Can Windows 2008 OS run on RAID 5 ?

We are going to install a Windows 2008 Server. However, there are only 5 HD
space for that physical machine.

If we install Windows 2008 OS on the first 2 HD (RAID1), we only get 900GB
space (RAID 5) from the remaining 3 HD (Maximum Size of SAS HD is 450GB).

The vendor suggests us to create a RAID 5 with 5 disks and install the OS on
the first partition. We just wonder whether there is any performance issue
?

Thanks

 

"Patrick" <Patrick@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:eUz34XmGKHA.1492@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...<!--coloro:blue--><span style="color:blue <!--/coloro-->
> We are going to install a Windows 2008 Server. However, there are only 5
> HD space for that physical machine.
>
> If we install Windows 2008 OS on the first 2 HD (RAID1), we only get 900GB
> space (RAID 5) from the remaining 3 HD (Maximum Size of SAS HD is 450GB).
>
> The vendor suggests us to create a RAID 5 with 5 disks and install the OS
> on the first partition. We just wonder whether there is any performance
> issue ?
>
> Thanks<!--colorc--><!--/colorc-->


No performance issues. Performance will be enhanced.

Can you add two additional drives? If not, it *appears* your only options
are:
1. Follow the recommendations provided.
2. Or make all 5 drives a RAID5 and install the OS into it. Not my
recommendation, but if you want it for space, it will work.

--
Ace

This posting is provided "AS-IS" with no warranties or guarantees and
confers no rights.

Please reply back to the newsgroup or forum to benefit from collaboration
among responding engineers, and to help others benefit from your resolution.

Ace Fekay, MCT, MCTS Exchange, MCSE, MCSA 2003 & 2000, MCSA Messaging
Microsoft Certified Trainer

For urgent issues, please contact Microsoft PSS directly. Please check
for regional support phone numbers.

 

Dear Ace,

We are not able to add additional HD - slot space is limited. Needless to
say, they persuade us to purchase a higher model which is much more
expensive.

Do you mean that if we use all disks and create a RAID 5 & install OS on it,
the performance will be enhanced ?

If yes, it seems that it contradicts with your saying - Not my
recommendation, but if you want it for space, it will work. Do you see any
potential problem ?

Thanks

"Ace Fekay [MCT]" <aceman@mvps.RemoveThisPart.org> wrote in message
news:O4Wl1XnGKHA.1336@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...<!--coloro:blue--><span style="color:blue <!--/coloro-->
> "Patrick" <Patrick@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:eUz34XmGKHA.1492@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...<!--coloro:green--><span style="color:green <!--/coloro-->
>> We are going to install a Windows 2008 Server. However, there are only 5
>> HD space for that physical machine.
>>
>> If we install Windows 2008 OS on the first 2 HD (RAID1), we only get
>> 900GB space (RAID 5) from the remaining 3 HD (Maximum Size of SAS HD is
>> 450GB).
>>
>> The vendor suggests us to create a RAID 5 with 5 disks and install the OS
>> on the first partition. We just wonder whether there is any performance
>> issue ?
>>
>> Thanks<!--colorc--><!--/colorc-->
>
>
> No performance issues. Performance will be enhanced.
>
> Can you add two additional drives? If not, it *appears* your only options
> are:
> 1. Follow the recommendations provided.
> 2. Or make all 5 drives a RAID5 and install the OS into it. Not my
> recommendation, but if you want it for space, it will work.
>
> --
> Ace
>
> This posting is provided "AS-IS" with no warranties or guarantees and
> confers no rights.
>
> Please reply back to the newsgroup or forum to benefit from collaboration
> among responding engineers, and to help others benefit from your
> resolution.
>
> Ace Fekay, MCT, MCTS Exchange, MCSE, MCSA 2003 & 2000, MCSA Messaging
> Microsoft Certified Trainer
>
> For urgent issues, please contact Microsoft PSS directly. Please check
> for regional support phone numbers. <!--colorc--><!--/colorc-->

 

"Patrick" <Patrick@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:eJ2iUrnGKHA.4956@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...<!--coloro:blue--><span style="color:blue <!--/coloro-->
> Dear Ace,
>
> We are not able to add additional HD - slot space is limited. Needless to
> say, they persuade us to purchase a higher model which is much more
> expensive.
>
> Do you mean that if we use all disks and create a RAID 5 & install OS on
> it, the performance will be enhanced ?
>
> If yes, it seems that it contradicts with your saying - Not my
> recommendation, but if you want it for space, it will work. Do you see
> any potential problem ?
>
> Thanks<!--colorc--><!--/colorc-->


A RAID 5 implementation will enhance performance. A RAID1 will not enhance
performance, but gives you fault tolerance. If the RAID functions are
performed by a controller, and not the operating system, many controllers
have onboard processors that actually increase performance. So if hardware
based, even a RAID1 will see enhancements from the sheer fact that it's the
controller doing it. But RAID5 overall gives you enhanced performance.

What I was suggesting was based on what you have. Yes, it will enhance
performance. However, it depends on what this machine's role is. If it is
Exchange, if you put the system on a RAID1 (c: drive), and the Exchange
databases on a RAID5 (say d: drive), it will greatly increase performance
instead of making the whole thing RAID5 (all c: drive). This is because
Exchange's functions on drive access is demanding. If SQL, same thing, same
with a file server.

But you are looking for increased drive space and performance, but you seem
upset that you will be losing drive space creating a 2-drive RAID1, and a
3-drive RAID5. Maybe you should purchase the higher end machine to achieve
your goals of performance AND space.

I hope that helps.

Ace