Just to be sure about RAID0 ...

[Guest]

I just want to be sure before buying an other HD.
If I setup a RAID0 with two 20 gig ATA100 HDs, I will get like "one 40 gig HD" with a doubled transfer rate. Right ?

Piatnik

 

[Guest]

Yes. It doesn't mean, though, that it's gonna be twice faster. There are two components to speed for hard drives. One is sustained data transfer rate, which is a rate at which data is transferred once the transfer has started. It is indeed doubled. But there is also data access time, which is the time it takes for the drive to find the beginning of the data block and initiate the transfer. It stays about the same, for all practical purposes.

In other words, you will feel that the drive is twice as fast if you transfer big chunks of data (open large files, etc.). If you make a lot of small data accesses to the drive, it would feel about the same. Still, it is better than always the same, eh?

Leo

 

[Guest]

actually i think access times for ide raid 0 get worse.

i had a drink the other day... opinions were like kittens i was givin' away

 

[Guest]

Yes, but insignificantly. That's why I added "for all practical purposes." Why complicate the matter?

Leo