Re: [gentoo-user] LVM for data drives but not the OS

[Joost Roeleveld]

On Thursday 07 April 2011 07:49:55 Dale wrote:
> Neil Bothwick wrote:
> > On Thu, 07 Apr 2011 06:28:40 -0500, Dale wrote:
> >>>> I want to do it this way because I don't trust LVM enough to put
> >>>> my
> >>>> OS on.  Just my personal opinion on LVM.
> >>>
> >>> This doesn't make sense. Your OS can be reinstalled in an hour or
> >>> two,
> >>> your photos etc. are irreplaceable.
> >>
> >> It does to me.  I want to keep things so that if there is a problem, I
> >> know how to fix it or can at least get to a point that I can get help
> >> on it.  If LVM fails and I can't boot, then I loose everything on LVM
> >> because I would have to reinstall from scratch.  If it fails just on
> >> my
> >> data stuff, I can get help and fix it because I can still boot up and
> >> get to my email program.
> >
> > We have these things called live CDs and webmail :P
> >
> > Bear in mind that LVM has been around for years. It is proven and
> > reliable. Once setup, you don't have to touch it, so you can't break
> > it. The least trustworthy part of your system remains the user.
>
> Since I have no experience with LVM, that is the part I am worried
> about.  If I knew everything you, Alan, Joost and others knew, I'd just
> install everything on it and hope for the best.  I'm concerned that if
> something did go wrong and I couldn't get help, I'd loose everything.  I
> don't have any way to back up this much data.  I hate webmail.  I guess
> I could but that would just get on my nerves something bad.

GMails webmail isn't too bad, tbh :)
I agree though, it's difficult to back up all the data and I have actually 
decided to only back-up a subset of what I have on the server.
It also helps to have more then 1 system when something does go wrong. 
Even a small laptop (netbook-style) that can connect is of great help.

I don't think I know everything, but I do tend to be lucky enough to be able 
to find the info I need online. Then again, internet usage is a bit more 
widespread where I live.

> Why is it that whenever I think I have found a good drive that is in the
> 1 to 2Tb range, it has awful reviews?  Things like DOA, died after a few
> hours, days or weeks of use.  This has me concerned.  I have yet to have
> a drive go bad but are they making crap nowadays or what?

Short answer: yes :)
Long answer: the drives are getting a higher density the whole time which 
makes them more difficult to produce.
Also, companies have found it's cheaper to offer free warranty-replacements 
then make more reliable drives in the first place.
Never mind most people only have the computer running for a few hours a day. 
Not like some of us who have them running 24/7 :)

I currently use WD's Green drives in my server and they do tend to be reliable 
as long as they can be kept decently cooled.

--
Joost