HDD info required!

[HunterSailor]

Hi everyone

I was wondering what happens when multiple users on the same network access a file from the same HDD at the same time. Does it effect performance when users stream data from that particular HDD and damages the HDD in the long run?

[ARikozuM]

4 minutes ago, titaniumshield said:

Hi everyone

I was wondering what happens when multiple users on the same network access a file from the same HDD at the same time. Does it effect performance when users stream data from that particular HDD and

The controllers do a good job of getting the data off as best they can. The data will simply go from the platter to the DDR module on the controller through the SATA channel into your system's RAM for use. If you're going to have multiple users I'd suggest going with a RAID array (I prefer 5) so that multiple drives contain the same data. 

4 minutes ago, titaniumshield said:

 

damages the HDD in the long run?

Mechanical stress kills HDD's. There's no way around it except to lessen the stressors. But no, reading and writing don't hurt drives.

[HunterSailor]

Just now, ARikozuM said:

The controllers do a good job of getting the data off as best they can. The data will simply go from the platter to the DDR module on the controller through the SATA channel into your system's RAM for use. If you're going to have multiple users I'd suggest going with a RAID array (I prefer 5) so that multiple drives contain the same data. 

Mechanical stress kills HDD's. There's no way around it except to lessen the stressors. But no, reading and writing don't hurt drives.

I understand but i have a budget for only one drive. What if i increase the RAM amount rather than an extra drive? Will that help?

[ARikozuM]

6 minutes ago, titaniumshield said:

I understand but i have a budget for only one drive. What if i increase the RAM amount rather than an extra drive? Will that help?

No. You're going to be fine though serving multiple users with one drive for a while. Unless all users are trying to watch different movies, performance should do well.

 

You can also buy cheap server drives and run them in RAID.

 

Edit: Adding more RAM doesn't help as you won't be filling it fast enough for the drive to make use of the extra RAM.

[HunterSailor]

Just now, ARikozuM said:

No. You're going to be fine though serving multiple users with one drive for a while. Unless all users are trying to watch different movies, performance should do well.

 

You can also buy cheap server drives and run them in RAID.

What if we all watch different movies because there is a high possibility.Are Multiple drives the only solution?

[ARikozuM]

Just now, titaniumshield said:

What if we all watch different movies because there is a high possibility.Are Multiple drives the only solution?

There might and adding more drives would be one way to increase performance.