files. 

 

I meant I buy the black drive, dont raid them, and use them as drive D and E