Idea #10443: Support/Include Drivers for "fake" RAID, SATA RAID chipsets

This idea is a duplicate of idea #531: Easy raid installs.

Written by themunchkinman the 28 Jun 08 at 22:10. Category: Hardware support.
Related to: Nothing/Others. Status: New

Description

I love Ubuntu, but I have chosen not to use it on several of my systems because of a single reason, the lack of integrated, automatic support for what is often called "fake" RAID, or software/driver-supported RAID (i.e. Desktop grade Promise, nVRAID, Intel storage matrix, etc.) chipsets.

I use Linux as my primary OS at work and at home and I use Ubuntu on my "single" HDD systems. However due to the lack of hardware detection and support of various SATA RAID chipsets, I am holding off on installing on my main workstations.

Right now my only real option is to have an additional single drive for installation of Ubuntu, and simply remove my array drives from the fstab so that they are not accessed at all so as not to risk corrupting the array.

It would be nice if Ubuntu would support SATA RAID (0,1,0+1,1+0,5, etc.) through the use of a special driver (a-la "BlueHat" and "GreenLizard" distros), thus allowing RAID without having to create special "RAID" partitions (Which can't be done if you simply want to access the data on an array, even an NTFS one without breaking your array consistency, or losing all your data).

While these chipsets are not full on RAID like high end versions, they do offer a significant advantage over pure software driven RAID if they would be properly supported.

Tags: RAID drivers

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Comments

jpka wrote on the 29 Jun 08 at 07:46

+1, but I do not think that workstation must have powerful storage subsystem, because this power may be used almost only on this station.
I think the better idea to make one standalone computer at your home with power disk subsystem (and it can run not under Ubuntu), fast network and diskless Ubuntu clients with NFS-mounted drives. Gigabit networks are cheap and more powerful than 2x raid made of modern drives.
Also diskless stations are less noisy, it is important for home.

themunchkinman wrote on the 29 Jun 08 at 21:56

RE: jpka

"WORKSTATION" is conventionally used not to describe a "kiosk" or simple internet computer. I mean "WORKSTATION" as it traditionally applies to higher-end purpose built or multi-purpose computers that are meant to function above and beyond the use of a mainstream or traditional desktop computer. Also, relying on network backups is not a reliable solution if you are working on a project and have a HDD failure, the only solution that will allow you to keep working without interruption is some form of on-board Hard Drive redundancy, that is either mirroring or striping (with parity) the complete volume so that a single disk failure will not render you incapacitated. Besides, it is now somewhat of a de facto standard to have mirrored drives even in what might be considered "low-end" desktops and even laptops. It is going to be an oversight in Ubuntu/Debian that will catch up with it and cause people who even want to use it to not be able to. I've seen probably three other posts related to mine, and I think they are all valid along these lines of logic.

jpka wrote on the 30 Jun 08 at 20:20

I can agree with you, except one thing. I never, never put on my workstation more than one mechanical storage device, due to noise. I use no HDDs or maximum one HDD. While all other parts can be absolutely silent, mechanical HDD never can't. Redundancy at home environment must be made by other methods IMHO.

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