{"id":2946,"date":"2024-07-26T05:04:00","date_gmt":"2024-07-26T05:04:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.prolimehost.com\/blogs\/?p=2946"},"modified":"2024-07-26T16:33:55","modified_gmt":"2024-07-26T16:33:55","slug":"software-versus-hardware-raid-solutions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.prolimehost.com\/blogs\/software-versus-hardware-raid-solutions\/","title":{"rendered":"Software Versus Hardware RAID Solutions"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"450\" class=\"wp-image-2948\" style=\"width: 600px;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.prolimehost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/raid.jpg\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.prolimehost.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/raid.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/www.prolimehost.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/raid-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.prolimehost.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/raid-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.prolimehost.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/raid-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.prolimehost.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/raid-512x384.jpg 512w, https:\/\/www.prolimehost.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/raid-920x690.jpg 920w, https:\/\/www.prolimehost.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/raid-1600x1200.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/www.prolimehost.com\/blogs\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/raid-320x240.jpg 320w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\">First, RAID is not a backup solution&nbsp;\u2013 always employ disaster recovery options.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I field queries about&nbsp;\u2013 RAID 1 (mirror) software versus hardware solutions from time to time. Both have their advantages and disadvantages. Some say adding a hardware RAID controller introduces another point of failure, but the most popular reason by far to use software RAID is cost. If you do go with hardware RAID, make sure that card is compatible with your motherboard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_80 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.prolimehost.com\/blogs\/software-versus-hardware-raid-solutions\/#With_BIOS_basic_input_output_system_RAID_%E2%80%93_you_may_encounter_a_few_quirks\" >With BIOS (basic input output system) RAID&nbsp;\u2013 you may encounter a few quirks.<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.prolimehost.com\/blogs\/software-versus-hardware-raid-solutions\/#Do_you_want_%E2%80%93_redundancy_or_performance\" >Do you want&nbsp;\u2013 redundancy or performance?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.prolimehost.com\/blogs\/software-versus-hardware-raid-solutions\/#There_are_other_perks_to_%E2%80%93_hardware_RAID_solutions_as_well_like_notification_of_specific_drive_failures\" >There are other perks to&nbsp;\u2013 hardware RAID solutions as well, like notification of specific drive failures.<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.prolimehost.com\/blogs\/software-versus-hardware-raid-solutions\/#For_those_of_you_who_use_multiple_operating_system_environments_hardware_RAID_is_the_way_to_go\" >For those of you who use multiple operating system environments, hardware RAID is the way to go.<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.prolimehost.com\/blogs\/software-versus-hardware-raid-solutions\/#My_recommendation_%E2%80%93_do_what_makes_sense_for_your_pocketbook_and_priorities\" >My recommendation&nbsp;\u2013 do what makes sense for your pocketbook and priorities.<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.prolimehost.com\/blogs\/software-versus-hardware-raid-solutions\/#BROUGHT_TO_YOU_BY_PROLIMEHOST\" >BROUGHT TO YOU BY PROLIMEHOST<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-5' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-5'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.prolimehost.com\/blogs\/software-versus-hardware-raid-solutions\/#VPS_SERVICES_LIGHTNING_FAST_SSD_VIRTUAL_SERVERS\" >VPS SERVICES: LIGHTNING FAST SSD VIRTUAL SERVERS<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-5'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.prolimehost.com\/blogs\/software-versus-hardware-raid-solutions\/#DEDICATED_SERVERS_BACKED_BY_A_999_SLA_NETWORK_UPTIME_GUARANTEE\" >DEDICATED SERVERS: BACKED BY A 99.9% SLA NETWORK UPTIME GUARANTEE<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-5'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.prolimehost.com\/blogs\/software-versus-hardware-raid-solutions\/#ASIA_OPTIMIZED_SERVERS_IMPROVING_CONNECTION_SPEED_AND_QUALITY\" >ASIA OPTIMIZED SERVERS: IMPROVING CONNECTION SPEED AND QUALITY<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"With_BIOS_basic_input_output_system_RAID_%E2%80%93_you_may_encounter_a_few_quirks\"><\/span>With BIOS (basic input output system) RAID&nbsp;\u2013 you may encounter a few quirks. <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Essentially, it\u2019s a poor man\u2019s version of software RAID. Motherboards do fail, so if&nbsp;yours gets fried, you\u2019ll probably have to replace it with a similar board. Taking a mirrored drive to another system won\u2019t work if that system can\u2019t track the drive\u2019s volumes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Do_you_want_%E2%80%93_redundancy_or_performance\"><\/span>Do you want&nbsp;\u2013 redundancy or performance? <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Most of us would prefer both. I think software and hardware RAID solutions work fine for redundancy, but hardware RAID holds the advantage in performance, especially if your server is database intensive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"There_are_other_perks_to_%E2%80%93_hardware_RAID_solutions_as_well_like_notification_of_specific_drive_failures\"><\/span>There are other perks to&nbsp;\u2013 hardware RAID solutions as well, like notification of specific drive failures. <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Software RAID solutions typically have problems identifying bad drives, and normally do NOT support hot swaps. The most obvious drawback to software RAID is that it uses cycles from your CPU to manage the array, and while this isn\u2019t quite so bad in RAID 1, it can significantly slow down your server in RAID solutions that involve striping with parity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"For_those_of_you_who_use_multiple_operating_system_environments_hardware_RAID_is_the_way_to_go\"><\/span>For those of you who use multiple operating system environments, hardware RAID is the way to go. <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If you set up RAID using a specific operating system, only that operating system can (normally) access that array.