[Bioclusters] Urgent advice on RAID design requested

[Borries Demeler]

> You can get cheap or reliable.  You get to pick one (today).  Usually 
> you get to pick reliable or fast, but you can have both with the right 
> product.

It depends on what kind of data storage is needed. There are special situations
when a low-cost *and* reliable solution may work.

Instead of making a single device expensively error proof in the manner
that Joe suggests (multiple power supplies, controllers, NICS, etc), why
not get *two* lower cost devices and have them mirror each other. During
failure, you can switch to the other and repair the first. This is our 
approach and it works well for us. Moreover, you can have the second 
device in a different building to prevent against catastrophal loss.

There are lots of options and it pays off to do the research of what 
will work best within your budget and needs.

-Borries