Re: why fake raid on motherboards?

[Mark Allums <mark@allums.com>]

Stephen Liu wrote:
> --- Mark Allums <mark@allums.com> wrote:
>
> - snip -
>
>
> > Only certain editions of Windows can boot from soft raid, and none of
> >
> > the consumer versions.  Just the server/enterprise ones.
> >
> > One can use fake/soft raid with cheap add-in cards, like the stuff 
> > Highpoint does with their low-end cards.  The advantage is, if your 
> > motherboard fails, you can transfer the card to a new motherboard. 
> > Since the cards are relatively cheap, you can get more than one, and 
> > thus keep a spare around in case the card fails.  Also, some brands 
> > maintain compatibility with the older cards in the same family, so
> > you 
> > may be able to upgrade the card without reformatting the drives.
>
>
> I ran Highpoint RAID card 7~8 years ago.  It was termed as Software
> RAID dislike Adaptec RAID card.  The latter is termed as Hardware RAID
> card but very expensive.  It worked without problem.  Later I found not
> much advantage on running RAID.  Therefore I ceased running RAID
> anymore.

Highpoint was just an example.  There are other choices.  Also, the 
software RAID cards were the point.  Highpoint makes both soft and 
hardware RAID cards.  Take your pick.  The soft cards have uses.  Above 
is one of them.

Some RAID versions do not perform very well on soft RAID.  I would only 
use RAID 0, 1, or 10 with soft RAID.  If you used soft RAID 5, and it is 
more than about 30% used, it will give lousy performance.


> I don't run Windows either.  I can find the replacement on almost all
> proprietary software running on Windows.  What I can't find is the
> Windows java engine on IE.  Some stupid websites still request visitors
> running Windows IE to browse their sites.
>
>
> B.R.
> Stephen L
>
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