Mac Mini Server 2 x 256GB SSD RAID 0

[Dan in VA]

Is it a no-brainer setting up Raid 0 on a Mac Mini Server with 2 x 256GB SSDs?

I've done it on a Mac Pro, just want to know if it's the same. Where I configure it with Disk Utility ahead and then install the OS.

Would Raid 0 be worth it, generally? An SSD is already pretty quick. (storage capacity issues aside)

 

[scottrichardson]

Would definitely be nice for working on large media projects and large files. Boot would already be quick with just a single SSD. Apps probably won't load much faster than with 1, but certainly working with projects, media, images, video etc would be faster.

 

[philipma1957]

complete waste of money. wait for an explaination


cost below is 699
http://www.lacie.com/products/product.htm?id=10549


cost is 799
http://store.apple.com/us/configure/MD388LL/A?


total is 1500



YOUR PICK BELOW IS 1599


100 more your way but add a cable and server software for 90 to my pick and it is 10 dollars less then your choice.

plus it gives you an internal 1tb hdd for backup.


granted your pick has 1 box but it cost 10 dollars more and does not have the extra 1tb internal hdd.

I could go into longer explanations but I would not go your route. I have set these machines up with internal raid0 like you want and with external t-bolt raid0 more then one time. Unless you absolutely have to have a one box setup my way gives your more for less and is easy to fix in a crash.

 

[Dan in VA]

I ordered a 2.6GHZ Mac Mini Server with 2x256GB SSD (I didn't want to do the upgrade, and wanted an AppleCare supported hard drive) but with only 4GB RAM. I bought the 16GB of 1600 MHz RAM from OWC as always.

This replaces a 2010 Mac Mini (which will become our Media Center computer).

The new Mini will be connected to 2 x 3TB drives via Thunderbolt running as independent disks. Media Store will be the first disk, Backup Disk is second.

Primary purpose is to support media library (music, movies, photos), support video and photo editing, and run Parallels with Windows 7 Pro.

The only question in my mind is whether to:

(a) run the Mini's SSDs together in RAID 0 (on which I would run Parallels with a 100GB plain disk), or

(b) put Mountain Lion on one SSD and Windows 7 on the other SSD via Boot Camp (to obtain maximum performance under Windows), or

(c) run them as independent Disks in HFS+ but use Parallels instead of Boot Camp and place a large 100GB plain disk on the second SSD.

I am currently leaning toward "A" since I will be actively backing up the system (Time Machin and Carbon Copy Cloner) and I don't need to worry about data loss. "B" has benefits, but is a waste of space. "C" is a waste of space.

 

[scottrichardson]

I personally am ordering a low end mini as a home server and ripping out the stock disk and placing a 120GB OWC Mercury Extreme Pro in it for OS, Apps etc.

I'll then run 2 - 3 Lacie 2Big Thunderbolts as our media storage. I will be selling my Drobo FS.

I'll also be buying 2 more minis, but they will be specced up i7 quad cores with heaps of RAM and bigger SSDs from OWC for my designers/developers to use in my design studio. (or possibly iMacs but they aren't out yet).

 

[gabicava83]

I personally am ordering a low end mini as a home server and ripping out the stock disk and placing a 120GB OWC Mercury Extreme Pro in it for OS, Apps etc.

I'll then run 2 - 3 Lacie 2Big Thunderbolts as our media storage. I will be selling my Drobo FS.

I'll also be buying 2 more minis, but they will be specced up i7 quad cores with heaps of RAM and bigger SSDs from OWC for my designers/developers to use in my design studio. (or possibly iMacs but they aren't out yet).

Drobo's don't have the best performance as you have found out however, you do have some automatic redundancy with the units that doen't require much input from your end.

If you buy 2 - 3 Lacie TB units for your media storage, how are you going to manage the data, are you going to do a rotation system for backups? (just interested) you might be better of with a networked storage, independent of your mac, that is available to all your other devices (new MM's you are going to get or iMacs) and then replicate off site if required.

You could also have a mac mini running server edition to backup all your macs with time machine

 

[Mattjeff]

...
The only question in my mind is whether to:

(a) run the Mini's SSDs together in RAID 0 (on which I would run Parallels with a 100GB plain disk), or

(b) put Mountain Lion on one SSD and Windows 7 on the other SSD via Boot Camp (to obtain maximum performance under Windows), or

I bought a 2012 Mini 2.6 i7 Quad and currently have 2 x 256 SSDs up and running in it. I have my startup disk backed up via time machine but don't know the best way to implement the extra storage on my second drive. I would like to run media and possibly the large game Apps on the second but i want it backed up as well and Time Machine only backs up the one disk (that I'm aware).

I would also love to install windows on here using bootcamp but I have no idea how to handle that with 2 drives in the mini because I have always just had my MBP.

how would I do all this? I have never done a Raid of any kind but it looks like a 0 backed up on time machine might be what i need?

 

[elefantrider]

Under the dual drive configuration, can you back up both drives as one to Time Machine or CrashPlan?

Isn't it better to have just a single big drive for simplicity of backing up?

 

[elefantrider]

complete waste of money. wait for an explaination


cost below is 699
http://www.lacie.com/products/product.htm?id=10549


cost is 799
http://store.apple.com/us/configure/MD388LL/A?


total is 1500



YOUR PICK BELOW IS 1599


100 more your way but add a cable and server software for 90 to my pick and it is 10 dollars less then your choice.

plus it gives you an internal 1tb hdd for backup.


granted your pick has 1 box but it cost 10 dollars more and does not have the extra 1tb internal hdd.

I could go into longer explanations but I would not go your route. I have set these machines up with internal raid0 like you want and with external t-bolt raid0 more then one time. Unless you absolutely have to have a one box setup my way gives your more for less and is easy to fix in a crash.

That is an nteresting solution if all in one portability is not of interest. Would not require buying a backup drive or expensive Time Capsule either.