Reasonable drive configuration for an entry level file server

[Mercutio]

Putting aside the issue of drive capacity for a moment, what do you all think is a reasonable configuration of drives for a basic file server?

One drive, OS + data?
One drive for OS and data + a backup target?
One drive, cold spare + backup target?
One drive for OS, one drive for data, backup drive?
Two drives in RAID1 + a backup target?
Dual OS drives in RAID1 plus a multihomed 6Gbps FC SAN (the ddrueding way!)

I've done two drives in RAID1 with an external drive for backups for years. But it's something I'm thinking about right now, mostly because drive prices are so high, but also because large drives seem a lot less reliable than smaller ones.

 

[MaxBurn]

How much room does the file server really need?

I like the mirror with the OS on it and backup drive, this helps uptime if one fails. We have a lot of servers like that.

But if your cheap and don't care about up time the one drive for OS and data + a backup target drive works.

 

[BingBangBop]

Small drive for OS; two big mirrored drives for data; external backup. Keep at least one spare small drive in inventory just in case of system drive failure.

For a file server, I think it should be mandatory to separate the OS from data. Depending on allowable down-time for recovery, it may be necessary to mirror the system drive too.

 

[Chewy509]

For basic fileservers, I've done the 2 drives in mirror, and an external for backup.

However I try to use a real RAID controller, and not the ones built into the ICH controller if budget allows. (I've had too many issues with the RAID functionality in the ICH for myself to deem them reliable for a fileserver).

 

[Bozo]

The servers I put together to gather and store data have a mirrored (3Ware 9650se) boot and OS hard drive with data on a separate partition. I haven't lost any data in 10+ years.
The newest file servers have an Crucial M4 SSD as the OS and program hard drive. Data is on a LSI 9640 8i RAID 5 setup in the same enclosure. Production data is on a similar setup but with the OS drive in a RAID 1 setup on a separate controller.
I believe that SSDs should be more reliable than spinning disc. But only time will tell.

 

[ddrueding]

My basic fileservers have a single drive for OS+Data with Acronis used to backup the whole thing to the Boss' client machine. That folder is then synced somehow to the boss' house (via VPN if possible, sneakernet if not)

 

[Mercutio]

Are your fileservers running on VMs, dd?

 

[ddrueding]

Are your fileservers running on VMs, dd?

Nope. In fact, many are still running the Win7 that came on the (usually Lenovo) workstation that I'm using. Most of my smaller clients aren't even on a domain anymore now that I don't use Exchange/Outlook.

 

[Mercutio]

You're using file servers that aren't bumping into the licensing restrictions that come from running on Win7, then?

 

[ddrueding]

Yeah. A number of my clients are 2-4 users. In some of these cases the server is in fact just a workstation, and the backup goes to the other workstation.

 

[Howell]

The ability to keep the business functioning in the event of a failure is almost always worth the price of a hard drive to RAID it. IMO, your job is to convince the client of that value factoring in down time and emergency rates. Show them a post-event bill and let them make the choice.