LaCie FIREWIRE 800-400 User Manual
4-Disk RAID
USB 2.0, FireWire 800/400, eSATA
user manual
manuel utilisateur
manual de instrucciones
gebruikershandleiding
guída utente
Biggest Quadra
handbuch
ユーザー マニュアル
用户手册
용자 설명서
LaCie Biggest Quadra
User Manual
Table of Contents
Health and Safety Precautions 4
General Use Precautions 4
Table of Contents
page 1
1. Introduction to the LaCie Biggest Quadra
2. About the LaCie Biggest Quadra 7
2.1. Minimum System Requirements 7
2.2. Package Content 8
2.3. Specifications 9
2.4. Views of the Drive 10
2.4.1. Front View 10
2.4.2. Rear View 11
2.5. Cables and Connectors 12
2.5.1. FireWire 400 and 800 Cables and Connectors 12
2.5.2. Hi-Speed USB 2.0 Cables and Connectors 13
2.5.3. eSATA Cables and Connectors 14
2.6. Drive Tray Locks 15
3. Understanding RAID 1
3.1. RAID 0 16
3.2. RAID 0 + 1 17
3.3. RAID 5 18
3.4. RAID 5 + Hot Spare 19
4. Setting Up Your LaCie Biggest Quadra 2
4.1. Setting the RAID Level 21
4.1.1. RAID 5 22
4.1.2. RAID 5 + Hot Spare 22
4.1.3. RAID 0 23
4.1.4. RAID 0 + 1 23
4.2. Creating an Array 24
4.2.1. Initializing the Disks 24
4.2.2. Managing Volumes over 2TB in Windows 26
4.3. Connecting to a Host Computer 27
4.3.1. Connecting to the Host Computer via FireWire 28
4.3.2. Connecting to the Host Computer via Hi-Speed USB 2.0 29
4.3.3. Connecting to the Host Computer via eSATA 3
4.4. Setting the LCD Display Time & Date 31
4.5. Formatting and Partitioning 32
4.5.1. Windows Users 32
4.5.2. Mac Users 34
6
6
0
0
LaCie Biggest Quadra
User Manual
5. Using the LaCie Biggest Quadra 35
5.1. Disk Status and Activity Indicators 35
5.2. LCD Display Messages 36
5.2.1. Initialization Messages 36
5.2.2. Rebuild Messages 37
5.2.3. Failure and Error Messages 38
5.2.4. RAID and Disk Status Messages 39
5.2.5. RAID and Disk Information Messages 40
6. Maintaining Your LaCie Biggest Quadra 42
6.1. Removing/Replacing A Drive 42
6.2. Firmware Updates 42
7. Technical Information 43
7.1. File System Formats 43
7.2. Available Storage Capacity 45
7.3. Optimizing Data Transfers 45
Table of Contents
page 2
8. FireWire Questions & Answers 48
9. USB Questions & Answers 50
10. eSATA Questions & Answers 52
11. Troubleshooting 54
12. Contacting Customer Support 56
12.1. LaCie Technical Support Contacts 57
13. Warranty Information 58
LaCie Biggest Quadra
User Manual
Copyrights
Copyright © 2007 LaCie. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may
be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by
any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written consent of LaCie.
Trademarks
Apple, Mac, Macintosh and FireWire
are registered trademarks of Apple
Computer, Inc. Microsoft, Windows
NT, Windows 98, Windows 98 SE,
Windows 2000, Windows Millennium
Edition, Windows Server 2003, Windows XP and Windows Vista are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. Sony and iLink are registered
trademarks of Sony Electronics. Other
trademarks mentioned in this manual
are the property of their respective owners.
Changes
e material in this document is for information only and subject to change
without notice. While reasonable efforts have been made in the preparation
of this document to assure its accuracy,
LaCie assumes no liability resulting
from errors or omissions in this document, or from the use of the information contained herein. LaCie reserves
the right to make changes or revisions
in the product design or the product
manual without reservation and without
obligation to notify any person of such
revisions and changes.
