Greetings,
I've been kicking the idea of setting up a 10.2 server with RAID 5. I've
only set up RAID in Windows prior to this and I know it is very
different. I've been googling to get some ideas and ran across this
statement:
"nstalling OpenSuse on a software-based RAID array is not possible if
OpenSuse is providing the software. Technically, the only solution left
for this case is to use a hardware RAID controller and install OpenSuse
on the hardware-based RAID array." from
http://www.roumazeilles.net/news/en/...1-on-opensuse/

He claims that you can't do a fresh install RAID 1 or 5 with OpenSUSE
10.2. Is this true? I have an older 20 Gb hard drive lying around and 3
spiffy new WD SATA's in 250 Gb. I could use the old one for the OS and
the new ones for the RAID but would like not to as I'm afraid the 20
would die.

If this statement isn't true and I can do a software RAID 5 install of
OpenSUSE, what partitions and amounts should I use. I know I need a
root, swap and home (I think). I'll have 1 to 2 Gb of RAM. Any
suggestions? Any pitfalls? Thanks for any tips.
Tom

Thomas Tootle wrote:
> If this statement isn't true and I can do a software RAID 5 install of
> OpenSUSE, what partitions and amounts should I use.

Please ask what girl to mary. There are only 3 bilion of them, so the
choice is much easier to make.

What I would do is let openSUSE decide what it needs. That means:
1) twice the GB and then the rest as
2) 1/3 to 2/3 for / and /home
3) A maximum of 20GB for /
I personlay would add no partitioning between / and /home if you are
below 40GB

Then there will be many other ways on how to do things, but when you
need to ask, just follow default

> I know I need a
> root, swap and home (I think). I'll have 1 to 2 Gb of RAM. Any
> suggestions? Any pitfalls? Thanks for any tips.

The only pitfall right now is to listen to sugestions from others.
Follow default and then see wether that was good for *you* or not.

So just pop in the CD/DVD and see what what happens.

houghi

houghi wrote:
[..]
> Then there will be many other ways on how to do things, but when you
> need to ask, just follow default
>> The only pitfall right now is to listen to sugestions from others.
> Follow default and then see wether that was good for *you* or not.
>
> So just pop in the CD/DVD and see what what happens.
>
> houghi
Thanks Houghi,
I was more worried that RAID 5 on 3 hard drives wasn't available with a
fresh install. I've always installed on non-RAIDed hard drives accepting
the default. But I will have to decline the default, and go either to
expert or customize to set up the RAID, then partition the RAID. (I
think.) And didn't know if this was possible from my reading. Just
wanted some input on how to go from 3 disks, to RAID 5, to a partitioned
running system.

I'm already married so input about women while interesting is moot at
this point. Thanks for your time.

Tom

Thomas Tootle wrote:
> Thanks Houghi,
> I was more worried that RAID 5 on 3 hard drives wasn't available with a
> fresh install.

look at my signature. ;-)

> I've always installed on non-RAIDed hard drives accepting
> the default. But I will have to decline the default, and go either to
> expert or customize to set up the RAID, then partition the RAID. (I
> think.)

No problem, just don;t expect any good solution for what YOU want with
partitioning, unless yoe explain what you want and then you won;t need
the answers anymore, because you already gave them

The only advice I can give you is that partitioning id highly overrated.
People at hoem with the family PC do not need a seoperated /srv, /opt,
/var, /root, /..... or any of the 102 directories you see when you run
`man hier|awk '{print $1}'|grep "\/"|sort -u`
I used to think I was interesting as well and had about 15 partitions.
So now I know it complicates things, but does not actualy do any good.

When is it good to partition?
1) If you have different HD's, but that is more about mounting points
then about partitioning
2) If you have specific needs, e.g. running a highly used database or
website. Then you might be interested in having a different file system,
just for that part
3) Many users, so you can easily mount read-only partitions. And with
many I talk about 20+ who use it actively at the same time, but hen most
likely you will give them an extra HD as well

Other things will be more about mounting points and added disks then
about partitioning.
99% of the partitioning is done 'because I can'. Nothing wrong with
that, but it is funny to see that 99% of the people think they are that
1%

> And didn't know if this was possible from my reading. Just
> wanted some input on how to go from 3 disks, to RAID 5, to a partitioned
> running system.

As always: pop in the CD/DVD and give _US_ feedback how it went.

> I'm already married so input about women while interesting is moot at
> this point. Thanks for your time.

Ah, she is reading Usenet as well. ;-)

houghi