StarWind Software

I've a question about best practices for exchange.

I'm building a new san with an HP MSA array behind a server. It has 9 drives plus one for hotspare.

Typically you'll read that the database should be on a raid 5 array because of the random read/writes and the logs on a mirror for the sequential operations. With a SAN does the same hold true? ie: should I build one 9 drive array and part it out or a 7 drive raid 5 and a mirrored pair for logs? (using the raid 5 for other mixed storage as well?)

I guess the same question would hold true for SQL, and would having two sets of logs on one mirrored pair be a hindrance?

Thanks for any assistance and insight you can lend! This kind of information is lacking in the general SAN operation materials I've been able to find.

Jim

Hello Jim,

Yes, RAID-5 is generally regarded as one of the best data protection scenario.

For using with StarWind iSCSI SAN you can create two RAID-5 arrays, export them as diskbridge devices using StarWind and build an SQL cluster on this configuration.

Thanks,
Rob

Thank you for the reply. I understand from a data protection standpoint, but in the exchange point of view is the dual raid 5 what is going to perform best?

Thanks,

Jim

Jim,

Yes, I think dual RAID 5 (striped) would be the best for both data protection and speed.

Thanks
Rob