[dba-SQLServer] How does it work

Hi John,

Did you use RAID5 because you were restricted by the number of drives or
the RAID controller?
I ask because for databases, a RAID 1+0 or RAID 0+1 (aka RAID10) would,
typically, be better suited.

Thanks,
Joe Rojas
IT Manager
TNCO, Inc.
781-447-6661 x7506
jrojas at tnco-inc.com

-----Original Message-----
From: dba-sqlserver-bounces at databaseadvisors.com
[mailto:dba-sqlserver-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of JWColby
Sent: Thursday, September 07, 2006 10:47 PM
To: dba-sqlserver at databaseadvisors.com; 'Access Developers discussion
and problem solving'
Subject: [dba-SQLServer] How does it work

I have now successfully created a Raid5 on my new server.  For the
moment it
is a 4 disk array using 320g drives for a total size (available) of
around
900g.  I will be adding another pair, one of which will be a hot spare,
which will bump it to 1.2g available and one drive just sitting there
for
(automatic) use in a failure.  
 
My question now is, if I place all of the SQL Server database files (not
the
program files, but the database files FOR SQL SERVER) as well as the
actual
files for the various databases and their logs, if I place all that
stuff
out on this mongo raid drive, and then my boot drive dies... can SQL
Server
be installed to use an existing set of files?
 
I actually have one more SATA connector which I intend to use to copy an
image of the boot drive once a week or so (maybe even nightly), so that
if
the boot drive dies I should be able to get back up with a minimum of
pain.
For that I will need Ghost or something similar running as a scheduled
task.
 
And then of course there is the issue of "what happens if the house
burns
down".  How do you conveniently back up a large db offsite?  Or in a
fire
safe?  I actually read about a rather expensive 
 
A while back I actually purchased this SQL Server backup program called
Imceda Litespeed (now sold I believe) which does a great job of backing
up
large databases, compacting on the way out.  I am thinking about setting
up
a small machine down in the basement at the far end of the house, on the
other end of a 1gbit line, and have Litespeed place the backup file on
hard
disks on that machine.  Even at 10:1 compression which it seems to do,
an
800gb database turns into an 80gb backup file.  Over a 1gbit line that
will
take an hour to copy the backup file.
 
If you folks do this kind of stuff how about starting a discussion of
how
you handle it.
 
John W. Colby
Colby Consulting
www.ColbyConsulting.com