Software Vs Hardware Striped Raid Performance
Redundant array of independent disks (RAID) is a technique to virtualize independent disks into one or more than arrays for improved functioning, capability, mistake tolerance, and reliability. This grouping of disks into logical arrays can exist achieved through hardware or software implementation. For an overview of RAID levels, check out our contempo story here at TechGenix. In this commodity, let's have a detailed look into what hardware or software RAID is, including the advantages and disadvantages of each, and we'll evaluate which of the two is better for yous.
Hardware RAID
A hardware RAID is an implementation where all the disks connect to a piece of hardware called the RAID controller that's inserted in a PCI slot in the motherboard. These RAID controllers physically command the RAID array and support all RAID levels and custom configurations. In some cases, these RAID controllers are smaller versions of computers since they come with defended processors to perform their roles.
The main role of a RAID controller is to manage these contained disks and present them to the computer equally ane or more logical units.
In a hardware implementation, in that location are two types of RAID controllers, namely,
- Bus-based: These controllers come with the motherboard for the nigh function and are used for controlling the lower-end RAID levels.
- Bill of fare-based and intelligent controllers: These are by and large for high-end systems and are typically installed in a separate box as they come up with dedicated processors. Patently, they are more expensive and more than difficult to install when compared to a bus-based installation.
It's of import to note that RAID controllers score lower on flexibility. For case, a RAID controller designed for RAID 0 implementation volition not work well on RAID systems designed for fault tolerance. Also, controller fries designed for IDE systems don't piece of work on SCSI systems, though major manufacturers like Intel develop some RAID controller versions that work well for all types of disks.
At present that we take a skillful idea about hardware RAID, let's see its advantages and disadvantages.
Advantages of hardware RAID
Some of the advantages of a hardware RAID are:
- Greatly improves arrangement performance, specially in legacy systems with limited capacity for improving processing power.
- Less strenuous on the system during fill-in and recovery.
- Gives the flexibility to add any RAID configuration that may otherwise be hard to implement using just the motherboard.
- Protects against information loss or corruption that may occur when ability is interrupted during a information backup.
- Works well across all types of drives.
- It can run in the write-back mode provided information technology has a bombardment.
Disadvantages of hardware RAID
The disadvantages of hardware RAID are:
- More expensive to implement every bit you accept to invest in new hardware equipment.
- When the RAID controller fails, you need to replace it with a similar controller to ensure no disruptions to your work.
Thus, these are the advantages and disadvantages of a hardware RAID.
Let'south move on to the software RAID now.
Software RAID
Software RAID is an implementation that uses the capabilities of an operating system through a RAID software or driver to implement RAID. It requires no additional hardware.
The RAID software communicates with the disks through local interfaces and adapters and tends to have higher levels of compatibility with unlike systems.
Advantages of software RAID
Some of the central advantages of software RAID are:
- It is cheap to implement.
- The same RAID driver tin can be implemented across many systems that use the same operating system.
- Reconfiguring RAID levels is possible without any restrictions.
Disadvantages of software RAID
A software RAID comes with its share of disadvantages too.
- Tends to be slower since it shares the processing capacity of the operating system.
- Works well only on a single type of operating system, so it can't be implemented for disks that are shared by different operating systems.
- Replacing a failed disk is a complex process.
- Highly vulnerable to viruses, unprotected at boot, and creates data integrity issues due to arrangement crashes.
Thus, these are the advantages and disadvantages of a software RAID.
So, which of the two is better?
Hardware vs. software RAID
So far, we have seen the two RAID implementations and the advantages and disadvantages of each. Now comes the of import question — which of the 2 is better?
The answer depends on the RAID level, budget, heterogeneity of your systems, and more.
Let's look at different scenarios to see which of the two would work well in each.
Tight budget
If you're on a tight budget or if you want to explore the impact of RAID on your functioning or fault tolerance, software RAID is the option since information technology is manner less expensive than hardware RAID and can exist implemented beyond multiple systems.
Of course, it makes sense to have a long-term plan, too, given that software RAID comes with many limitations.
RAID 0 or 1 implementation
If yous're looking to implement RAID 0 or RAID 1 levels, there won't be a significant divergence between hardware and software RAID implementations. So, look into other constraints such every bit your upkeep and the heterogeneity of your systems to decide one over the other.
RAID five or vi implementation
On the other hand, if you're looking to implement a loftier-level RAID implementation such as RAID 5 or half-dozen, hardware RAID is your best bet because it offers better performance. Too, RAID levels like RAID 10 are non supported by software, then get for hardware implementations for such custom configurations.
Heterogeneity of your systems
If all your systems run on the same operating arrangement and if you lot want to implement the lower-cease RAID levels, go for a software implementation. But if you have to manage disks that are shared by operating systems, hardware RAID is the way to get.
In general, a hardware RAID is better considering it gives you more than flexibility to configure custom RAID levels and offers amend performance. It is easier to prepare upwardly, supplant, and manage when compared to a software RAID, and it is undoubtedly, the improve choice if your budget allows it.
Hybrid RAID
As nosotros come to the cease of this discussion, we'll talk nearly a hardware-assisted software RAID, which is essentially a software-driven implementation just comes with additional hardware to overcome some of the problems that come with a pure software implementation. For case, RAID BIOS is integrated into the motherboard to provide redundancy when a system is turned on, to prevent the possibility of data corruption. Also, it works better across dissimilar operating systems.
Advantages
Advantages of a hybrid RAID are:
- Non as well expensive and is affordable for almost small to medium-sized businesses.
- Gives protection against kicking failures that could occur due to medium errors or fifty-fifty boot failures.
- Comes with a dedicated GUI to maintain RAID.
- Works well across multiple operating systems.
Disadvantages
The disadvantages are:
- At that place is an additional load on the server that, in turn, could touch its performance.
- Vulnerable to viruses.
- Newer versions of operating systems may require you to regularly update your drivers.
As you can meet, a hybrid RAID is non a perfect solution, merely instead acts as a bridge between hardware and software implementation and works well if you lot're on a limited budget and want to avert some of the pitfalls that come with a software implementation.
Hardware RAID or software RAID? Depends on your goals
To conclude, RAID can be implemented through a dedicated RAID controller called a hardware RAID or through software or a driver chosen a software RAID. Both come up with their share of strengths and weaknesses, so the right implementation depends on your goals, budget, nature of systems, RAID level, and other pertinent factors.
In general, though, a hardware implementation provides better functioning, gives more than flexibility to configure RAID levels, and works well across all systems, even if it is more expensive than a software RAID. In contrast, a hybrid RAID tin strike a mid path between a pure software and hardware implementation.
Which of the two do you lot prefer and why? Please let us know in the comments.
Featured images: Flickr / Linux Screenshots; Wikimedia
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- RAID 1 vs. RAID five: When to use each level and why
- RAID 0 vs. RAID 1: When to utilize each level and why
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