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RAID 1 Archive: software vs hardware
I’m currently in the process of setting up a strategy to archive finished projects. It’s early days and I feel like waiting a few years before adopting a ‘proper’ LTO or ODA strategy so for now I intent to move projects onto inexpensive HDDs every two months or so.
Naturally I want to make 2 copies so I’ve been looking into dual hard dive enclosures, that way, if the drives are set up in RAID 1 configuration all I have to do is insert them both once a month, copy over to the single mounted volume any projects i wish to archive, eject both and take one drive home from the office with me.
With this in mind would it be better to get an enclosure with built-in Hardware RAID 1 OR use Disk Utility within OSX to initialise and mange the two drives in a RAID 1?
The hardware RAID option feels more ‘plug and play’ but the first enclosure I brought https://www.icydock.com/goods.php?id=160had front LEDs that didn’t even work properly, so I’m a bit skeptical.
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3 Replies
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I always use Apple’s software RAID striping if I’m not using RAID 5 (via ATTO R680). Apple have really seemed to have gotten this right and it is really more “transparent” to you if somethings starts getting quirky (remember, RAID-0 has no recovery in the event of a single disk failure).
Tim
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Tim Jones
CTO – TOLIS Group, Inc.
https://www.productionbackup.com
BRU … because it’s the RESTORE that matters! -
Ok so a simple hard drive enclosure setup as RAID 1 with disk utility it is.
Anyone have any recommendations for brands/models preferably with tool less HDD bays? The one I just sent back really wasn’t very nice.
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If you decide on the software raid option then you can look at the USB3/E-sata docking bays. Just remember that you need to spin the drives up periodically about 4 to 6 months at a time.
Eric-ADK
Tech Manager
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