Re-introducing FlexRAID (Flexible RAID) - Page 5

ok so I have 3 drives setup to give it a test run. How do I add the 3 drives to make a single drive?

That is a good question......
I have been asking that for 2 weeks on ther forum and website is down again, why?

Version 2 of FlexRaid was released and no clear instructions on how to install and setup the Raid, and none for seting up The FlexView on a client either, I even posted on the forum, If you want testers then we need clear instruction on install of the Raid and View, I didn't get anything.

I am moving on to something else.

Scat

I have similar problems with FlexRAID-View, and a question on FlexRAID itself.

With FlexRAID-View, I can get a simple setup working, for example:
Trouble is if each drive has a "Movies" folder I will see five folders in the root of E:\\ each caled "Movies". I'd like a single Movies folder, is this possible? If so, and i move a file to E:\\Movies, which physical drive will it be moved to?

I have tried setting up virtual folder E:\\Movies, but get Java errors in the log file and no E drive shows in the Windows Explorer.

On FlexRAID itself, I can automate updates but my understanding is that if the RAID array has failed (for example a drive has gone down or a file is corrupt) this will encode the missing or corrupted data into the parity drive(s). To track this a previous validate step will have given an error. However this error is logged in 1 or multiple log files. Thus it's very easy to miss. I don't want or need to check multiple Notepad files before updating (and of course automatic updates sound horribly dangerous).

Have I got this right? If so it seems like a grevious flaw that an error in validation doesn't trigger some sort of write lock on the relevant drives or folders.

Apologies for the long post but the openegg forum is down.

I think your problem is that you do not have an addl. folder level. Here is my ViewConfig.txt:

I have my data in the respective HDxx folders. The pooled drive shows up as X:\\ with a folder called HD. In HD I can see all the files from HDxx.


I believe Brahim uses some algorithm to determine this. However you can influence it to some extent with RESTRICT= and RESERVE=, which copies to drive only till is reached.

Hope this helps.
_____
Axel

There was a lot of trial and error for me, since I also could not find any instructions. Here are the notes I took (I hope is is not too cryptic":

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
# Step 1: Install FlexRAID V2

# Step 2: Install the FlexRAID CMD (command line) client
Windows: http://download.openegg.org/release/..._1.0_final.exe

# Step 3: Install FlexRAID-View e.g. under "Windows Start Menu","Start FlexRAID Basic CMD Client"

On DOS prompt:
- Connect to: Server
- view install
(If successful, a disk manager service named "FlexRAID Disk Manager" should also be in your list of services and automatically started)
- view start


Note:
- Start FlexRAID Basic CMD Client, e.g. via Windows Start Menu, to get DOS prompt:
2. Connect to: server
3.1 To start FlexRAID-View: view start
3.2 To stop FlexRAID-View: view stop
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
____
Axel

What else is out there for drive pooling? I am still looking. We had this thread a few weeks back.

FlexRAID View, once set up, offers the best/cleanest folder structure from the ones I tried thus far, as it does not need any addl. auxiliary folders. That said, FlexRAID has not been working very robust for me, including occasional lost folder sharing. At this point I am also suspecting FlexRAID to be the cause for the BSOD, I am getting every once in while after bringing the server out of hibernation.
____
Axel

yeah I mean I just wanna setup a few drives with a parity drive. I cant do hardware raid because of the rest of my hardware and its all in a norco 4224 so it fits 24 drives and I want them all to be data to be cost effective and then fill another 4224 when I need more space.

Let me try to get this straight:

DRIVE=X I assume this is whatever drive letter you want it to be and doesnt really matter?
UNIQUE=G:\\;H:\\;J:\\;K:\\;L:\\;M:\\ I assume these are the actual physical drives attached?
RESTRICT=I:\\ I have no idea wtf this means lol
RESERVE=150GB nor do I have any idea what this is
THREAD=1 or this
REMOVABLE=false or this

-X:\\ or any of this
|-

-X:\\HD or any of this stuff or below
|-*G:\\HD11
|-*H:\\HD12
|-*I:\\HD01
|-*J:\\HD02
|-*K:\\HD03
|-*L:\\HD21
|-*M:\\HD22

I mean I have done some programming in c++ and basic but when you dont even have a place to start you cant just start doing this. I assume someone knows what the stuff above means lol.

Long time lurker delurking here, just to mention that I've been looking at FlexRAID for use in a potential media storage server I plan on building soon, and I'm pretty sure this article covers your questions about the config file: flexraid.wikkii.com/wiki/Installing_FlexRAID-View

Sorry, haven't posted enough to be able to post a URL yet.

I added my comments after a "=>".


Hope this helps.
_____
Axel

yeah I think I can figure that out. Of all the threads I looked at never saw that one page for setting it up.

Axel, thanks for the tip, didn't see this documented in the FlexRAID forums at all!

EDIT: but silly me, the openegg.org forums are back up and it is there in black and white!

How many drives TOTAL do you have to dedicate to the pool+parity?
I too have been searching not only for a free, but OPEN SOURCE unraid style app.

