I have macpro 2008 , with 3.5TB ! 3 HDD 500GB ,and 2TB segate 1 disk
and I don't have hardware raid card ...
is there any different between raid and basic !!! in performance ?
can I combine all in RAID ! or even do I need hardware raid at all
Yes, there are differences between software and hardware RAID implementations.
Software RAID is a low cost solution, which means there are compromises. To keep the costs low, it uses system resources to run the calculations (located in software drivers). Besides using system resources (typically isn't much for 0/1/10, which is all Disk Utility is capable of), but you won't be able to do things like Online Expansion or Online Migration (ability to add capacity or change the RAID level without the loss of data already on the drives). This means that if you want to change levels, you have to backup the data, change the RAID configuration (initialization process = wipes all data), the restore the data. So there's a lot more direct user interaction required.
Also, because most software RAID systems use consumer disks, they're not as reliable, nor does the system provide much in the way of recovery (additional features found on hardware RAID cards).
Hardware RAID is more expensive, but the performance is better (particularly as you add disks, and/or can run levels not possible in software <5/6/50/60>, or shouldn't be done in software, such as RAID 5), as well as the features (Online Expansion, Online Migration, additional volume recovery features, enclosure communications, ..., depending on the model; some can be attached to a network for remote access and NTP Server access).
It should also be noted, that hardware RAID cards require the use of enterprise grade HDD's, which are more reliable, but also more expensive (different recovery timings in the disk's firmware, additional sensors that prevent the heads from smacking the platters, and typically better platters themselves <1E15 bit error rate, vs. 1E14 bit error rate which is common for consumer grade disks>).
Important Notes:
- Regardless of your storage system (single disk to the most redundant RAID system ever created), you must have a proper backup solution in place.
- I would recommend you read the following Wiki pages:
3. As mentioned, Bootcamp does not support RAID volumes (software or hardware). So you'll need to use a separate disk for Windows (won't need to run Bootcamp, just the setup.exe file on the disk in order to install the necessary drivers for your MP).