LaCie Biggest Quadra
Tested To Comply
With FCC standards
FOR HOME OR
OFFICE USE
FCC Statement
is device complies with Part 15 of the
FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the
following conditions:
1. e devices may not cause harmful
interference
2. e devices must accept any interference received, including interference
that may cause undesired operation
NOTE: is equipment has been tested
and found to comply with the limits for
a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part
15 of the FCC Rules. ese limits are
designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a
residential installation. is equipment
generates, uses and can radiate radio
frequency energy and, if not installed
and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to
radio communications. However, there
is no guarantee that interference will
not occur in a particular installation. If
this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is
encouraged to try and correct the interference by one or more of the following
measures:
Reorient or relocate the receiving an-
❖
tenna.
Increase the separation between the
❖
equipment and receiver.
Forward
page 3
Connect the equipment into an out-
❖
let on a circuit different from that to
which the receiver is connected.
Consult the dealer or an experienced
❖
radio/TV technician for help.
Modifications to this product not
authorized by LaCie could void the
FCC & Industry Canada regulations
and negate your authority to operate the
product.
Canada Compliance Statement
is Class B digital apparatus complies with Canadian ICES-003.
Manufacturer’s Declaration for CE Certification
We, LaCie, solemnly declare that this
product conforms to the following European standards:
Class B EN60950-1:2003, EN55022:
1998, EN55024:1998 +A1, EN610003-2: 2000, EN61000-3-3:2001
With reference to the following conditions:
73/23/EEC Low Voltage Directive
89/336/EEC EMC Directive
LaCie Biggest Quadra
User Manual
Forward
page 4
is symbol on the product or on its packaging
indicates that this product
must not be disposed of
with your other household waste. Instead, it is your responsibility to dispose
of your waste equipment by handing it
over to a collection point for the recycling of electrical and electronic equip-
ment. e collection and recycling of
your waste equipment at the time of
disposal will help to conserve resources
and ensure that it is recycled in a way
that protects health and the environment. For information about where
you can drop off your equipment for
recycling, please contact your city waste
disposal service.
Health and Safety Precautions
Only qualified persons are authorized to
carry out maintenance on this device.
• Read this User’s Guide carefully, and
follow the correct procedure when setting up the device.
• Do not open your LaCie Biggest
Quadra or attempt to disassemble or
modify it. Never insert any metallic object into the drive to avoid any risk of
electrical shock, fire, short-circuiting or
dangerous emissions. Your LaCie Big-
gest Quadra contains no user-serviceable
parts. If it appears to be malfunctioning,
have it inspected by a qualified LaCie
Technical Support representative.
• Never expose your device to rain, or
use it near water, or in damp or wet conditions. Never place objects containing
liquids on the LaCie Biggest Quadra, as
they may spill into its openings. Doing
so increases the risk of electrical shock,
short-circuiting, fire or personal injury.
CAUTION: A shielded-type
power cord is required in order
to meet FCC emission limits and
also to prevent interference to the
nearby radio and television reception. It is essential that only the
supplied power cord be used.
• Make sure that the computer and
LaCie Biggest Quadra are electrically
grounded. If the devices are not grounded, there is an increased risk of electrical shock.Power requirements 100-240
V~, 4-2 A, 60-50 Hz, (Supply voltage
fluctuations not exceeding ± 10% of the
nominal, transient over-voltages according to over-voltage category II).
General Use Precautions
Do not expose the LaCie Biggest
❖ cold or humid may damage the unit.
Quadra to temperatures outside
the range of 0° C to 35° C (32° F
to 95° F); or to operational humidity beyond 5-95%, non-condensing,
or non-operating humidity beyond
5-95%, non-condensing. Doing
so may damage the LaCie Biggest
Quadra or disfigure its casing. Avoid
placing your LaCie Biggest Quadra
near a source of heat or exposing it
to sunlight (even through a window).
Inversely, placing your LaCie Biggest
Quadra in an environment that is too
Rated cooling for altitudes up to
❖
2000 meters.
