Hum, if I decide to use software RAID (the dark and easy way) I can use my standard onboard IDE controller instead of the Promise card...Actually I wonder what the difference is between a full-software solutiuon like the one provided by the linux kernel and a semi-hardware solution like the Promise...
As far as I know the only benefit of a semi-hardware solution is to "share" the workload between the CPU and a RAID chip but you need a nasty driver to do that...
----- Original Message ----- From: "William Warren" hescominsoon@emmanuelcomputerconsulting.com To: "CentOS mailing list" centos@centos.org Sent: Saturday, May 21, 2005 3:16 PM Subject: Re: [CentOS] Promise FastTrak series
Well promise RAID is software raid as well. Using the included 2.6xx raid functionality will at least not hurt your performance anymore than using the Promise software raid drivers. Depending on the nature of Promise's drivers(which i have heard mainly negative things) you will get better performance using the built in RAID from Linux.
Steven Moix - Axianet.ch wrote:
Hello,
In some weeks I'm going to reinstall some old RedHat9 based servers with Promise FastTrak TX2000 "semi-hardware" RAID1 controllers. I just tried to install CentOS 4.0 on a computer with a spare card and as usual both HDD attached to the RAID1 controller are seen separately by the installer because the specific driver for the TX2000 wasn't loaded. Nothing new here, it was always like this on every distro as far as I know.
Now I googeled a bit and have some questions:
- In some forums I could read that the FastTrak series in RAID mode
wasn't supported anymore in the 2.6 kernel (was PDCRAID module in the later 2.4 kernels). Quoted apparently from the linux kernel mailing list:
In 2.6, Promise software RAID support does not exist. In conversations with Promise, we all agreed to encourage and support the standard Linux RAID, md.
So does this mean that I have to use software RAID in linux if I don't want to load the drivers provided by Promise (see question 2)?
- On the other hand Promise provides the partial source code for their
driver, but there is a silly problem with this...I want to install my OS directly on the RAID array :) So I guess that I would have to:
- Install CentOS on another computer, compile the driver provided by
Promise, make a driver disk (don't ask me how).
- Boot CentOS on the server with the controller and type "linux dd" to
load this driver disk.
- Pray and correct bugs for the next 2 weeks.
Is this the right way to go?
Any feedback with FastTrak TX2000 or TX4000 controllers would be very welcome, let me know which solution you choosed.
Thanks Steven
CentOS mailing list CentOS@centos.org http://lists.centos.org/mailman/listinfo/centos
-- Computer House Calls, Networks, Security, Web Design: http://www.emmanuelcomputerconsulting.com What businesses are in Brunswick, Maryland? Check Brunswick First! http://www.checkbrunswickfirst.com My "Foundation" verse: Isa 54:17 No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.
-- carpe ductum -- "Grab the tape" CDTT (Certified Duct Tape Technician)
Linux user #322099 Machines: 206822 256638 276825 http://counter.li.org/ _______________________________________________ CentOS mailing list CentOS@centos.org http://lists.centos.org/mailman/listinfo/centos