> CentOS List spake the following on 8/29/2007 7:47 PM: >>>>>> Hi ppl . >>>>>> >>>>>> I am getting a IBM x3200.. This machine can only support up to 4 x >>>>>> 250GB SATA. I need to have a usable space of 500GB and mirror it to >>>>>> other 500GB. >>>>>> IBM proposed me to get 2 RAID cards. Do you guys think i can do raid >>>>>> 0 on the first 2 x 250GB HDD and raid 0 on the second 2 x 250GB hdd, >>>>>> both on hardware raid and then during the installation of centos 5, i >>>>>> raid 1 on both the 2 sets of hardware raids? >>>>>> >>>>>> Thanks >>>>> Buy a single raid card that can support raid 10 or raid 1+0. >>>> >>>> The card IBM recommended is only 0,1 and they will not warranty any >>>> parts which are not from IBM. >>> Then you could software raid the two raid sets, as they will show up >>> looking like scsi devices. Is the card they recommend a true hardware >>> raid card? Not a fakeraid like the ICH7 intel stuff. >>> So IBM will not warranty the raid card. They have to warranty the rest >>> of the system, and get a warranty on the raid card from the vendor. I >>> have done it with HP several times because the crappy Adaptec raid cards >>> they push are less than stellar performers, and their linux driver >>> support seems way behind the windows drivers. >>> >>> Which x3200 were you looking at? >>> I could get up to 3.0 TB with 4 750 GB drives on the one I was just >>> looking at. And optional raid5. You could just raid1 with 2 500GB >>> drives. >> >> The model i am getting is 436242A x32. IBM insisted that this machine is >> not tested with 500GB SATA, and insisted me to pick up 4 x 250GB. If this >> machine is able to support 2 x 500GB, I would just run software raid. >> The raid card IBM is proposing is a PCI card which cost abour USD$300. >> Can you recommend a good raid card which is able to do raid 10/1+0 and >> very well supported by CentOS 5? >> >> Thanks > I see. I just went to IBM's custom shop and was playing with the "build > it" options. You are buying it through the Express Options program which > doesn't let you customize the systems. If IBM won't give you what you > want, you can try some of the other makers like HP. Or you can get a 3ware > (AMCC) raid card. They are the best supported SATA cards in linux. Thanks everyone. I found a local 3ware dealer. Keeping this dealer handy. If this machine does not support the 500GB, i will get a 3ware 8506-4LP.