NAND Based Flash RAID

  • Thread starter Thread starter dan555smith
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dan555smith

anyone know if there is a RAID controller that can setup flash drives
as a RAID set? Like to setup 2 1GB for Raid 0 either for software or
Page file so that it is on a solid state instead of IDE or SATA. I
would think it would be faster, but maybe I'm just dreaming...

Dan-0
 
anyone know if there is a RAID controller that can setup flash drives
as a RAID set? Like to setup 2 1GB for Raid 0 either for software or
Page file so that it is on a solid state instead of IDE or SATA. I
would think it would be faster, but maybe I'm just dreaming...
Click to expand...

You are dreaming. Wake up now!

What "flash drives" you had in mind? Brand, model...

Whats wrong with your current page file activity?
 
Previously said:
anyone know if there is a RAID controller that can setup flash drives
as a RAID set? Like to setup 2 1GB for Raid 0 either for software or
Page file so that it is on a solid state instead of IDE or SATA. I
would think it would be faster, but maybe I'm just dreaming...
Click to expand...

For reads/writes it will not be faster. What will be faster is the
access time. Under Linux you can do this just like any other software
RAID, and in my experience Linux software RAID is as fast as cheaper
hardware controllers or faster.

Arno
 
Nothing really, I just thought that if you have something that is solid
state, it would be faster...It doesn't need to be, just something that
would improve the through-put of an IDE or SATA drive. The typical
through-put of a IDE/SATA is only 60MB a second. If it can be closer to
what the HD manufacurers say (133-150 MB/s), than it would be nice.
Sooner or later, they are going to put the NAND flash on the hard drive
to quicken the file retrieval process.

It was just a thought really. I searched all over and couldn't find
anything, so thought I would ask. And I do know that the SATA II is
becoming more prevalent, but the HD is the current biggest bottleneck.
 
anyone know if there is a RAID controller that can setup flash drives
For reads/writes it will not be faster. What will be faster is the
access time.
Click to expand...

Yeah, faster for acess time without doing any reads or writes.

Just for curiosity I have run iometer on my USB 2.0 256MB memory stick.
Configured iometer for 200MB, two workers, default access pattern. Got 5.9
IO/s and 337ms average IO response time. Doesn't seem that fast access time
to me.

The same iometer test on my SATA 7200rpm hard drive: 236 IO/s and 8.4ms
average IO response time.
No, I didn't reverse numbers.
 
Nothing really, I just thought that if you have something that is solid
state, it would be faster...
Click to expand...

Solid state? That term is rather for commercial Solid State Disks, which
might be quite a different from consumer flash memory products. Different
price range too.
It doesn't need to be, just something that
would improve the through-put of an IDE or SATA drive. The typical
through-put of a IDE/SATA is only 60MB a second. If it can be closer to
what the HD manufacurers say (133-150 MB/s), than it would be nice.
Click to expand...

You can experiment with a RAM disk (software driver) if you want. Some
suggest that solution, but I didn't find it much better for most
applications.
Sooner or later, they are going to put the NAND flash on the hard drive
to quicken the file retrieval process.
Click to expand...

That will be later, if ever.
It was just a thought really. I searched all over and couldn't find
anything,
Click to expand...

When I search, I find a lot, actually too much ...
so thought I would ask. And I do know that the SATA II is
becoming more prevalent, but the HD is the current biggest bottleneck.
Click to expand...

There are plenty of different bottlenecks, it depends on what you drink.
 
Nothing really, I just thought that if you have something that is solid
state, it would be faster...
Click to expand...

You obviously researched it to death.
It doesn't need to be, just something that
would improve the through-put of an IDE or SATA drive.
Click to expand...
The typical through-put of a IDE/SATA is only 60MB a second.
Click to expand...

And of course you looked that up for flash drives too ...
If it can be closer to what the HD manufacurers say (133-150 MB/s),
than it would be nice.
Sooner or later, they are going to put the NAND flash on the hard drive
to quicken the file retrieval process.
Click to expand...

Of course they do. They'll use the spinning part for cache, obviously.
It was just a thought really.
Click to expand...
I searched all over and couldn't find anything, so thought I would ask.
Click to expand...

That's how most trolls begin.
And I do know that the SATA II is
becoming more prevalent, but the HD is the current biggest bottleneck.
Click to expand...

Yeah, SATA is obviously where that happened first.
 
Yeah, faster for acess time without doing any reads or writes.
Click to expand...
Just for curiosity I have run iometer on my USB 2.0 256MB memory stick.
Configured iometer for 200MB, two workers, default access pattern. Got 5.9
IO/s and 337ms average IO response time. Doesn't seem that fast access time
to me.
Click to expand...
The same iometer test on my SATA 7200rpm hard drive: 236 IO/s and 8.4ms
average IO response time.
No, I didn't reverse numbers.
Click to expand...

Urgh. I stand corrected.

Arno
 
OK, folkert- I was not looking for a Flash to IDE raid setup. that
would slow the access time. what good would it do to slow a flash drive
down to IDE speed? I wasn't looking for impossibilities, but to
explore if anyone had heard about it. You obviously have low self
esteem and have to attempt to make people look stupid so you may seem
smart. not at all the case here. keep up what you're doing...perhaps
you will be somebody someday.

Same to you Eric. got some winning qualities.
 
Another idiot without a clue asking for advice, but too ****ed up to take it.

Dont' expect anyone round here to help you again.
 
I didn't asked for advice. Your comment is not really helpful. Rash
insults and a hint of information does not merrit help. If you haven't
heard of it, don't comment. If you know of something, pass it along.
That is all. Maybe I could give some advice to you...Dale Carnegie- How
to win friends and influence people.
 
**** off then. Everyone round here thinks RAID 0 is pointless.

Try the gamer forums, they are into stupid things like that.
 
anyone know if there is a RAID controller that can setup flash drives
as a RAID set? Like to setup 2 1GB for Raid 0 either for software or
Page file so that it is on a solid state instead of IDE or SATA. I
would think it would be faster, but maybe I'm just dreaming...

Dan-0
Click to expand...


Hello, Dan:

If you're considering flash memory cards (used by digital cameras, for
example) or USB "key drives," forget them. They both have a relatively
limited number of rewrite cycles -- and hence, would be quickly worn
out, by a page file.

Further, they're somewhat slower than HDD's, despite being "solid
state." (The tiny IBM/Hitachi "Micro Drive" avoids these issues, as it's
an actual electro-mechanical device, just as a reqular hard disk is.)

A real SSD (solid state drive) features hardware similar to system RAM,
instead of flash chips. It is, therefore, much faster than any
conventional HDD...and correspondingly, far more expensive, as well! <g>


Cordially,
John Turco <[email protected]>
 
I suggest thast you all go and have a look at panasonics P2 PCMCI
cards used in there pro video cameras utilizing 4 SD memory cards an
a RAID 0 controller getting speeds in excess of 600Mb/

Nic
 
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