Multiple HDs / Storage space question

[c23roo]

I am quickly running out of storage space on my desktop computer (MacPro 2x2.66 Dual Core / 5 GB RAM). I have three internal HDs - two 500 GB and a 1 TB I use for Time Machine. My main problem is the large amount of space used by my iTunes and iPhoto libraries, as well as a ton of DVD projects... I have close to 400 GB of pictures (my wife is into photography) and I've got GBs of tunes and movies and the like taking up space as well.

Just looking for advice as to how you would set up a system that will allow me some space. I think I will eventually need a 1 TB drive just for photos, but then won't I need something even larger for Time machine? I think I would prefer to just add the storage internally, but that limits me somewhat, no?

I'm hoping someone smart will have some clearer thoughts to share...

- c

 

[dr. shdw]

Replace the 2 500gbs with 1TB drives or wait for solid 1.5tb Seagate drives.

 

[hughvane]

This may be of interest to you: http://www.barefeats.com/quad07.html

 

[CarlsonCustoms]

Only issue with that link is the Raid 0 reliablilty. You must be careful. I personally run a raid 0 for speed on my vista box but that's only becuase I also use windows home server that makes a complete backup every single night so if there is data loss I'm covered. The WHS also makes two copies on two different hd's each time so if one of the backup drives fails I'm still good. I'd be worried with only one drive for time machine with running a raid 0. If the raid fails and your backup fails you are SOL.

or maybe I'm just paranoid about loss of data.....?

Zack

 

[c23roo]

Thanks for the thoughts... I had read a bit about RAID, and I'm also a little paranoid about data loss. I wonder, what do folks who do a ton of digital video editing or professional musicians do with what must be huge amounts of data?

Ideally what I guess I would like is to have a boot drive that runs my commonest applications (Safari/iTunes/iPhoto/iCal/Office, etc) - which I would imagine should be pretty stripped down to maximize performance (not sure if this is even a valid assumption). Then another internal drive with the Photos, maybe a third with the music/DVDs, and finally a gigantic backup drive to run Time Machine.

I'm just not sure with the amount of data I have, if I can pull that off...