Re: How to build a big file server

[Hans Reiser <reiser@namesys.com>]

Heinz-Josef Claes wrote:

>Hi,
>
>I did't found information about my problem on namesys, so I try to ask
>here.
>
>I plan to build a big fileserver for Deutscher Bundestag (German
>Parliament) who is converting to linux on the server side. In the
>beginning it will be used in a testing environment and later multiple of
>them in production use.
>
>Here are some questions:
>
>- I plan to build a system with IDE 250GB drives. 7 of them for raid 5
>and one hot spare. The OS will be on separate hardware raid 1 on smaller
>disks. Does anybody have experience with IDE controlers for the big
>disks? Is it better to use hardware raid oder software raid
>(performance)?
>
>- At this time, we plan to use reiserfs. What are the advantages /
>disadvantages of using the raid 1 for journaling for the (big) raid 5
>(performance, recovery)? The system will be heavily used with
>storebackup (www.sf.net/projects/storebackup) witch means that lots of
>hard links have to be created as fast as possible.
>
>- BTW: I'm using a ZIP drive on the parallel port with reiserfs. Does it
>make sense to put the journal for the ZIP drive on the hard disk of the
>laptop?
>
>Thanks for taking your time,
>Heinz-Josef Claes
>
>
>
>
>  
>
Do you plan to do synchronous work loads involving lots of little 
fsyncs?  The RAID 5 will not perform well for that purpose, otherwise it 
should work well even for the journal.  Chris will correct me if I err.

-- 
Hans