Dell PERC 4/SI - Manual (Page 22)

Array Purpose
Important factors to consider when creating RAID arrays include availability, performance, and capacity. Define the major purpose of the disk array by
answering questions related to these factors, such as the following, which are followed by suggested RAID levels for each situation:
l Will this disk array increase the system storage capacity for general-purpose file and print servers? Use RAID 5, 10, or 50.
l Does this disk array support any software system that must be available 24 hours per day? Use RAID 1, 5, 10, or 50.
l Will the information stored in this disk array contain large audio or video files that must be available on demand? Use RAID 0.
l Will this disk array contain data from an imaging system? Use RAID 0 or 10.
Fill out Table 2 -13 to help you plan the array configuration. Rank the requirements for your array, such as storage space and data redundancy, in order of
importance, then review the suggested RAID levels. Refer to Table 4 -12 for the minimum and maximum number of drives allowed per RAID level.
Table 2-13. Factors to Consider for Array Configuration
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Requirement Rank Suggested RAID Level(s)
Storage space RAID 0, RAID 5
Data redundancy RAID 5, RAID 10, RAID 50
Hard drive performance and throughput RAID 0, RAID 10
Hot spares (extra hard drives required) RAID 1, RAID 5, RAID 10, RAID 50