Topic: Internal RAID setup for Photographers (Read 10917 times)

DarkPenguin · « **Reply #20 on:** March 31, 2009, 06:01:38 pm »

Quote from: gunnar1

Must agree with fike on the k.i.s.s. principle. I used to run a raid 5 internal array on a Windows machine when I had a some sort of a bios corruption that literally caused the entire array to overwrite before my eyes. I could do nothing but watch as it happened. It was at that time that I decided to go Mac and never looked back. Luckily I am paranoid and had dual external data backup drives but it was still a huge hassle that would have been disastrous had I not taken the precaution to back up the Raid.

This isn't a comment related to the o.p.'s original question, just a comment on computer simplicity in general.

Raid is not a substitute for a backup.

AgencyDigital_NYC · « **Reply #21 on:** March 31, 2009, 06:08:45 pm »

Quote from: ziocan

I can hardly believe that, unless you plug 3 heads on a Prophoto at full power, but even then, the recycle time of the flash would be plenty faster than "unfuzzing" a 39mp preview on C1.
anyway....

It's absolutely true. We shoot Profoto 7A's, one head per pack, usually with one or more heads at full power.

Jack Flesher · « **Reply #22 on:** March 31, 2009, 06:57:00 pm »

Here's my set-up from a thread in the computer section of this site:

http://luminous-landscape.com/forum/index....st&p=268590

Cheers,

AgencyDigital_NYC · « **Reply #23 on:** April 05, 2009, 11:53:14 pm »

Quote from: ziocan

I can hardly believe that, unless you plug 3 heads on a Prophoto at full power, but even then, the recycle time of the flash would be plenty faster than "unfuzzing" a 39mp preview on C1.
anyway....

Also, i'm talking about burst speeds. "Unfuzzing" is neither here or there. What i'm talking about is capture speed over light recycle. In a system using a P45 (MP), the speed is fast, very fast considering that we use IQRAW large format (Phase One).

gunnar1 · « **Reply #24 on:** April 06, 2009, 04:33:09 pm »

Quote from: DarkPenguin

Raid is not a substitute for a backup.

I will politely disagree DarkPenguin; it depends on how you configure the array. I would agree that a RAID 0 cannot be used as a backup as it is really only for increasing write speed. Using a RAID 1+mirror or even 1+0 can be and easy way to build in a back up at the time of writing especially a mirror. As I noted in my post, I have always maintained separate data backup drives, however if I use LR to create the backup on a separate drive or allow a RAID 1+mirror to do the same thing, what really is the difference?

DarkPenguin · « **Reply #25 on:** April 06, 2009, 05:29:28 pm »

Quote from: gunnar1

I will politely disagree DarkPenguin; it depends on how you configure the array. I would agree that a RAID 0 cannot be used as a backup as it is really only for increasing write speed. Using a RAID 1+mirror or even 1+0 can be and easy way to build in a back up at the time of writing especially a mirror. As I noted in my post, I have always maintained separate data backup drives, however if I use LR to create the backup on a separate drive or allow a RAID 1+mirror to do the same thing, what really is the difference?

When you delete a file on a raid system the file is gone. When you do the same with an actual backup you can go the backup and recover it.

JDClements · « **Reply #26 on:** April 06, 2009, 08:44:18 pm »

Quote from: gunnar1

I will politely disagree DarkPenguin; it depends on how you configure the array. I would agree that a RAID 0 cannot be used as a backup as it is really only for increasing write speed. Using a RAID 1+mirror or even 1+0 can be and easy way to build in a back up at the time of writing especially a mirror. As I noted in my post, I have always maintained separate data backup drives, however if I use LR to create the backup on a separate drive or allow a RAID 1+mirror to do the same thing, what really is the difference?

Probably the biggest misconception related to hard drives is that Redundancy = Backup. It is not. Any one who has a RAID set up and thinks they have a back up solution is mistaken. Like DarkPenguin says, with RAID if you delete a file, it is gone on ALL drives. If a file gets corrupted by a software application, it is corrupted on ALL drives. You have NO backup!

DarkPenguin · « **Reply #27 on:** April 06, 2009, 08:51:27 pm »

Exactly. RAID is about uptime or speed.

Jack Flesher · « **Reply #28 on:** April 06, 2009, 10:09:37 pm »

Quote from: DarkPenguin

Exactly. RAID is about uptime or speed.

Agreed. However one RAID array *backed up* (read, not mirrored) to a second RAID array is in fact a back up, and if that second array is RAID with redundancy (like R5), so much the better...

Cheers,

DarkPenguin · « **Reply #29 on:** April 06, 2009, 11:09:15 pm »

Quote from: Jack Flesher

Agreed. However one RAID array *backed up* (read, not mirrored) to a second RAID array is in fact a back up, and if that second array is RAID with redundancy (like R5), so much the better...

Cheers,

Yes. But again the RAID aspect is being used for uptime or speed. This time keeping your backup online. And that is a great way to use a raid.

Another way to use a raid as a backup is to occasionally break the raid, store that disk, put a new disk into the raid and let it rebuild. This is even better if you can mirror across 3 disks.

Plekto · « **Reply #30 on:** April 06, 2009, 11:20:52 pm »

Still, RAID 1 is recommended. A 160GB raid specific drive from WD (RE2 series) is only $60. Two are $120 and work great as a main OS drive. My RAID 1 array crashed three days ago. I rebuilt it in 2tow hours while doing my normal business. Nearly painless recovery from a bad FAT that would have bricked a normal drive and required data recovery.

Worth every penny.

gunnar1 · « **Reply #31 on:** April 07, 2009, 12:11:03 am »

Thanks for the education; I stand corrected.

GiorgioNiro · « **Reply #32 on:** April 10, 2009, 10:15:32 am »

Quote from: gunnar1

Thanks for the education; I stand corrected.

Interesting conversation. If you have ever heard the statement that " One is none, two is one, three is two." then you will be somewhat familiar with RAID.

Raid can also speed up the performance of a PC or Mac running PhotoShop, for a great online resource see digilloyd as previously stated.

As far as back up goes the above statement should apply, that and keep the back ups at separate locations.

Raid is a tool, that has proven very effective for digital photographers.

AgencyDigital_NYC · « **Reply #33 on:** April 13, 2009, 10:38:42 am »

Okay, so for me this configuration will win:

Mac Pro 2.66 Dual Quad
12GB RAM
Velociraptor RAID 0 Boot
Barracuda RAID 0 Scratch
eSATA RAID 5 Media
Firewire 800 Backup drive.

Maybe not the fastest, but very fast & secure.

Phil G · « **Reply #34 on:** April 13, 2009, 12:03:47 pm »

I have just started using an all digital work flow and my set up is

Mac Pro 2x2.8 Quad 12 GB Ram

Drive 1 System Disc (750GB)

Drives 2+3 Striped (2x 1TB) Aperture Library and H3D ScratchPads

Drive 4 Backup (1TB) inc Aperture Vault + H3D Archive + PPArchive (Active Archive)

External Backups 1TB FW 800's A-Vault + H3D Archive + PPArchive , stored off site ( Active and Preservation Archives)

To take advantage of lower cost SATA drives I am considering buying a WiebeTech SilverSATA 4 and 4x1TB (or 2TB?) drives with a eSATA controller has any one experience of this unit?

I have just seen Jack Flesher's solution of using the lower optical drive bay for two SATA drives must investigate

http://luminous-landscape.com/forum/index....mp;#entry268590

Author Topic: Internal RAID setup for Photographers (Read 10917 times)

DarkPenguin

DarkPenguin

DarkPenguin

DarkPenguin

GiorgioNiro