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[Mad1]

No not the bug killer. 

Ive got a 400GB YR model Western digital Raid edition 2 hard drive I was going to get another for raid but ebuyer have sold out.

If it get the same but YS model will the raid still work

I think the only difference is that the YR is 1.5GB/s and the YS is 3GB/s

I know it will default to 1.5GB/s I'm just wondering if there will be any problems.

[Wooster]

I think you're probably right mate..that's one hell of a performance hit you'd be taking *

I read this guide a while back and decided that RAID wasn't really worth the effort..
http://www.tomshardware.com/2007/07/02/raid_scaling_charts/

There's been a couple since though..
http://www.tomshardware.com/2007/08/07/raid_scaling_charts/
http://www.tomshardware.com/2007/11/27/raid_scaling_charts/

* It's mentioned in the third guide..
"Storage experts will even recommend using identical hard drives, which means that the drives' firmware should be the same. Again, the weakest link, meaning the slowest drive, will determine performance"

[Mad1]

This is for a network server at work.

It's going to store files for 100+ students, just Word documents and Tina diagrams (ciurcuit drawings)

I cant really get rid of the hard drive but i want RAID 1 for data integrity.

The students will all have their own account and they'll store the files there. They'll probably have 2GB each.

[Wooster]

Ahh...

Google Products???

http://www.google.co.uk/products?q=WD4000YR&btnG=Search&show=dd&scoring=p

[Mad1]

Thanks woosty I just went and ordered it from ebuyer.

The network is getting installed next week so i havnt got much time to setup the accounts and settings.

So I needed to order it for tomorrow.

[Wooster]

Soz mate..I got the models the wrong way round.

There was plenty of YS' available too..

http://www.google.co.uk/products?q=WD4000YS&btnG=Search&show=dd&scoring=p

[Wooster]

But then, you probably knew that anyway..

[Mad1]

Right woosty change of plan. What do you think about this.

1.8GHz Intel Xeon Dual core http://www.ebuyer.com/product/128282
2GB Corsair ram http://www.ebuyer.com/product/98708
x2 500GB WD drives 16meg cache SATA 300 http://www.ebuyer.com/product/124228
These will be for the file storage

The server role is to store files for the students and it will also control the domain.

I've still no idea how many students there are but there is 12 computers, in the internet room (which hasnt got the internet yet)
I work at BAE but for a small company that teaches the students.

[Wooster]

Looks good for the money..

I'm no expert, but I'm thinking you could probably be doing with a Gigabit Switch as part of the package since your server is already set up for it.
http://www.ebuyer.com/product/62292
I suppose it's down to the amount of data they will be shifting, but at the end of the day it would be a shame to waste the capability...the bog standard 100Mbps Client NIC's could all run at about 83Mbps during peak usage compared to 8.3Mbps if you run it through a bog standard switch.

(New Gigabit NIC's for the clients aren't mega expensive either if you feel the need..http://www.ebuyer.com/product/83820 

[Mad1]

Switch will be high end and im not purchacing that it's hopefully a cisco but it will be a high end one d-link/netgear 24 ports.

They wont be throwning massive amounts of data about 10/100 is fine.

The PC's arent great 1.5GHz P4's with 256meg of ram running XP pro.

I wont be installing the network we are getting someone in to do that but i'll be helping.

I'll be setting up the PC's and the server. I've no idea how but its a good learning curve for me.

Thanks again woosty and any more input is welcomed.

[Wooster]

I'll be setting up the PC's and the server. I've no idea how but its a good learning curve for me.

It's a good start.

Stevie is your man for LANs and Servers btw..

[Mad1]

Where the hell is he then?

OI Stevie get your ass here now!!!

[Stevie]

Hardware looks fine. I would definitely make sure your server is on gigabit, even if the clients aren't. Are you building a proper active directory, with domain controller?

[Mad1]

Thanks for replying Stevie. Im not sure how it's going to work i've never really done anything like this before.

There is around 300 students and 12 computers and the server will run windows 2003 server.

My idea is that the students will have their own area to store there work (this will be the raid drives in the server) and their own account.

I understand i need it to be on a domain (as apposed to workgroup), im not sure what active directory is.

Any help is much appreaciated.

[Wooster]

IIRC
Active Directory basically allows you to run your whole domain from one central location, so you can apply updates, install software, change user permissions and so on without having to visit every client PC.
On the other side it means your users all get authenticated and can access their files and applications from the same central location regardless of their physical location on the domain

It's pretty easy to use, up to a point. 

I remember someone last year applying a password policy change at Diageo that was only meant to be for one group of users. Instead he applied it to the whole forest and it shut them down globally for 24hrs.