software RAID: ataraid(4) vs raidframe(4) ?

[Geert Hendrickx <ghen%telenet.be@localhost>]

Hi,

I've ordered a new desktop PC including an Intel ICH9R "fake RAID"
controller[1] which, I think, is supported by our ataraid(4) driver.
My intention is to setup a RAID-1 (or perhaps a RAID-1 and a RAID-0
part) on two 500 Gb SATA disks with NetBSD-current.

Now what are the pro's and con's of ataraid(4) vs raidframe(4) as a
software RAID system?  I've used raidframe for a long time now, and
its major disadvantage IMHO is the long parity check/rebuild after
unclean shutdowns (takes several hours during which performance is
horrible).  How does ataraid compare in this aspect?

The disadvantage of ataraid(4) seems to be the lack of an on-line
monitoring/maintenance tool (either NetBSD native or vendor-supplied).
FreeBSD has atacontrol(8), which seems to be fairly extensive[2], so
it must be possible, but NetBSD's atactl(8) has no such functionality.

Any opinions/experiences/recommendations?

Thanks,

        Geert


[1] http://www.intel.com/design/chipsets/datashts/316972.htm
[2] http://www.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=atacontrol&sektion=8