Always unplug the LaCie Biggest
❖
Quadra from the electrical outlet if
there is a risk of lightning or if it will
be unused for an extended period of
time. Otherwise, there is an increased
risk of electrical shock, short-circuiting or fire.
Use only the power supply shipped
❖
with the device.
Do not use the LaCie Biggest Quadra
❖
near other electrical appliances such
as televisions, radios or speakers. Doing so may cause interference which
will adversely affect the operation of
the other products.
Do not place the LaCie Biggest
❖
Quadra near sources of magnetic interference, such as computer displays,
televisions or speakers. Magnetic interference can affect the operation
and stability of your LaCie Biggest
Quadra.
LaCie Biggest Quadra
Forward
User Manual
Do not place heavy objects on top of
❖
the LaCie Biggest Quadra or use excessive force on it.
Never use excessive force on your
❖
LaCie Biggest Quadra. If you detect
a problem, consult the Troubleshooting section in this manual.
Protect your LaCie Biggest Quadra
❖
from excessive exposure to dust dur-
ImpOrTANT INfO: Any loss, corruption or destruction of data while using a LaCie drive is the sole responsibility of the
user, and under no circumstances will LaCie be held liable for the recovery or restoration of this data. To help prevent the loss
of your data, LaCie highly recommends that you keep TWO copies of your data; one copy on your external hard drive, for
instance, and a second copy either on your internal hard drive, another external hard drive or some other form of removable
storage media, such as CD, DVD or Tape. LaCie offers a complete line of CD, DVD and Tape drives, and if you would like
more information on backup, please refer to the LaCie white paper on backup methods and technology.
ing use or storage. Dust can build up
inside the device, increasing the risk
of damage or malfunction.
Never use benzene, paint thinners,
❖
detergent or other chemical products to clean the outside of the LaCie Biggest Quadra. Such products
will disfigure and discolor the casing.
Instead, use a soft, dry cloth to wipe
the device.
Do not attempt to remove a hard
❖
disk from a drive tray. Removal of
a hard disk by anyone other than an
authorized LaCie Technical Support
representative will void the warranty.
CAUTION: Modifications not
authorized by the manufacturer
may void the user’s authority to
operate this device.
page 5
ImpOrTANT INfO: 1GB = 1,000,000,000 bytes. 1TB = 1,000,000,000,000 bytes. Once formatted, the actual available
storage capacity varies depending on operating environment (typically 5-10% less).
LaCie Biggest Quadra
User Manual
1. Introduction to the LaCie Biggest Quadra
Congratulations on the purchase of your new
LaCie Biggest Quadra. is high-performance, extremely flexible RAID (Redundant Array of Independent/Inexpensive Disks) subsystem is ideally suited for
integration with databases, imaging systems and e-mail
and Web servers.
RAID technology is one of the best means to protect your data, while providing greater performance,
data integrity and availability than standard hard disk
storage. With single error detection and disk parity used
to recover data if a disk fails, a RAID system ideal for
safeguarding valuable data while streamlining performance.
Introduction
page 6
e LaCie Biggest Quadra is the ultimate approach
to a flexible RAID solution, managing three different
RAID levels (0, 0+1 and 5) and offering the option of
RAID 5 + hot spare. Featuring intelligent online recovery, the LaCie Biggest Quadra allows one drive to
be designated a hot spare – if one drive fails, the LaCie
Biggest Quadra will seamlessly rebuild the failed drive’s
data on the hot spare.
Biggest Quadra Features■
Supports powerful RAID 0, 0+1, 5, and RAID 5+spare
❖
Hot swappable SATA disk drives for security and recovery
❖
eSATA 1.5 Gbits/s interface
❖
Automatic on-line rebuilding (RAID 0+1, 5, 5+)
❖
Event notification through audible alarm
❖
LCD panel for operational status display
❖
LaCie Biggest Quadra
User Manual
2. About the LaCie Biggest Quadra
2.1. Minimum System Requirements
Windows Users
Pentium III or higher compatible processor
❖
128MB RAM or greater
❖
Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, Win-
❖
dows XP or Windows Vista
Available eSATA*, USB 2.0, FireWire 400 or
❖
FireWire 800* interface port
About the LaCie Biggest Quadra
page 7
TeChNICAl NOTe: Windows 2000 Users! In
order for the LaCie Biggest Quadra to be recognized by your computer using the FireWire/IEEE
1394 interface, you must have Windows Service
Pack 3 installed on your operating system. To ensure that you have the correct configuration, right
click on My Computer and select Properties. e
System Properties dialog box will appear. Click on
the General tab and this will list which version of
the Windows operating system you are currently
running.
