Re: RAID

[Andrew Sharp <andy@netfall.com>]

On Thu, Nov 10, 2005 at 01:46:08AM -0600, Colin Baker wrote:
> lordSauron wrote:
> 
> >okay... so, let's just say that hypothetically I choose to be a little
> >less than intelligent and try to use the motherboard built-in software
> >RAID.  Would that work?
> >
> >Also, I'm a little skeptical of Linux's software RAID being better
> >(ie. faster) than my motherboards.  Is there any statistics I can look
> >at in regard to this?
> >
> >Once more, thanks for your considerable patience in dealing with me -
> >someday I might evolve into a semi-respectable linux sub-guru...
> > 
> >
> 
> Don't have any numbers to point you toward, but I would expect them to 
> be pretty much the same.  In either case, your CPU handles the 
> mirroring/striping.  One method (linux or your motherboard's controller) 
> may just be more efficient about it than the other.

Exactly.  The important thing to remember is that the "onboard" chipset
raid IS software raid, just not linux kernel software raid.  Other than
that, the only difference is that chipset raid provides boot support
for clueless loaders.  Say "Winblows."  But it's really just software
raid in the BIOS, with the CPU doing all the heavy lifting as usual.
Since both lilo and grub support linux software raid, there really isn't
anything to discuss, and linux software raid is supported with all the
tools and whatnot.  There's just no reason at all to use the chipset raid.

a