[dba-Tech] Re: RAID definitions etc

Jim,

I read something that I can't dispute nor confirm, which is that if the
MOTHERBOARD fails, the raid array will be useless without getting the same
exact board (or at least chipset?).  I have never had a motherboard fail,
however I do upgrade the motherboard regularly - every few years.  This
article said that with an external raid controller, you just move the
controller to the new system.

As for losing a day... we're talking several.  Windows 2k with all the
service packs and various other updates, Windows 97/2k/XP with all the
various service packs, Norton AV, Yahoo and other chats, my email, VNC,
Dreamweaver, Powerchute, Drivecrypt, Winzip, Roxio, Adaware and Spybot,
Visual Studio.net, all my camera and video camera programs... and a dozen
others that I don't even know I had till I go to use them...

This is the LAST time I do this for anything less than a motherboard change.
The issue of a motherboard change is one of the real issues with Windows.
The motherboard drivers and stuff are mixed in with the programs (in the
registry at least) making the odds very bad of getting your old Windows /
program disk running on a new motherboard.  The PROGRAMS should run on the
new computer, but they are part and parcel of the windows install which
includes very specific drivers for the hardware.

John W. Colby
www.ColbyConsulting.com

-----Original Message-----
From: dba-tech-bounces at databaseadvisors.com
[mailto:dba-tech-bounces at databaseadvisors.com]On Behalf Of JMoss
Sent: Saturday, May 15, 2004 5:57 PM
To: Discussion of Hardware and Software issues
Subject: RE: [dba-Tech] Re: RAID definitions etc


I don't build a lot of servers or workstations, but almost everything that I
sell has RAID on board, it's just too cheap an insurance policy not to
utilize, and so easy to recover in case a drive fails. You can easily lose a
day if the sole hard driver craps out, with RAID you're down maybe 10 - 15
minutes, then add another hour when rebuilding the array. It makes a lot of
sense especially when considering that all of the drive manufacturers have
dropped their warranty from three years to one year. The steep warranty
period decrease speaks loudly to me.

Jim