Software vs Hardware RAID

Reasons for using software RAID versus a hardware RAID setup.

[sanjo]

Thank you so much for this video. I was searching for the better selection of RAID controller types(hw/sw). In my case, RAID is for data redundancy and the raid controller fail is a big matter for me. So I am also selecting sw RAID for the easiest data recovery.

[abuttner]

I have run into the same problems you described. I had a customer with a hardware RAID and when the system failed, the card was no longer available. Luckily they had backups. I always use software RAID to eliminate any problem with hardware.

[anders]

There is an outside chance some other motherboard might support the right type / version of RAID for you to get your data but that is "luck of the draw" in my opinion. I'd suggest you go with software RIAID if you are worried at all about getting your data back after you loose the controller. Drives from a software RAID can be usable on a wide variety of other hardware. Software RAID is just software RAID regardless of hardware types and versions.

[kutsy]

The only problem with software raid is that it will use up main processor to manage the raid data distribution whilst raid chip has onboard processor to take care of the task, leaving the main processor free for other processes.
To prevent failure, i keep bios disabled hdd that i enable once a month to back up data and then disable it again.
If ssd or raid fails, replace failed part, back up from hdd. You can use different raid chip, or new one. You just back up your data from hdd.

[anders]

Yes, in software RAID each disk has an id and you can cat /proc/mdstat to see the health of the RAID and the individual disks.

[PatrickDKing]

I've been researching options for both hardware raid and software raid...anyone have any good options and recommendations for both?  And would it be better to have a RAID NAS or a RAID SAN?

[musikdoktor]

i had the same question... how to know which disc have the right info.. i know if one answer could be test one by one.. but that should work if one blown the logic card or the plate sounds bad.. but what if the error was made by a bad sector?? how you know which drive made the error? there's any log file?

[TerminalCraze]

Thanks. These are some questions I am wrangling with a current home server (MOBO raid vs MDADM). So do you mean if your motherboard fails you can't simply pop the drives into a new motherboard and rebuild ? You would have to get the exact same mobo? Or you could not for instance take out a working hard drive and pop it in another computer to recover the data, because it uses the motherboard raid ? Sorry if you have to spell it out for me, I am a noob.

[Layput]

Quick question,

hardware raid = bios raid?
software raid =  raid built using the windows manage drive?

[garyc]

so if a person wanted to set up a RAID 5 system for a media server; what would be the best OS platform to run it. From other posts I found out Windows 7 does not accommodate RAID 5. So I have my machine built and have been taking my time on how to proceed. I did experiment with FreeNas and had no other data on it and let the computer sit for a month or so and then it wouldn't boot up. So I wiped the main drive...that is where I am at. I doing this for a hardwired system in a home...so this computer will not be going to any virtual cloud. Thanks in advance for any advise given.

[blueneko]

Just created my first software linux raid tonight. lets see how long it lasts =>

[david_escalante]

I'm having this strange behavior with raid, it seems that Software RAID it's breaking my sata ports, I had 2 motherboard died with the sata ports burned out, no idea if this is raid related but I have 8 drives in RAID only, so I have been thinking on moving to hardware raid.

[zfer]

Windows raid outperforms most desktop pc motherboard 'hardware' cheesy cheap raid controllers anyways. Real raid hardware is expensive.