Best RAID/Storage solution

Dean Sensui · November 21st, 2009, 05:05 PM

BTW, I also have a backup operating system/boot drive that I created with Super Duper. So in case the startup drive goes bad I have a second startup drive already in place.

This second startup drive is also used as a backup whenever updates and upgrades are installed. If the "improvements" create problems, it's easy to go back to where things were.

Mike Marriage · November 22nd, 2009, 06:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robert Lane

If you've only got 3 disks to work with then there's no point in setting up any RAID at all; you're much better off with leaving them as single drives. You'd need a minimum of 6-8 HDD's to really have an appreciable benefit in the cost and efficiency of a RAID.

Surely redundancy on my working drives? RAIDs that large aren't really portable. A 3 disc RAID I can take with me if I need to visit a client, edit in the field etc.

Speed wise, I am currently use single drives and simply backing up onto externals. The speed isn't really an issue as they can handle Prores fine. It's okay but I'd like to have a constant redundancy.

Robert Lane · November 22nd, 2009, 08:59 AM

As I say, this is one of those instances where personal preference and workflow comes in. You can certainly create redundancy for your working drives w/o going through the expense and hassle of setting up a RAID and in fact a RAID setup specifically to be used only as a backup has it's own caveats, especially if you're migrating the contents of more than one HDD source into a RAID however, if you've got need for a singular, portable solution that's data requirements are larger than any single-drive can handle then that's something you'll have to ferret out for yourself.

What you seem to be after is an archive/backup solution not necessarily a RAID. In which case keep this in mind: an archive or backup is something that is only powered-on and accessed when it's time to swap data. If it's running and hot all the time along with your working computer then you can't consider it an archive, but another working set of HDD's.

Paul Cronin · November 22nd, 2009, 09:34 AM

Dean that sounds like a smart drive to have. How does it work?

Mike Marriage · November 22nd, 2009, 09:59 AM

Hi Robert,

I'm after a redundant working system. My archive depends on the project. Some don't need it, others it is critical and requires separate off site storage. The archive I can handle, I'm just looking for recommendations for a 3 or 4 disc RAID system with FW800 as a must and eSATA ideally. It will be in frequent use and needs to be reasonably portable - ie not rack mounted.

I also know I don't want anything Lacie after previous failings and horror stories.

Robert Lane · November 22nd, 2009, 02:09 PM

Check out the offerings from either:

Sonnet: Products & Solutions - Fusion Family

or

FireWire 400, FireWire 800, USB 2.0, eSATA External Hard Drive Storage for Apple Mac and PCs - Desktop, Rack, and Portable Models

OWC likes to showcase the firewire stuff up-front but they have every connectivity available - excepting fibre which you don't need anyway.

Anders Dahl · November 22nd, 2009, 06:18 PM

I haven't done any HD edits on my LaCie HD's.
But I have NEVER had any HD crashes with them, so I will gladly spend a bit more.

Damian Heffernan · November 22nd, 2009, 11:23 PM

I'm hunting for a solution at the moment myself and looked at the rugged portable drives and the G-Raid solutions. I'm pretty much set now on buying a G-Raid mini for the capture and poratble solution to go with the Macbook Pro I use for editing, and also intend on picking up a Western Digital sharespace NAS for backups.

This means I'll have a fast, redundent drive for capture and editing (postable when I need it to be), and also a redundent solution for archiving back at the office. The NAS is dirt cheap ($898AU for 4TB) and gives me that peace of mind.

p.s. I've had many disks fail with Lacie and it's usually not the hard drive but the enclosure/circuit board before I binned the lot.

Paul Cronin · November 23rd, 2009, 07:55 AM

Damian I use the G-Safe as my backup drive but am always looking for better options.

Harm Millaard · November 23rd, 2009, 08:30 AM

For NAS applications, I like the Thecus N7700 Pro with iSCSI. Portable, affordable and reliable.

http://www.thecus.com/products_over....nguage=english

Robert Lane · December 21st, 2009, 07:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul Shapiro

Ping us all!

So here's the website I mentioned, it's finally online:

http://www.go-go-godzilla.com

You can thank Chris Hurd for it's name - he's responsible for my DVinfo nickname!

The stuff about RAID setups and other info wont' get posted until just after the holidays but it's a start.

Don't hesitate to put in requests for either product reviews or "how to" guides.

Happy Holidays to all.

Paul Cronin · December 22nd, 2009, 06:24 AM

Great timing Robert thank you.