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Software boot volume limitations&nbsp;\u2013 since the operating system has to be running to enable the array, (obviously) the operating system cannot boot from the array.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"My_recommendation_%E2%80%93_do_what_makes_sense_for_your_pocketbook_and_priorities\"><\/span>My recommendation&nbsp;\u2013 do what makes sense for your pocketbook and priorities. <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Software RAID is definitely less expensive, but has performance drawbacks. Hardware RAID costs more, but is feature rich and generally worth the investment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.prolimehost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2014\/08\/unnamed-e1408122780935.jpg\" alt=\"ProlimeHost RAID Server Solutions\" width=\"400\" height=\"80\"><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"BROUGHT_TO_YOU_BY_PROLIMEHOST\"><\/span>BROUGHT TO YOU BY PROLIMEHOST<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>We\u2019ve been in the web hosting industry for over a decade, helping hundreds of clients succeed in what they do best and that\u2019s running their business. We specialize in Virtual Private Servers (VPS) and dedicated servers, with data centers in Los Angeles, Denver &amp; Singapore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"VPS_SERVICES_LIGHTNING_FAST_SSD_VIRTUAL_SERVERS\"><\/span>VPS SERVICES: LIGHTNING FAST SSD VIRTUAL SERVERS<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p>Our&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.prolimehost.com\/ssd-vps-server\/\">Virtual Private Servers<\/a>&nbsp;all feature high performance Xeon processors and SSD storage in a RAID10 configuration to optimize your server\u2019s performance, which dramatically enhances visitor experiences on your site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That speed is backed by unparalleled 24\/7 support, featuring both outstanding response AND resolution times to maximize your uptime.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>Now is the time to join the ProlimeHost virtual private server revolution.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"DEDICATED_SERVERS_BACKED_BY_A_999_SLA_NETWORK_UPTIME_GUARANTEE\"><\/span>DEDICATED SERVERS: BACKED BY A 99.9% SLA NETWORK UPTIME GUARANTEE<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p>We only use enterprise-class hardware in our&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.prolimehost.com\/los-angeles-dedicated-servers\/\">dedicated servers<\/a>&nbsp;and offer a four (4) hour hardware replacement. Throw in IPMI for remote management, support for public and private networks, free operating system (OS) re-installs, and SATA, SAS &amp; SSD (including NVMe) storage. Call 1-877-477-9454 or&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.prolimehost.com\/contact\/\">contact us<\/a>. For everything from gaming servers to&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.prolimehost.com\/discounted-dedicated-server-deals\/\">cheap dedicated servers<\/a>, we\u2019re here to help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"ASIA_OPTIMIZED_SERVERS_IMPROVING_CONNECTION_SPEED_AND_QUALITY\"><\/span>ASIA OPTIMIZED SERVERS: IMPROVING CONNECTION SPEED AND QUALITY<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p>Procuring an Asia optimized server improves the connection speed and quality between the server and the users in Asia or China. This can reduce latency, packet loss, jitter, and bandwidth issues that can affect the performance and reliability of the server and the applications hosted on it. For more information, please call 1-877-477-9454 or&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.prolimehost.com\/contact\/\">contact us<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"First, RAID is not a backup solution&nbsp;\u2013 always employ disaster recovery options. I field queries about&nbsp;\u2013 RAID 1&hellip;","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":2948,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"csco_display_header_overlay":false,"csco_singular_sidebar":"","csco_page_header_type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[120,123,43,24,107,113,131,40,132,106,33],"class_list":{"0":"post-2946","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-geneal","8":"tag-asia-optimized","9":"tag-china-optimized","10":"tag-dedicated-server","11":"tag-dedicated-servers","12":"tag-dedicated-servers-usa","13":"tag-gaming-servers","14":"tag-raid","15":"tag-raid-arrays","16":"tag-raid-solutions","17":"tag-virtual-private-servers","18":"tag-vps","19":"cs-entry"},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.prolimehost.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2946","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.prolimehost.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.prolimehost.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.prolimehost.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.prolimehost.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2946"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.prolimehost.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2946\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.prolimehost.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2948"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.prolimehost.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2946"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.prolimehost.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2946"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.prolimehost.com\/blogs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2946"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}