[dba-Tech] Opinions please

You need special software, a raid controller, or a server OS to do that.
Windows 2000 SERVER allows mirroring, on 'dynamic disks' (A 2000 and up
setup.....older OSes won't recognize anythign on a dynamic disk, but they
can be converted back to basic disks if needed.

What a mirror does, is make an exact copy of a drive (or partition...and on
dynamic disks their called volumes), on another hard drive.  When you read
that drive, it will read twice as fast, because it can pull the data from 2
drives simultaneously, but it writes at normal speed.  Mirroring actually
only protects your data from hardware failure.  Lose one drive, the mirror
picks up (or the original keeps going), however, it can be a very handy data
backup, if you get into the habit of mirroring a partition, then 'breaking'
the mirror.  The copy is then a snapshot of that exact moment, so it can be
used when needed.

I have 'transfered' root drives like that a few times.  I needed to put in a
larger drive on my server, so I put in the drive, mirrored the OS, broke the
mirror, removed the original smaller drive, and booted off of the mirror.
Took about 25 minutes in total (95% of which was the mirroring process).

Drew
----- Original Message -----
From: "Dan Waters" <dwaters at usinternet.com>
To: "'Discussion of Hardware and Software issues'"
<dba-tech at databaseadvisors.com>
Sent: Tuesday, December 30, 2003 5:41 PM
Subject: RE: [dba-Tech] Opinions please


> William,
>
> Can you talk a little more about a mirrored hard drive for backup?
>
> Thanks,
> Dan Waters
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: dba-tech-bounces at databaseadvisors.com
> [mailto:dba-tech-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of William
Hindman
> Sent: Tuesday, December 30, 2003 4:04 PM
> To: Discussion of Hardware and Software issues
> Subject: Re: [dba-Tech] Opinions please
>
>
> ...not a file server :(
>
> ...mirrored HD costs less, is more reliable, and incomparably faster than
> on-line bu :(
>
> William Hindman
> <http://www.freestateproject.org> - Next Year In The Free State!
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "KathrynAtGwens" <kathrynatgwens at socal.rr.com>
> To: <dba-tech at databaseadvisors.com>
> Sent: Tuesday, December 30, 2003 3:02 PM
> Subject: [dba-Tech] Opinions please
>
>
> > Gwen's son is going to fix her up with a new data server, and offsite
> backup. Here's what he has in mind. Any issues that you know of?
> >
> > A much simplified file server
> > http://www.snapappliance.com/page.cfm?name=2200Main&nav=2200
> >
> > Online backup
> > http://www.connected.com/solution/Home_User/Home_Getting_Started.asp
> >
> >
> > --
> > Kathryn Bassett (at work address)
> > kathrynatgwens at socal.rr.com
> > kathryn at bassett.net (home)
> >
> > _______________________________________________
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> > dba-Tech at databaseadvisors.com
> > http://databaseadvisors.com/mailman/listinfo/dba-tech
> > Website: http://www.databaseadvisors.com
> >
>
>
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