Question : Software Raid 5 Install Druid Issues w/Linux Fedora

Hi all,

I'm doing a fresh install of Fedora Core 3 on a server;
- SC450NX Intel server board
- 4 xeon III 550 cpu with 512 cache each, 2 gig cache total
- 2 Gig Mem
- Symbios SCSI built into motherboard
- 6 SCSI SCA Hot Swappable drive plane


I have 6 SCSI Seagate 36 Gb Hard Drives Installed. The machine was built to be a raid server. This all works fine, only issue is raid setup during install.

I want to use Linux Software Raid 5 and set it up during the initial install.

I tried this and run into a couple of problems due to my lack of unix experience and can't find detailed enough instructions.

Since this machine had a non raid install on it previously, when I get to Disk Druid, I've found I need to delete existing partions manually first. Easy enough. Then I can install Raid partitions.

Where I'm lost is in the details and specifically what to do about a boot partition and a swap partition.

Do I install a boot partition first? If so I need help with details
Does this make my first hard drive smaller due to some space going to a boot partition? Doesn't this mess up the symetry of 6 equal raid drives?
Or can I make the booting part of my Raid setup so i simply have six equal partitions, again need help w/how to?
Or do I just need my root to be my starting raid mount point, but how?

I've read that a swap partiton may be of marginal use to equipment like mine? true? or do I need it and if so, same questions as with boot as to details.

I tried creating boot and swap partitions, then the raid partitions, but then it wouldn't let me choose the "/" root as the mount point for the Raid. At this point I'm getting confused and my remaining choices, like /home, seem to indicate only a part of my system will be raid (that part under /home). See I told you I was easily confused!

Basic Instructions will be very helpful, ie; do this THEN this, THEN this
Details will be even better

Sadly, I have no unix geeks at office to help me, I need to struggle through this with whatever help I can find here :P But I'd galddy send a paypal reward to anyone who wanted to talk or IM me through it.

Thx VERY much all,

2nats AT weblabs.com

Answer : Software Raid 5 Install Druid Issues w/Linux Fedora

I have not tried this on RedHat, so I'm just guessing here.

1) You definitely need a swap. Even if you have lots of RAM, it's still good to let Linux decide if it wants to swap processes. At least one gig, and not on the RAID partition.
What you can do is to add a small swap partition to each of your disks. It's a form of RAID. But you should not raid a swap partition.

2) RedHat, apparently can not deal with RAID5 on the /boot or /root partitions : http://www.redhat.com/docs/manuals/linux/RHL-9-Manual/custom-guide/ch-software-raid.html

What you might want to do is to add an IDE disk that you will use as a boot disk.
And you will setup a RAID-5 for a /data partition for example.

Though, if you really want to set this up yourself, it's possible (http://www.tldp.org/HOWTO/Boot+Root+Raid+LILO.html).