On Sun, Jan 03, 2010 at 10:42:49PM -0800, Robert Woodcock wrote: >Hardware RAID does not have this problem because the state of each disk is >stored in controller NVRAM instead.
Some of it. Some of it is also stored on the disk; otherwise if you lost a controller you'd lose the array too. Now, a PERC card will COMPLAIN if you slide a whole new array underneath it, but it will, if you poke it right, merrily pick up where the old dead card left off... >Hardware RAID *does* have the additional problem that arrays will generally >only be readable with the same brand and family of controller. Not fun if >an old controller dies and you have to procure a used spare from >who-knows-where. Which is why, if you expect to have a bunch of like machines for a while and aren't going to be on vendor-supported maintenance, you buy a case of the controllers and store them carefully. (H/t Dan Wilder for that idea.) -- Glenn
