VerdinaNET
New member
What is the best raid configuration for frequent backups ?
RAID configuration!
- Thread starter VerdinaNET
- Start date
I wouldn't look so much at the disk configuration but at the backup method if you want frequent backups.
We have servers with around 2TB of user data, and these are snapshot and backed up twice an hour in around 10 minutes per pass, but this isn't because of our RAID 10 SAS Disks or even RAID 10 SSD database disks, it's because we have an R1Soft backup server and that performs backups at the block level and not at the file level.
We find R1Soft great as it integrates with our DirectAdmin and cPanel servers and allows customers to perform their own restores, which saves us time and offers our customers value.
We've used other methods in the past, but found they were quite resource heavy on the servers, whereas R1Soft CDP seems to be very resource light.
We have servers with around 2TB of user data, and these are snapshot and backed up twice an hour in around 10 minutes per pass, but this isn't because of our RAID 10 SAS Disks or even RAID 10 SSD database disks, it's because we have an R1Soft backup server and that performs backups at the block level and not at the file level.
We find R1Soft great as it integrates with our DirectAdmin and cPanel servers and allows customers to perform their own restores, which saves us time and offers our customers value.
We've used other methods in the past, but found they were quite resource heavy on the servers, whereas R1Soft CDP seems to be very resource light.
whmcsguru
Active member
Personally, I don't recommend raid at all.. Too many hardware complications, too many software issues, and it's just messy
As ughosting mentioned, there are alternative backup solutions. r1soft is good, but if you don't want to spend the $$$ for that, take a look at cpremote, which can do pretty much the same thing.
As ughosting mentioned, there are alternative backup solutions. r1soft is good, but if you don't want to spend the $$$ for that, take a look at cpremote, which can do pretty much the same thing.
VerdinaNET
New member
I don't like software raid. Starting to think that really RAID for the backups may not be needed that much as ughosting said.
Adam Greer
New member
RAID10 is the way to go for backup. It's the best combination of disk speed and safety. You need both for a backup server.
If its Backup server then defiantly RAID 10 as it will improve your backup time as well as Server performance.
VerdinaNET
New member
AtlanticServers
New member
I think RAID 10 only (performance + security)
Layerbyte_Ben
New member
It all depends on what your trying to accomplish. For example how many drives do you plan on using in your RAID array?
The base requirements for the different RAID arrays would be;
RAID 1 - 2 drives;
RAID 5 - minimum 3 drives;
RAID 6 - minimum 4 drives;
RAID 10 - minimum 4 drives;
RAID 50 - minimum 6 drives; and
RAID 60 - minimum 8 drives
I would look at using a RAID 10 based setup, but again it depends on what your trying to achieve and your budget as well.
The base requirements for the different RAID arrays would be;
RAID 1 - 2 drives;
RAID 5 - minimum 3 drives;
RAID 6 - minimum 4 drives;
RAID 10 - minimum 4 drives;
RAID 50 - minimum 6 drives; and
RAID 60 - minimum 8 drives
I would look at using a RAID 10 based setup, but again it depends on what your trying to achieve and your budget as well.
VerdinaNET
New member
Looks like RAID 10 is going to be tried now 
Since you don't clarify I just want to point out that it's very important to understand that any RAID configuration is technically not a backup solution, if you are using RAIDX thinking it is you are wrong. If this is a live server for Shared hosting clients for example, using RAID10 will give you better performance and redundancy, but it's not a backup solution.
If you are looking to create a backup server to use for remote backups for your live production/hosting servers we have always used RAID10, typically at least 8 drives per server. You don't define what you feel frequent is, or how many servers you have, your network setup, the amount of data being backed up each time or the software you will use, etc. All these will factor in to how well and how frequent you can complete these.
Is this going to be used as a remote backup server for your live hosting servers? If so, that opens up a lot of questions to consider, including what I already listed above.
LittleCreek
Member
Any RAID is NOT a backup solution.
RAID10 for speed and redundancy if you're willing to sacrifice some capacity.
RAID5 or 6 or 50 or 60 if you want to lose less capacity on a larger array but you will lose some redundancy as well.
That said - to those that said they don't recommend raid - I would never suggest a single drive to run anything production. At minimum Raid1 to protect against drive failure.
RAID5 or 6 or 50 or 60 if you want to lose less capacity on a larger array but you will lose some redundancy as well.
That said - to those that said they don't recommend raid - I would never suggest a single drive to run anything production. At minimum Raid1 to protect against drive failure.
LittleCreek
Member
I agree. Raid is for failover. But it does not take the place of a backup. I'm just saying don't confuse failover for backup.
Correct.
I've seen that before - where somebody lost their data and wanted to know how they could use their RAID to get the data back.