On Tue, 6 Aug 2002 15:09:58 -0400 (EDT), Rick Byers <rb-netbsd@BigScaryChildren.net> wrote:
> So, can anyone provide me with their experiences using hardware RAID under
> NetBSD?  I have to travel to another city to do this job, and it would be
> disasterous to find out when I get there that the RAID card they ordered
> for me won't work well in NetBSD.
> 
> I'd also be willing to try RaidFrame instead of a hardware RAID controller
> as long as the performance wasn't too bad and swapping a bad drive isn't
> too hard.

I use both hardware and software (RaidFrame) RAIDs.  And I'm very happy
with both.

The H/W RAID card that I'm using in two systems is a Dell, which is a
rebadged Adaptec (sorry, I don't know which one).

  aac0 at pci2 dev 2 function 1: Dell PERC 3/Di
  aac0: interrupting at irq 5
  aac0: i960RX at 100MHz, 118MB cache, optional battery present, kernel 2.7-0
  ld0 at aac0 unit 0: RAID 1 (Mirror)
  ld0: 17355 MB, 8815 cyl, 64 head, 63 sec, 512 bytes/sect x 35544576 sectors

here's the other system:

  aac0 at pci1 dev 2 function 1: Dell PERC 3/Di
  aac0: interrupting at irq 11
  ac0: i960RX at 100MHz, 118MB cache, optional battery present, kernel 2.7-0
  ld0 at aac0 unit 0: RAID 0 (Stripe)
  ld0: 341 GB, 44617 cyl, 255 head, 63 sec, 512 bytes/sect x 716785920 sectors

As you'll note, I'm not doing RAID5, so I can speak to it's performance.  But
with mirroring, I can tell you that these are *FAST* systems, especially
the second.  And I've had no problems at all with stability.

Paul
-- 
Paul Dokas                                            dokas@cs.umn.edu
======================================================================
Don Juan Matus:  "an enigma wrapped in mystery wrapped in a tortilla."