Can I do this? Firewire RAID?

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Can I do this? Firewire RAID?

Is it possible to set up a simple RAID using external fire wire drives? Also, I want to be able to set up a storage solution where a user can copy data to our server and have the data coppied so that if a person deletes the file from the server by accident, there is a copy stll there for use. We do back up using Retrospect but sometimes people delete a file thinking it's a copy after they transfer the file from a portible device before the back up session begins. We have Xserver 10.3.9. does setting up a mirrored RAID accomplish this? We use external drives for back up and for storage. I was thinking we could mirror two of our storage drives if RAID would work.

power mac g4 server, Mac OS X (10.3.9)

Posted on Aug 9, 2006 8:47 PM

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Answer 1

Camelot

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Aug 9, 2006 11:35 PM in response to ps92764

Sure, you can mirror external drives, just like you can internal drives. Use Disk Utility.app to create it.

However, creating a mirror, in and of itself, won't do what you want.

Mirroring writes all changes to multiple disks at the same time to protect you against drive failure. This means that if a user deletes a file off the server's mirrored drives, it's deleted off both disks simultaneously. There's no automatic fallback.

To do what you want you need to take multiple snapshots of the files on the server and copy the data to the external drive. You can then pull it back off the old drive. There are a number of tools that will replicate the data, including the built-in rsync.

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Answer 2

ps92764 Author

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Aug 10, 2006 8:03 AM in response to Camelot

Thanks so much for answering my question. I consider myself a slapshop IT guy for my office. I inherited the position as part of my job. This is not a bad thing! I am in forien waters here so I have a lot to read and learn. What would the process be to using rsync? If this is too much too ask can you direct me to some reading material?

Thanks again.

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Answer 3

ps92764 Author

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Aug 10, 2006 9:08 AM in response to ps92764

I posted a reply and didn't know if it would be read having marked my original request answered.

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