Mac Users
G3 and later or Intel Core processor
❖
128MB RAM or greater
❖
Mac OS 10.2.8 or later
❖
Available eSATA*, USB 2.0, FireWire 400 or
❖
FireWire 800* interface port
* Most computers do not come from the factory with FireWire
800 or eSATA ports, so you may need to purchase a PCI,
PCI-X or PCI-Express card to be able to connect your Biggest Quadra via these interfaces. LaCie offers a wide selection of eSATA and FireWire 800 cards. Visit the LaCie
website at www.lacie.com/accessories
TeChNICAl NOTe: Mac Users! USB Con-
nectivity: For optimal performance under the Mac
OS, it is recommended that you use the FireWire
interface unless you are using a G5 or are running Mac OS 10.2.8 or later on a computer with a
Hi-Speed USB 2.0 PC or PCI card. All versions
of the Mac OS before Mac OS 10.2.8 do not
support the transfer rates of Hi-Speed USB 2.0,
and all data transfers will be made at the slower
USB 1.1 rates.
LaCie Biggest Quadra
Quick Install Guide
Biggest FW800
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Biggest FW800
User Manual & Utilities
version1.0
SATA
SATA
User Manual
2.2. Package Content
Your LaCie hard drive package should contain the
following:
About the LaCie Biggest Quadra
page 8
1
LaCie Biggest Quadra RAID with 4 SATA hard
1
disks
eSATA cable
2
FireWire 800 9-to-9-pin cable
3
FireWire 800/400 9-to-6-pin cable
4
Hi-Speed USB 2.0 cable
5
Power cable
6
Drive lock keys (2)
2
5
3
6
4
7
LaCie Utilities CD-ROM
8
Quick Install Guide
9
ImpOrTANT INfO: Please save your packag-
ing. In the event that the drive should need to be
repaired or serviced, it must be returned in its original packaging. In the event that an individual disk
7
should need to be repaired or serviced, please refer
to section 6.1. Removing or Replacing a Drive.
8
9
LaCie Biggest Quadra
User Manual
2.3. Specifications
Host Interface■
eSATA, FireWire 400, FireWire 800 and USB 2.0❖
Weight and Dimensions■
25.3 lbs/11.5 Kgw
❖
152.8 x 206.4 x 268.5 mm
❖
Operation Temperature■
0 - 35°C❖
About the LaCie Biggest Quadra
page 9
Operation Humidity■
5 - 95%, non condensing❖
Storage Humidity■
5 - 95%, non-condensing❖
Power Supply■
200W; input 100~250V AC; output +5V/10A,
❖
+12V/10A, +3.3V/5A
Available Capacity■
RAID 0 = 100%
❖
RAID 0+1= 50%
❖
RAID 5 = 75%
❖
RAID 5+ Spare = 50%
❖
LaCie Biggest Quadra
User Manual
2.4. Views of the Drive
2.4.1. Front View■
5
Disk
Disk
4 3
About the LaCie Biggest Quadra
page 10
Disk Activity Indicator – Indicates when the
1
disk is being accessed. For more information,
please see section 5.1. Disk Status and Activity
Indicators.
2
Disk Status Indicator – Indicates the status of
2
1
the disk. For more information, please see section
5.1. Disk Status And Activity Indicators.
6
Disk
Disk
7
CAUTION: To avoid overheating, the LaCie
Biggest Quadra should be installed in a well-ven-
tilated area and in such a way as to maintain suf-
ficient airflow across the controller chips. Also en-
sure that the Ventilation Fan is not obstructed.