And thank you Chris for DVinfo and now go-go-godzilla.com

November 21st, 2009, 05:05 PM	#16
Dean Sensui Inner Circle Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Honolulu, HI Posts: 2,054	BTW, I also have a backup operating system/boot drive that I created with Super Duper. So in case the startup drive goes bad I have a second startup drive already in place. This second startup drive is also used as a backup whenever updates and upgrades are installed. If the "improvements" create problems, it's easy to go back to where things were. __________________ Dean Sensui Exec Producer, Hawaii Goes Fishing

November 22nd, 2009, 08:59 AM	#18
Robert Lane Go Go Godzilla Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Scottsdale, AZ USA Posts: 2,788 Images: 15	As I say, this is one of those instances where personal preference and workflow comes in. You can certainly create redundancy for your working drives w/o going through the expense and hassle of setting up a RAID and in fact a RAID setup specifically to be used only as a backup has it's own caveats, especially if you're migrating the contents of more than one HDD source into a RAID however, if you've got need for a singular, portable solution that's data requirements are larger than any single-drive can handle then that's something you'll have to ferret out for yourself. What you seem to be after is an archive/backup solution not necessarily a RAID. In which case keep this in mind: an archive or backup is something that is only powered-on and accessed when it's time to swap data. If it's running and hot all the time along with your working computer then you can't consider it an archive, but another working set of HDD's. __________________ Robert Lane Producer/Creator - Bike Pilots TV

November 22nd, 2009, 09:34 AM	#19
Paul Cronin Inner Circle Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Rhode Island Posts: 4,048	Dean that sounds like a smart drive to have. How does it work? __________________ Paul Cronin www.paulcroninstudios.com

November 22nd, 2009, 09:59 AM	#20
Mike Marriage Major Player Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: NE of London, England Posts: 788	Hi Robert, I'm after a redundant working system. My archive depends on the project. Some don't need it, others it is critical and requires separate off site storage. The archive I can handle, I'm just looking for recommendations for a 3 or 4 disc RAID system with FW800 as a must and eSATA ideally. It will be in frequent use and needs to be reasonably portable - ie not rack mounted. I also know I don't want anything Lacie after previous failings and horror stories. __________________ www.mikemarriage.com

November 22nd, 2009, 02:09 PM	#21
Robert Lane Go Go Godzilla Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Scottsdale, AZ USA Posts: 2,788 Images: 15	Check out the offerings from either: Sonnet: Products & Solutions - Fusion Family or FireWire 400, FireWire 800, USB 2.0, eSATA External Hard Drive Storage for Apple Mac and PCs - Desktop, Rack, and Portable Models OWC likes to showcase the firewire stuff up-front but they have every connectivity available - excepting fibre which you don't need anyway. __________________ Robert Lane Producer/Creator - Bike Pilots TV

November 22nd, 2009, 06:18 PM	#22
Anders Dahl New Boot Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 7	I haven't done any HD edits on my LaCie HD's. But I have NEVER had any HD crashes with them, so I will gladly spend a bit more.

November 22nd, 2009, 11:23 PM	#23
Damian Heffernan Major Player Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: c Australia Posts: 234	NAS solution? I'm hunting for a solution at the moment myself and looked at the rugged portable drives and the G-Raid solutions. I'm pretty much set now on buying a G-Raid mini for the capture and poratble solution to go with the Macbook Pro I use for editing, and also intend on picking up a Western Digital sharespace NAS for backups. This means I'll have a fast, redundent drive for capture and editing (postable when I need it to be), and also a redundent solution for archiving back at the office. The NAS is dirt cheap ($898AU for 4TB) and gives me that peace of mind. p.s. I've had many disks fail with Lacie and it's usually not the hard drive but the enclosure/circuit board before I binned the lot.

November 23rd, 2009, 07:55 AM	#24
Paul Cronin Inner Circle Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Rhode Island Posts: 4,048	Damian I use the G-Safe as my backup drive but am always looking for better options. __________________ Paul Cronin www.paulcroninstudios.com

November 23rd, 2009, 08:30 AM	#25
Harm Millaard Trustee Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Rotterdam, Netherlands Posts: 1,832	For NAS applications, I like the Thecus N7700 Pro with iSCSI. Portable, affordable and reliable. http://www.thecus.com/products_over....nguage=english

December 22nd, 2009, 06:24 AM	#27
Paul Cronin Inner Circle Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Rhode Island Posts: 4,048	Great timing Robert thank you. And thank you Chris for DVinfo and now go-go-godzilla.com __________________ Paul Cronin www.paulcroninstudios.com