RAID--quick, cheap, good/fast, pick all 3

[richb at pioneer.ci.net (Rich Braun)]

On Thu, Sep 04, 2003 at 02:52:46PM -0400, Seth Gordon wrote:
> It seems that every time I read an introduction to RAID, the author
> puts in some disclaimer to warn that RAID should not be a
> *substitute* for making regular backups.

Derek Atkins wrote:
> Maintaining a regular back-up scheme is time-consuming and tedious.
> The average user may not want to spend the money on tapes, or the time
> on actually managing the archives.

I agree that RAID and tape backup solve two entirely different problems.  RAID
won't prevent fire or theft loss, for example, nor will it prevent you from
typing 'rm -r' in the wrong directory.  The main point I'm making in this
thread is this:

  You can get RAID for free.

In a posting five months ago, I made the point that:

  You can buy a commercial-grade SCSI tape backup system for under $500.

That price included the tapes.  In the BLU archives, see my writeup at
http://www.blu.org/pipermail/discuss/2003-April/041966.html .

> And, professionals usually have the luxury of standing on anti-static mats
> when they're at work, and of properly grounded work surfaces. Home users
> aren't so equipped ...

I have two responses on this, in addition to the point already made (that
components are less sensitive than they once were):

- Components are less expensive than they once were; a 1-in-10,000 chance of
losing a $120 component is much less costly than a 1-in-100 chance of losing a
$1000 component yester-year.
- Your homeowner's or renter's insurance probably covers the loss anyway. 
Check the policy to see if you have power-surge protection.  In the past I
have been covered.

I do have a subconscious habit of grounding one hand against the PC chassis
periodically, and holding boards/drives by the edge.  And I'm well-known in
hardware labs as an "accidental QA engineer" for finding very obscure ways of
destroying components--but never due to static discharge.

-rich