Match harddrives in a RAID 3?

BrianS · 11-06-2008, 11:17 AM

If I have a RAID 3 array at work, do all the drives need to be the same drive? same size? Is it "Best Practice" to have them all be the same or any other reason you need to have the same drives?

I am trying to solve a dispute between a co-worker and myself so please answer quickly.

netBooger · 11-30-2008, 02:09 AM

It is a little late but no they don't need to all be the same size. But your storage space will only be equal to the smallest drive.

Further Explanation:
The capacity of a RAID 3 array is equal to the smallest member hard disk drive capacity multiplied by the number of disk drives in the array, minus one disk for parity. Example 1: (6) 200 GB drives in a RAID 3 equals 1 TB capacity (6 x 200 GB = 1.2 TB, minus 200 GB for parity). Example 2: (1) 73 GB drive and (2) 146 GB drives in a RAID 3 equals 146 GB capacity (3 x 73 GB = 219 GB, minus 73 GB for parity).

JogaBonito1502 · 11-30-2008, 12:58 PM

Why use RAID3? RAID5 does the same thing and is more efficient at it.

bilbus · 12-16-2008, 12:37 AM

I would choose a more popular raid level.
Striped parity is faster anyhow

**root** · 12-23-2008, 09:57 AM

Thread was duplicate, which is why this one received very little attention.
http://www.computerforums.org/showth...611#post862611

11-06-2008, 11:17 AM	#1
BrianS In Runtime Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 102	Match harddrives in a RAID 3? If I have a RAID 3 array at work, do all the drives need to be the same drive? same size? Is it "Best Practice" to have them all be the same or any other reason you need to have the same drives? I am trying to solve a dispute between a co-worker and myself so please answer quickly.

11-30-2008, 02:09 AM	#2
netBooger Daemon Poster Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 562	Re: Match harddrives in a RAID 3? It is a little late but no they don't need to all be the same size. But your storage space will only be equal to the smallest drive. Further Explanation: The capacity of a RAID 3 array is equal to the smallest member hard disk drive capacity multiplied by the number of disk drives in the array, minus one disk for parity. Example 1: (6) 200 GB drives in a RAID 3 equals 1 TB capacity (6 x 200 GB = 1.2 TB, minus 200 GB for parity). Example 2: (1) 73 GB drive and (2) 146 GB drives in a RAID 3 equals 146 GB capacity (3 x 73 GB = 219 GB, minus 73 GB for parity). __________________ \|\| Cosmos 1000 \|\| Asus Maximus Formula SE \|\| Q6850 3.00GHz \|\| Zalman 9700NT \|\| BFG 8800GTX OC \|\| 4GB Corsair Dominator 1066mhz \|\| Enermax Galaxy 850W \|\| Windows Vista Ultimate 64 \|\| WD Raptor 150GB x2 + WD Caviar 350GB \|\|

11-30-2008, 12:58 PM	#3
JogaBonito1502 Guru Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: U.S. Posts: 7,824	Re: Match harddrives in a RAID 3? Why use RAID3? RAID5 does the same thing and is more efficient at it.

12-16-2008, 12:37 AM	#4
bilbus In Runtime Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 117	Re: Match harddrives in a RAID 3? I would choose a more popular raid level. Striped parity is faster anyhow

12-23-2008, 09:57 AM	#5
root Site Team Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 6,945	Re: Match harddrives in a RAID 3? Thread was duplicate, which is why this one received very little attention. http://www.computerforums.org/showth...611#post862611 __________________ I didn’t fight my way to the top of the food chain to be a vegetarian… Im sick of people saying 'dont waste paper'. If trees wanted to live, they'd all carry guns. "The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of blessings; The inherent vice of socialism is the equal sharing of miseries."

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