RAID Vendor/Config Recommendations

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Hi,

I am looking for a better storage solution than I currently have. My config is a 2008 Mac Pro w/2x2.8 quad core intel, and 10GB of memory.

Over the years I have patched on four internal(4.3TB) and three external drives (6TB). I currently have approx 4 TB of data, much of which is video (3TB), photo (250GB), music (250GB), misc (700GB). I have two time machine backup drives (3TB and 2TB), however have not done a backup recently since I can only use one at a time with TM, and both are full.

Here are my perceived requirements (however please let me know what I am missing):
Enough storage to accommodate current data...estimated at 4TB.
Ability to grow data at approx 100GB/month – most video, photos, music.
Fault tolerance that provides for straight forward drive replacement and data recovery in the event of drive loss.
Ability to easily expand data storage, or at least be able to swap in/disks with archived video.

Here are my questions:
1. Is RAID 5 an appropriate data storage architecture?
2. If this is the case, MAC OS 10.6.x doesn't do a native RAID5 with existing drives, correct?
3. Assuming 1TB/year growth and RAID5 75% utilization rate, would a three year window require a 10TB RAID?
4. Would this likely be four 3TB disks in RAID box?
5. What do I do once that RAID is full?
6. If you run a RAID5 setup, does that eliminate the need to do backups?
7. Any recommendations on vendors? I sent an inquiry to Wiebetech several weeks ago but never heard back.

Thanks in advance! :Cool:
 
Joined
Feb 28, 2010
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Hamilton, Ontario
Your Mac's Specs
21.5" iMac i5 2.9 Ghz, 15" MBPro i7 2.0 Ghz, iPhone 5, iPhone 4s, ATV2, ATV3, iPad2, iPad Mini
Just a comment on Question 6.

Raid 5 will provide "High Availability" up time for your Disks, and will provide "recovery" from a failed drive.
BUT
Does nothing to help local Catestrophic failure e.g. Fire or Flood in your home or theft of your Raid Disks.

So you will still need "Off Site" backups.

DavidH
 

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