Environmental Requirements:
Temperature: 0 – 35° C (32 – 95° F)
Operation Humidity: 5 – 95%, non-condensing
Storage Humidity: 5 – 95%, non-condensing
Fig. 2.4.1.
Enter/Mute Button – e enter button is used
3
to set the date and time, and is also used to mute
the alert buzzer.
LCD Display – e LCD Display alerts you to
4
the status and configuration information of your
LaCie Biggest Quadra’s subsystem and arrays.
For more information about the LCD Display
messages, please see section 5.2. LCD Display
Messages.
Scroll Button – e scroll button is used to navi-
5
gate through the information on the LCD Display, and is used to select settings for setting the
date and time.
Drive Trays – Each drive tray can hold one-inch
6
high, 3.5-inch SATA disk drive.
Disk 1 – is is also the default Hot Spare Disk.
Disks 2 – 4
Drive Locks – Protect your Biggest Quadra’s
7
drives from accidental removal and damage by
locking the drives into their bays. See section 2.6.
Drive Tray Locks.
LaCie Biggest Quadra
USB
eSATA
0 5 0-1 5-S
User Manual
2.4.2. Rear View■
Ventilation Fan – e ventilation fan keeps your
1
drive cool during operation. Be sure not to block
the fan when using your drive.
About the LaCie Biggest Quadra
page 11
6
8 97
Power Switch – e power svwitch is the main
2
on/off switch for the LaCie Biggest Quadra.
Power Supply Connector – is is where you
3
plug in the AC adapter supplied with the drive.
For more information, please see section 4.2.
Creating An Array.
Power Supply Fan – e power supply fan pro-
4
vides ventilation for the internal power supply to
prevent overheating.
eSATA Port – is is where you plug in the eSA-
5
TA cable furnished with the drive. For more information, please see sections 2.5. Cables &
Connectors, 4.3. Connecting to a Host Com-
puter, and 11. eSATA Questions & Answers.
Hi-Speed USB 2.0 Port – is is where you plug
6
in the Hi-Speed USB 2.0 cable furnished with
the drive. For more information, please see sections 2.5. Cables & Connectors, 4.3. Connecting
to a Host Computer, and 9. USB Questions &
Answers.
5
1
4
23
Fig. 2.4.2.
FireWire 800 Ports – is is where you plug in
7
the FireWire 800 cable furnished with the drive.
For more information, please see section 2.5.
Cables & Connectors, 4.3. Connecting to a Host
Computer and 8. FireWire Questions & Answers.
Serial/RS-232 Port – e Serial/RS-232 Port is
8
used to connect the LaCie Biggest Quadra to a
terminal or a terminal equipped PC with terminal emulation software. e status of the LaCie
Biggest Quadra can then be viewed remotely. For
RAID Level Switch Selectors – e RAID
9
Level Switch Selectors consist of two switches,
which are used to set the RAID level. For more
information, please see section 4.1. Setting the
RAID Level.
more information on firmware updates please
contact LaCie Technical Support.
LaCie Biggest Quadra
User Manual
2.5. Cables and Connectors
2.5.1. FireWire 400 and 800 Cables and Connectors■
About the LaCie Biggest Quadra
page 12
FireWire 400, also known as IEEE 1394, is a highspeed serial input/output technology for connecting
peripheral devices to a computer or to each other, and
FireWire 800 is the implementation of the new IEEE
1394b standard.
FireWire 800 offers increased bandwidth and extended distance between devices. FireWire 800 is ideal
for bandwidth-intensive applications, such as audio, video and graphics. Please see section 8. FireWire Ques-
tions & Answers for more information on FireWire.
FireWire Icons
eses icons will help you easily identify the FireWire
interface. ey appear on FireWire cables, and next to
the FireWire port connectors on certain computers.
FireWire 800 Benefits
Resourceful architecture: FireWire 800 reduces
❖
delays in arbitration and signal distortion, and
increases throughput.
