RE: Re Raid 5+

John,  

Actually, a software vendor *does* have something to gain by nudging you in the direction of RAID level 5. Using a cost-per-byte argument (a flawed argument, as you know if you've paid attention to Anjo's postings), RAID5 *seems* cheaper to procure than RAID1, leaving more capital budget left over for software purchase.  

It's only after the initial purchase that many find out that the cost-per-byte argument is flawed. The only way to fix the RAID5 performance problem is to purchase more I/O capacity. By then, your software money is already spent; there's no getting that back. You're forced by circumstance either to live with a really poor-performing application or shell out more cash for a disk I/O capacity upgrade.  

Both vendors' hands are clean. They both have a legitimate right to claim that the problem here is that the customer just didn't do enough homework.  

I take comfort in your opening paragraph: Do your homework. See "Is RAID5 Really a Bargain?" at www.hotsos.com/catalog for a list of questions that you should be testing, and that sometimes people forget to ask.  

Cary Millsap
Hotsos Enterprises, Ltd.
http://www.hotsos.com

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-----Original Message-----
Hallas
Sent: Thursday, October 31, 2002 2:34 AM To: Multiple recipients of list ORACLE-L  

Jared,  

We are certainly going to be performing extensive testing to ensure performance of our applications under Raid5+ is acceptable.  

That means it is as good if not better than that experienced under Raid1  

As I see it Oracle gain no benefit for stating that Raid5 should be used if they did not believe that to be the case. If there was any doubt it would be easier fro them to leave things as they were    

John

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Author: Cary Millsap
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