Also, you mentioned raid5.... anytime you are thinking of "storage pool," do NOT assume:
1) that you'll be able to just pop your drives into a pool with data already on them
2) that you'll be able to pop in drives of different sizes and be able to utlize 100% of each drive
3) that you'll be able to pop in new drives in the future seamlessly

Openfiler, and opensource (free) project does NOT provide what you are looking for, it is closer to regular raid.

FlexRaid, does NOT provide what you are looking for.
1) It is CURRENTLY free, offers software that randomly expires
2) The author can make it commercial at any time, and kudos to him if he can make some big bank by utilizing end users as product developers/research/etc. ..in the end, there is no way to guarantee FlexRaid availabilty as FREE
3) There is never a reason to keep software closed source other than for commercial reasons or some weird sense of pride as the diskbuncher posesses.
4) There is no currently available free solution for windows (greyhole is linux based), flexraid is called free, but is not, as it expires and your data and access to it never guaranteed, it should be called TRIALWARE


Snapraid is actually very easy to use, and does PARITY, not pooling. I am currently searching for a method to pool data.

Liquesce is open source, [strike]but has issues. [/strike] ...everything has issues
UPDATE: Liquesce is working AWESOME right now for me.
The drivebuncher author advertised his stuff at Liquesce 's forums

Unfortunately, like the liquesce author mentions, known solutions are not being shared.

For the Flexraid author, and drive extender author and all other closed-source authors...I am not saying you're bad, in fact I wish you the best of luck and great monetary success. Just laying out the data here.

Additionally, instead of wasting time on FlexRaid insecurity, and systems that are not developed, I believe the average users would be most successful with unraid, it is a developed product, and though I haven't even used it, I am leaning towards it. I've used many hours searching for alternatives. If I was a programmer, I'd join liquesce and help, but I'm not...sooooo

Good luck, and post your findings here or in the snapraiid thread.
Why?
If there is a drive pooling software available, someone will be able to GUI a combo pack of snapraid with it, as well as power management and stuff.

With the current version, you could create a parity which would be a mirror of the data.
You can even select a small subset of your data (just select a small folder from each drive) to test out how FlexRAID works.

My biggest problem with unraid is that it is not windows...this means I must redo all my drives to use it. No thanks.

My biggest problem with snapraid is the lack of GUI. GUI is expected these days. Linux, Novell, etc...they all have GUIs. A good GUI is important.

Just a couple of points: the software doesn't randomly expire. The previews, betas, release candidates, or whatever you want to call them, expire after 6 months. The developer has been poor in making those dates more clear, but he has improved. With the latest 1.4 build, he put the expiration in the thread title. He has also stated:

So I take from that that there should be no fear that 2.0 will expire. It will be made "final" at some point, and if he drops the project, he will release the code. But more importantly, regardless of what he does, it's not correct to say "your data and access to it never guaranteed". The parity is stored separately, and the data is not dependant on the array. It's not changed in any way once you install it and start using it. It can stop working, or you can uninstall it, or whatever, your data is where it always has been, untouched. I don't use the pooling features, and I could see how THAT could change your access to the data, but even then I don't think the data itself is dependent on FlexRAID. I assume you just may have to look for it in a different folder structure than you would if you were accessing it through FlexRAID.

All that being said, I certainly understand the advantages of open source software. I definitely hope that SnapRAID continues to mature to provide a good open source alternative. For ME, it's not there yet. But the beauty of both tools is that they can be installed and tried out with your existing data, and uninstalled if they aren't right for you. There's no need to be worried about them harming your data. The worst case is they don't work when you have a failure and need them to restore your data. That's something you certainly hope doesn't happen, but you'd be no worse off than you were if you didn't have them to start with.

I've seen that request before, but I don't quite understand it. Snapraid has just a few very simple commands. I can't imagine why a GUI would be needed. I certainly don't see the comparison between any full blown OS and a little utility with perhaps three main tasks.

On the other hand, since Snapraid is so dead simple, developing a GUI doesn't seem to be a significant task. The only thing stopping it, I suppose, is WHY? :-)

Ironically, I'm also a FlexRAID user, and I'm dreading being forced to use the GUI (which is coming). Somehow I expect the new feature that will allow WHS v1 setups in the 2.0 GUI will still be much more tedius to set up and expand than the command-line tool.

Mostly because this is not the 1980s anymore. Also, on a 10' interface it is far easier to use a GUI than a cmd prompt. But like you said, it should be simple* enough to make...there really seems to be no reason to avoid making it. Butt making it will increase the user audience.


*by simple, I mean simple for people who know how to program...

LOL, don't know why I mentioned unraid...i'm a dork, not going to edit it out though, or others won't understand

Again, the lack of a GUI shouldn't scare anyone.
HOWEVER...if you're on an HTPC, then there is an argument for a GUI.

I do have a new recommendation for you though:
Liquesce
for storage pooling, drive pooling, data pooling, whatever you want to call it.
You need to install:
1)Dokan
2)Net 4.0
3) Liquesce
All are free, and this will give you storage pooling with NO PARITY.

This is where snapraid comes in.

