RAID5 for Linux

[dave at microway.com (David Backeberg)]

> You can't boot from OS RAID-5, only RAID-1, at least under RH Linux.

Actually, not quite true, depending on your definition of RH Linux.

You can have everything on software raid5 except for the kernel and anything 
your bootloader might need (grub splashscreen, grub.conf, etc.). Once your 
kernel support for raid5 loads (_IF_ you compile this in it won't have to 
load from a module) you can mount the software raid devices just fine and 
boot from the rest of the software files on raid devices. Granted, this means 
your own kernel, not Redhat's kernel; hopefully you build your own kernels 
anyway.

So you can make a raid1 /boot, like 50MB partition or smaller depending on 
your favorite fs, and have the rest of your disks/partitions devoted to the 
raid5.
-- 
David Backeberg (dave at microway.com)
Microway Technical Support - http://www.microway.com

(508) 732-5542 Direct
(508) 746-7341 Main
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