Problems with RAID on Edubuntu

[Jack Wasey]

Daniel Carrera wrote:
> Hi Jack,
> 
> Thanks, I learnt something today :)
> 
> The primary reason why I want RAID-1 is so I don't lose the users' 
> personal files and all the software configuration I've made (DHCP 
> server, LTSP, user accounts, etc).
> 
> I admit I don't see the advantage of using removable media for boot.

Getting RAID 1 on boot seems to require lots of messing around, so there is much 
more chance of a configuration error meaning that your (resilient) RAID1 boot 
device will be unbootable. Better to have a single normal boot partition, and 
use GRUB normally (benefit from Ubuntu support and user experience, etc.). With 
removable media for boot you can make copies, keep them safe, and mitigate the 
risk of the disk with your boot partition being hosed.

I always set up a second partition in the same place as boot on the first disk, 
so that the physical location of data on the disks is the same for the raided 
partitions. You could use such a partition as a backup boot device by updating 
this backup boot partition with files from your real boot partition (rsync?). 
You can then write a grub stanza to call that, and install grub into the MBR on 
the secondary disk. You should then be able to boot from either disk. Still, a 
boot floppy is easier for recovery, and probably more reliable.

Hope that's of use.