Backwards compatibility: adapter cables al-
❖
low FireWire 400 devices to operate under the
FireWire 800 port (at FireWire 400 speed).
FireWire 400 & FireWire 800 Benefits
Hot-pluggable: devices can be added and re-
❖
moved while the bus is active.
Isochronous data delivery: no dropped frames
❖
– FireWire supports real-time data delivery.
Flexible: up to 63 devices can be connected on a
❖
single bus.
FireWire icon iLink icon DV icon
FireWire Cables
ere are two categories of FireWire cables on the
market: FireWire 800 cables, which feature the 9-to-9pin, 9-to-6-pin, and 9-to-4-pin cables; and the original
FireWire cables which feature the 6-to-6-pin and 6-to4-pin cables.
FireWire 800 9-to-9 Pin Cable and Cable End
FireWire 800 9-to-6 Pin Cable and Cable End
iLink/DV Cable and Cable End (Sold Separately)
LaCie Biggest Quadra
User Manual
2.5.2. Hi-Speed USB 2.0 Cables and Connectors■
About the LaCie Biggest Quadra
page 13
USB is a serial input/output technology for connecting peripheral devices to a computer or to each other.
Hi-Speed USB 2.0 is the latest implementation of this
standard, and it provides the necessary bandwidth and
data transfer rates to support high speed devices such as
hard drives, CD/DVD drives and digital cameras.
Please see section 9. USB Questions & Answers for
more information on USB’s uses and capabilities.
USB Icons
ese icons will help you easily identify the USB
interfaces. ey appear on USB cables and next to the
USB port connectors on certain computers.
USB 2.0 icon USB 1.1 icon
Hi-Speed USB 2.0 Benefits
Backwards compatibility: Hi-Speed USB 2.0
❖
works with the original USB specifications.
Hot-swappable: no need to shut down or restart
❖
your computer when adding or removing devices.
USB 2.0 Cables
Your LaCie drive is shipped with a Hi-Speed USB
2.0 cable, to ensure maximum data transfer performance
when connected to a Hi-Speed USB 2.0 port. e cable
will also work when connected to a USB port, but drive
performance will be limited to USB 1.1 transfer rates.
USB 2.0 Cable Ends
LaCie Biggest Quadra
S-ATA
S-ATA
User Manual
2.5.3. eSATA Cables and Connectors■
Your LaCie Biggest Quadra uses the latest in SATA
technology, allowing interface (or bus) transfer rates of
up to 3 Gbits/s. SATA technology was originally developed to serve as an internal interface, delivering improved performance to internal connections. Soon after,
eSATA, or external SATA was developed, allowing for
the use of shielded cables outside the PC.
eSATA technology was developed to be rugged and
durable. eSATA connectors do not have the “L” shaped
design of other SATA connectors. In addition, the guide
features are vertically offset and reduced in size to prevent the use of unshielded internal cables in external applications.
About the LaCie Biggest Quadra
page 14
eSATA Icons
is icon will help you easily identify the eSATA
interfaces. ey appear on eSATA cables and next to the
eSATA port connectors on certain computers.
eSATA 1.5 Gbits/s icon
eSATA Cables
Your LaCie drive is shipped with a eSATA cable, to
ensure maximum data transfer performance when connected to a eSATA port.
eSATA Cable and Cable End
LaCie Biggest Quadra
User Manual
2.6. Drive Tray Locks
About the LaCie Biggest Quadra
page 15
e Biggest Quadra’s drive trays can be locked into
place with the provided keys to prevent accidental drive
tray removal and damage. LaCie recommends that you
keep your drive trays locked while the Biggest Quadra
is in use.
To lock a drive tray:
Ensure that the drive tray is fully seated in its bay.
1.
Insert the key into the lock.
2.
Turn the key to the right until the arrow on the lock
3.
aligns with the “locked” symbol (A). See Fig. 2.6.
To unlock a drive tray:
Insert the key into the lock.
1.
Turn the key to the let until the arrow on the lock
2.
aligns with the “unlocked” symbol (B). See Fig. 2.6.
