I've run a couple of dual processor A-bit VP6 motherboards with the on-board Highpoint HPT100 raid array configured as a 4 way raid-0 drive with 4 IBM 60G 120GXP drives. I've been running these systems for a couple of years with no issues.
Recently, the motherboard in one of the servers started to experience problems (hangs, blue screens, etc) at random times. Turns out that the power supply filter caps that A-bit used were under-rated and deteriorating. I then undertook to replace this mother board with a Tyan Tiger (still dual P3), and a Highpoint 404 Rocket raid array.
Being the conservative and careful type, I made sure that all of the data on the array was backed up as of when the server went offline. I then installed the new M-board and raid controller.
As an experiment, I placed the drives in the same relative positions in the new controller to see if it would recognize the array from the older raid controller. To my surprize, not only did it recognize it, but the whole array was intact.
As a further experiment, I then moved the two slave drives to the master position on the extra two ide channels in the new controller so that now, all four drives were the master each on their own IDE channel. Imagine my surprize when I booted the system up, and the raid controller *Still* recognized the array.
I rebuilt the array, and loaded it up from the back-ups anyway, just to be sure of the integrity of the data, and also to correct the garbage array name that resulted from the old controller not supporting an array name. Still, I was quite impressed with the Highpoint controller's recognition of the array, and feel more secure about what would happen if I have a controller or motherboard malfunction in the future.
Regards to all,
Joe
P.S. The Highpoint 404 is a nifty low cost (under $100) raid controller, and the performance is impressive for a low cost device.
Recently, the motherboard in one of the servers started to experience problems (hangs, blue screens, etc) at random times. Turns out that the power supply filter caps that A-bit used were under-rated and deteriorating. I then undertook to replace this mother board with a Tyan Tiger (still dual P3), and a Highpoint 404 Rocket raid array.
Being the conservative and careful type, I made sure that all of the data on the array was backed up as of when the server went offline. I then installed the new M-board and raid controller.
As an experiment, I placed the drives in the same relative positions in the new controller to see if it would recognize the array from the older raid controller. To my surprize, not only did it recognize it, but the whole array was intact.
As a further experiment, I then moved the two slave drives to the master position on the extra two ide channels in the new controller so that now, all four drives were the master each on their own IDE channel. Imagine my surprize when I booted the system up, and the raid controller *Still* recognized the array.
I rebuilt the array, and loaded it up from the back-ups anyway, just to be sure of the integrity of the data, and also to correct the garbage array name that resulted from the old controller not supporting an array name. Still, I was quite impressed with the Highpoint controller's recognition of the array, and feel more secure about what would happen if I have a controller or motherboard malfunction in the future.
Regards to all,
Joe
P.S. The Highpoint 404 is a nifty low cost (under $100) raid controller, and the performance is impressive for a low cost device.
