Opinions re disk config 1

[klunde]

Hi

I'm about to configure two new servers as my domain controllers/exchange server (2003) and I wonder if anyone here has some pro's and con's for the disk config.

My servers are identical (IBM xServies 346) and have 6x74Gb disks. (dual cpu/2gb ram)

Should I configure them with a 2 disk mirrored C: and a raid 5 with hotspare for D: or should I just run Raid 5 with a hotspare as C: for the whole server?

All thoughts are welcome!

</Morten>

PS
Sorry about the posting in forum w2k - didn't search for forums before posting...



</Morten>

 

[navigat0]

Hi Morten - Here's what I've found.

Not sure if you were considering both of them for DC's and both of them for Exchange or if we're dealing with hardware (assumed) or software RAID but here's what I've found.

When dealing with windows systems it never hurts to separate OS partitions from other partitions using physical drives - or in your case RAID containers.

Splitting the containers across multiple RAID controller channels allows for the greatest level of redundancy and performance.

C: 2 drives RAID 1-0 (mirrored) - 1 on channel A, the other on channel B.
D: 3 drives RAID 5 (striped) - 2 on channel A, the other on channel B
1 hot spare for either container - on channel B