sdd+hdd configuration: folder structure?

[Incagraphy]

I just got a new 256gb SSD on my Macbook Pro, Early 2011 and moved the 500gb HDD to the optical bay.
I erased both SSD and HDD (after taking backups) and made fresh install of Mountain Lion to the SSD (backups are on Snow Leopard).

My wish is to take full advantage of having an SSD while not shortening its life with bad practice. (already enabled TRIM).

I am trying to decide which is better:
1- to move only certain user folders to the HDD, and keep alias or soft links (symlink?) on the SSD, or
2- to move the complete home folder

what is the difference and the benefits of one over the other?

Also, I have a spare admin user for emergencies. So, can I leave the secondary admin user in SSD to be used if something goes wrong with the HDD one day?

Finally, once I have the skeleton ready, depending on my choice above, I will manually carry my user files to the HDD and install applications fresh to ML. Will programs like iTunes in ML recognise the backed up iTunes folders, which got backed up with SLeopard, keeping the tags, stars, play counts etc?

I use the computer for my video and photography work. Lot's of Lightroom photo work, increasingly Photoshop, and Adobe Premier / Final Cut 7 on the video side. This means heavy cache that change somewhat frequently, particularly on photos. However, all my original files are on external drives.

thanks in advance.

 

[throttlemeister]

1 - life of the ssd is longer than your computer so don't worry about it
2 - you cannot move the home folder without breaking things like time machine restore and other osx quirks

Have you considered creating a fusion drive?

 

[Incagraphy]

1 - life of the ssd is longer than your computer so don't worry about it
2 - you cannot move the home folder without breaking things like time machine restore and other osx quirks
Have you considered creating a fusion drive?

Thanks for the reply.
re 2- so far, i preferred to use Carbon Copy Cloner, so not too worried about the TM, however, other quirks, I would like to know about.
Several forums discussions that I read, who suggest either to move whole home folder or individual user folders did not seem too troubled about much. Even for TM, a couple people said it functioned as normal. So, confusing for me

re fusion, i just read about it. It seems to be the way the new computers are set up. Right?
i am not too savvy on terminal. Is it easy to make? moving the home folder and creating a symlink seems to be my limit on terminal knowledge, which I acquired in the last couple days.

by 'fusing' two drives in that way, would I not be taking more risks, in case one of the drives failed? (glad to know SSD will *normally* outlast my computer, but all memory seem to carry a risk of certainly failing at some point. I don't know if it goes for SSDs too, however, I heard many times that spinning drives die, 100%, though in two days or in 10 years, uncertain.)

 

[throttlemeister]

Time Machine backups will work, Time Machine restore will be problematic if you move your home directory away from the main disk. There are other functions that can cause issues too, but it's been a little too long to remember exactly.

Symlinking will work for normal use.

Yes, with a Fusion drive chances for data loss due to drive failure will double (as it does with RAID0), but that is why you create backups. It does give you the performance, without the niggles of a two drive system. However, if you are not comfortable with the terminal, maybe you shouldn't.

 

[Incagraphy]

Yes, with a Fusion drive chances for data loss due to drive failure will double (as it does with RAID0), but that is why you create backups. It does give you the performance, without the niggles of a two drive system. However, if you are not comfortable with the terminal, maybe you shouldn't.

Throttlemeister, I have decided to actually give it a try with fusion, once I find a bit extra time. Until then I will read to learn more about it.
Do you have any suggestions for a place to look (for tutorail, etc?)