Soliciting Storage Configuration Advice

[wevsspot]

Hey guys / gals.

 

I'm putting together a spare Z77 build.

 

On my current Z68 build I have (2) Crucial C300 128Gb SSD drives running in RAID 0 off of the Intel SATA 6Gb/s ports.  Additionally I have (2) WD Black 1Tb drives running in RAID 0 off the Intel SATA 3Gb/s ports.

 

I have my OS and performance sensitive applications on the SSD array, and I have other applications (like Word, benchmark programs, Nero etc) installed on the WD Black array.

 

On this Z77 based build I already have the OS installed on (2) SK Hynix 128Gb SSD drives running in RAID 0 off of the Intel SATA 6Gb/s ports.  

 

Now I need some recommendations on how to handle the remainder of the storage configuration.

 

At first glance my options are;

 

1. Keep the (2) Crucial C300 drives and run them in RAID 0 off of the Intel 3Gb/s ports

2. Keep (1) Crucial C300 drive and use it for SRT caching on the (2) WD Black drives in a RAID 0 array.

3. Sell both Crucial C300 drives and buy an mSATA SSD and use it for SRT caching on the (2) WD Black drives in a RAID 0 array

4. Sell both Crucial C300 drives, one WD Black Drive and put that towards purchasing a single 256Gb SSD to run off the Marvel 6Gb/s port

 

Please don't begin a debate on RAID.  This isn't a debate on RAID, performance gains, data loss risk on RAID 0 arrays etc.  I run RAID because I can and because I have ever since it became an option on consumer class hardware.

 

Keeping the (2) Crucial SSDs give me complete SATA 3Gb/s band saturation and the highest possible performance.  However this is at the cost of losing the 2Tb storage capacity of my WD drives in RAID 0.

 

The SSD caching option compromises pure benchmark performance for a decent mix of read / write speeds plus a large amount of storage space to play with.

 

Going the mSATA route achieves much of the same as the option immediately above, but does give me a chance to play with the mSATA capability of my Z77 motherboard

 

Buying one new 256Gb SSD is the simplest option, but also the most expensive if I compare it to the other options using hardware I already have.

 

What would you do?

[Smiki007]

I would buy SSD 256Gb (the price significantly fell down). Almost had a similar problem (2x Crucial M4 128Gb Raid 0 on Intel 6Gb/s, 2x WD Caviar Blue 500Gb Raid 0 on Intel 3GB/s and 1 WD Caviar Black 1Tb on Marvel 6Gb/s), and i sell both SSDs and both WDs Blue and bought two Plextor M3 256Gb. Now i have (you can see in my signature) 2x Plextor 256Gb Raid 0 on Intel 6GB/s and 1x WD Black 1Tb on Marvel 6Gb/s. All that gave me slight advantage having now OS plus all Programs and Games installed on my SSDs and still having enough free Gb (more than 200), for future installations, the WD only using for storage/backup.

Edited June 28, 2013 by Smiki007

[Smiki007]

Some of Amazon 256Gb SSD (no particular order):

1. Crucial m4 256GB ----- 199.99$

2. Samsung MZ-7TD250BW 840 250 GB ----- 167.17$

3. Samsung 840 Pro Series 256 GB SATA 6GB/s ----- 230.44$

4. Corsair Neutron Series 256GB (6Gb/s) SATA 3 ----- 189.99$

5. Plextor 256 GB SATA III Solid State Drive PX-256M5P ----- 195.91$

6. Plextor 256GB M5S Series Solid State Drive SATA 6.0 Gb-s PX-256M5S ----- 179.99$

 

PS. You'r also lucky to live in US, everything is approximately 30-35% more here in Peru. 

Edited June 28, 2013 by Smiki007

[cjloki]

i've had really good results running the vertex 4's raided as my C: drive for win8, and using the wd vr's for files, applications, downloads and such, and even win7 in achi mode... the only drawback to the raided set that i've noticed, is that the bios has to do the drive search each time it boots, which slows down startup by about 5 seconds or so...but other than that it's been very good to me...i know that's not quite what you were looking for jerry but it's just a thot...

 

 kwik edit: so for speed then go with the 256 to boot to and then hd's for storage and backup