Is it possible to set up a RAID 0 and RAID 1 using the same 2 drives?

If I have two 1TB drives, can I partition each one into two 500GB drives, (Labelled A1, A2, B1,B2)  then set up a RAID 0 array between A1 and B1, while having A2 be a RAID 1 backup of B1, and B2 a RAID 1 backup of A1?

Or would this Simply give me the equivalent speed of a TB Raid 1?

(From what I understand, this would be similar to RAID 5, but wouldn't require a separate RAID card.)

Comments

[lemonie]

I just thought that you've invented a new concept:
"Redundant Array of Independent Partitions" RAIP.

L

[Bartboy]

From what I understand, the only way to do what I want would be to buy three drives...

[lemonie]

Do you need to do this, or can one RAID configuration work for you?

L

[Bartboy]

Well it's probably more of an experiment than anything else.

But if I could have two partitions from separate drives striped so as to increase speed, then have the other two partitions back them up (crossed over so as to prepare for drive failure) I'd get the same speed as just using RAID 1.

But if I could somehow make the backups so that they only backed up when there was minimal use of the other two partitions, it would be cool.

Seems like there's no software to do this.

[lemonie]

RAID  works on actual drives, I really don't think there's a fundamental advantage to the partition idea.
If there was, you would have heard of software that RAIDs a single-drive...

L

[Bartboy]

Well, there is...

You see, the backups would be done when there was minimal read/write.
Wouldn't "actually" be RAID.... But something similar?
So you'd get the security of RAID 1, and a small speed boost.

[lemonie]

Hmm, is the predicted speed-boost going to be significant?

L

[Bartboy]

And RAID is fun!

[lemonie]

Oh damn, I could have done a super RAID installation with my old Gigabyte-board.... but I accidentally screwdrived a SM-transistor off it.

L

[Bartboy]

I happen to have three identical USB2 printers. Kinda slow, over 10 seconds a page.
Is it possible to set something similar to a RAID0 for printers?...
So that if I have a 15 page document, ever third page is printed by each printer?


Would also be cool/useful.

[lemonie]

You'd have to split the print-job, but the thing to do would be to have 2 printers each do every other page, like odd/even.
MS Word will surely let you do that.

L

[Bartboy]

Not really....
I think the point is that it would give you speed + data protection, without having to buy a RAID card.

[Vyger]

At this time as far as I know the answer is no. The reason is that the raid controller doesn't even care about the partitions. The controller treats the drive as a whole and works independently of any data on it. This is why it works for any type of partition. So, like lemonie said, no.

Just a note, if I were you I would use them in a mirrored array. If one of the drives fails, and there appears to be a high likely hood of that. then you will not loose all your data. If you put them in a stripped array and one goes bad, you loose everything on both drives. Read speeds are increased in a mirrored array but write speeds are not. However new drives are already so fast, and they cash everything for delayed writing, that you will not notice a difference for almost all applications.

[Bartboy]

Well, my idea would probably have to involve not a true RAID, but some other strip of data and backups on the partitions. I'd want the backups to only be done while the drive isn't doing anything... So a delayed mirror. Difficult.

[lemonie]

The RAID controller is on the board, it manages by IDE channel. So I would say no.

L