ImpOrTANT INfO: e drive tray keys are
exactly the same size as 5mm hex key wrenches.
If you can not find the keys provided with your
Biggest Quadra, you can also use 5mm hex key
wrenches to unlock the drive trays.
CAUTION: To prevent the unexpected or acci-
dental pull-out of drive trays, LaCie recommends
that you keep drive trays locked while the Biggest
Quadra is in use.
Always unlock drive trays before attempting to
remove them from or install them in the system
tower. Failure to do so may damage the drives
and void the warranty.
Fig. 2.6.
LaCie Biggest Quadra
This diagram represents a
RAID 0 array, consisting of
four disks, which are
connected to the Controller.
Data blocks are distributed
across all of the disks in the
array.
A
E
I
M
B
F
J
N
C
G
K
O
D
H
L
Etc...
E
D
C
B
A
CONTROLLER
User Manual
3. Understanding RAID
Your LaCie Biggest Quadra is shipped with a preconfigured RAID level of 5, but it supports four different RAID levels: 0, 0 + 1, 5 and 5 + Hot Spare. is
section will help you decide which RAID level is right
for you.
3.1. RAID 0
Understanding RAID
page 16
Striped Disk Array Without Fault Tolerance
Characteristics and Advantages■
Also called striping, this level offers high transfer
Data is broken down into blocks and each block
rates and is ideal for large blocks of data where speed
is of the utmost importance. RAID 0 implements a
striped disk array, where all of the hard disks are linked
together to form one large aggregate hard disk. In this
configuration, data is broken down into blocks and each
block is written to a separate disk drive within the array;
I/O performance is greatly improved by spreading the I/
O load across several drives. In this array, however, when
one disk fails, all of the data on the array is lost.
Storage capacity is determined by the smallest disk
in the array, and the smallest disk’s capacity is applied to
all of the other disks in the array. So, for instance, if you
had four disks installed, ranging in capacity from 40GB
to 80GB, when the RAID 0 array is built your system
will see one, 160GB (40GB x 4) hard disk.
While this is a very simple and easily implemented
design, RAID 0 should never be used in mission critical environments. When even just one disk in the array
fails, all of the data on the entire array will be lost.
Recommended Uses■
❖
is written to a separate disk drive
I/O performance improved by spreading the load
❖
across multiple drives
Overhead is lowered due to no calculations for
❖
parity
Simple design and easily implemented
❖
Fig. 3.1.
Video production and editing
❖
Image editing
❖
Pre-press applications
❖
Applications requiring high-bandwidth
❖
LaCie Biggest Quadra
This diagram represents a
RAID 0 +1 array, consisting of
four disks, which are
connected to the Controller.
The Controller creates two
matching RAID 0 arrays on
the four disks.
E
D
C
B
A
CONTROLLER
A
C
E
G
B
D
F
H
R0 R0
A
C
E
G
B
D
F
H
R1
User Manual
3.2. RAID 0 + 1
Understanding RAID
page 17
High Data Transfer Performance
is level combines striping and mirroring, which
provides full data redundancy and protects data in the
event that multiple drives fail (provided that the data on
one of each mirrored pair of drives is intact).
Storage capacity in this configuration is determined
by multiplying the capacity of the smallest disk by two.
If, for instance, there were four drives installed that
ranged in capacity from 40GB to 70GB, as a RAID 0+1
array, the total available capacity would be 80GB (40GB
x 2). In this configuration, you must have an even number of disks, so in the case of the LaCie Biggest Quadra,
you would need to have four hard disks installed.
Recommended Uses■
Imaging Applications
❖
General Fileserver
❖
Characteristics and Advantages■
Implemented as a mirrored array with RAID 0
❖
arrays as the segments
e same fault tolerance as RAID level 5
❖
Fault-tolerance overhead is the same as that of
❖
mirroring
High I/O rates are achieved thanks to multiple
❖
striped segments
Excellent design for those seeking high perfor-
❖
mance, without achieving maximum reliability
Fig. 3.2.
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