RAID - JBOD - separate externals

[Gerard52]

Need to decide storage method, as between the above - Assume that I cannot fit all of my cds on one 1 TB drive. My understanding of RAID and JBOD is both allow for more than one drive to be seen as one large partition rather than a number of smaller partitions with RAID providing certain protections over JBOD against catastrophic losses. Is there a problem with merely having several external drives? It appears that this would be the simplest method. Protection in this case would be to merely have duplicate external drives for data redundance. In the case of a, for example, 3 drive system, this would require six drives - three connected to the system and three archived copies stored on the shelf. I understand that I would have to then manually update the duplicate drives. In other words, if I set up 3 external USB 1TB drives and, for eg. split my music collection up alphabetically as to the respective drive, can I simply then look at the respective drive (i.e. Mozart on drive 'J') to select the music that I want to hear, or, am I missing something more fundamental here?

 

[iamimdoc]

There is no reason this should not work. Do consider moving your backups offsite in case you have a catastrophe at your house such as fire, flood, theft, pestilence, war, etc.

 

Depending on your software, it is not even necessary for you to put certain types of music/artist on a certain drive. [in fact, this may not not desirable for backup reasons (see below).] Presuming your music player software creates its own library (of data regarding your music), the computer will do the sorting/searching/finding for you.

 

To make your backup easier, fill up drive 1 and backup

Then fill up drive 2 and backup.

...repeat (ad nauseum)

You then only have the back up the "currently adding to drive" when you add new music in the future. Prior drives are never backed up again as there is no reason to.

 

Let the computer do the dirty work - that is what it is for.

 

[Guest WATERLOGIC]

I use two (1 is for backap - I have more than 3.5 TB of lossless music) .

 

DROBO takes 4 HDDs - check their site http://www.drobo.com/ . Automatic maintenance, optimisation etc.

 

Regards

 

[restock]

Raid is more efficient than using just duplicate drives - for RAID 5 with 4 drives of 1TB you get 3TB of usage and are completely protected against 1 drive failing. RAID 6 would give you protection against any two drives failing with 5 drives of 1TB and 3TB of storage. In your method you cannot have the original and duplicate failing, so that only one drive can fail in principle, and you need 6TB for 3TB of storage.

 

 

 

[JDFlood]

Good question. I'm an IT guy / audiophile. The elegant solution is RAID. The problem is these things don't always work for amatures. I looked at Drobo and finall bought an HP EX495. Drobo has a good reputation. I think HP is heading down this road full speed and I have been happy with there products over the last few years. HP uses a file duplication strategy... kind of like RAID but simpler. I haven't had to try using it yet. The server can store 16 tb something like that. The server can stream the files over the internet (if turn on) or around the house to any pc via wireless. It does backups. It has a collector to grab all your files from you PCs. I have been really impressed. I still keep about 6 1tb drives attached to my primary PC for music, photo storage. I am paranoid. Anyway, check out the HP. It was simple to set up, I just filled it full of 2tb drives and it became the hub of my home network. JD