I am going to run another snapraid test, and if it works out, I'm going to build a GUI for everyone.
NOTICE:
By GUI, I mean various batch files
Basically, I'lll make a tutorial that shows you how to configure the batch files very easily for your system. After that, you could be sitting on your couch, and use a remote control /even ghost or whatever kind of shortcut you want to click once on a batch to execute your parity backups.

With the next 7 days I should have a verdict and batches up if it goes all good.

Fingers crossed... thanks again Liquesce and Snapraid devs!

Why aren't some of the folks here using the 2.0 preview build instead of older versions? It works like a charm and is really simple to setup with the GUI rather than mucking around with cryptic parameters (I did have 1.4 setup on my computer previously).

I absolutely love 2.0, the GUI interface and the rock solid stability that FlexRAID has provided me. While I know that some people get turned off by relatively poor support from Brahim, if you just take the time to search the forums/google, you will find everything you need to know to get it up and running the way you want it.

Brahim isn't charging anyone anything to use the software and has been working hard on improving the software in the past few months. I've found FlexRAID to be an excellent, free, parity RAID solution for my HTPC needs. While I can see the lack of it being opensourced as a turn-off for some, I certainly don't agree with the sense of entitlement that some folks have with regards to software that is provided freely for their use.

Try it, and use it if you like...if not, try something else. To be honest, there isn't any other free solution that I've found that works as well and seamlessly as the new FlexRAID version (2.0 build 9). I also love being able to have just my HTPC running 24x7 (28W draw at idle) which also serves as my personal FTP server and NAS. Sure beats having a whole other box running running a different OS just to function as a NAS.

Btw, here is a screen of the GUI with the new build:


Helpful links:

Forum Thread for downloading latest build of FlexRAID (You need to register at the forums)
http://www.openegg.org/forums/posts/list/635.page

Wiki for FlexRAID with a number of useful posts and tutorials
http://wiki.flexraid.com/

In that case I don't think you have much to fear. I just noticed that Brahim recently announced support for his scripting interface that is included with the latest build of FlexRAID.

Details here:
http://www.openegg.org/forums/posts/list/743.page
also here:
http://wiki.flexraid.com/2011/06/02/...sion-language/

In my case, because it can't be set up with "empty" DRU paths like you might have in a WHS v1 setup. Brahim says he's going to remedy that by implementing some way of allowing empty paths, but I fear it will still be much more tedius and error prone to set up and expand than a simple copy/paste in a config file.

Yes, I'm very much aware (I'm dscline in that thread) . But as you can see by his response to my question, the scripting support doesn't address the issue. He still needs to implement something else for that.

Lol, dscline! Looks like I'm preaching to the choir . Yup, I do see how it won't fit what you want to do. Out of curiosity, what setup do you have that makes you want to specifically use the script file pathway to set-up your Snapshot RAID? I can see that being useful for WHS users (due to how WHS messes up the local directory structure), but outside of WHS, I'm not so sure why scripting the setup would be that vital?

Would you care to explain some of the many things you know that he does not?

Why don't you open the source code and maintain the project in a publicly accessible Subversion or GIT server and allow others to view the code, and possibly contribute?

Numerous open-source projects have shown that having many people looking at the code is a good way to efficiently identify and correct bugs. I certainly prefer that method to finding bugs rather than almost forcing people to use the latest version whether they want to or not, just so they can be beta testers.

It's just that. I have nothing against a GUI. In fact, I'd prefer it IF it offered all the functionality, ease, and and features of the command-line client. But in this case, it doesn't, at least not yet. But somehow I expect once it's enabled, it will still be more tedious than doing it in the command-line client. I have 7 shares that I protect with FlexRAID (Music, Movies, etc.). WHS automagically creates (and sometimes deletes) those paths on each drive in the pool, as needed, depending on available space and changing storage needs. It's simple for the user, but in the background, that means FlexRAID needs to be looking at 7 x (number of drives in the pool) for DRU paths. In my case, I'm up to 20 drives, so that's 140 paths. But the client has a limitation in that you can only configure paths that currently exist. So if there doesn't happen to be any "music" data on drive "x" at the time when you configure the array, the GUI can't be set up to protect that particular path. So when WHS decides (magically, unbeknownst to the user) that it needs to store some music in that location, that data won't be protected by FlexRAID.

Conversely, in the text based config, I can specify all 140 paths, even if they don't yet exist. It's pretty simple and painless, because I just configure the first set of (7) paths for one drive, then copy/paste and just edit the drive letter each time. With the GUI, I have to browse to each folder, then drag-drop. Which personally, I think is more error prone than copy/paste. I might miss one, or accidentally grab the wrong folder, etc. In fact, for me, it's even simpler than copy/paste, because I made a tool to create my config file automatically. I just enter the list of 7 shares, and each of my 20 drive letters, and it recursively generates a string of 140 paths in FlexRAID config format. So I'm really dreading having to do things manually. But I guess I'll deal with it.

Yeah, that's what I'm essentially doing in an access database. I just have a list of drive letters, and a list of share names, and I have it spit out all that merged together into a FlexRAID formatted config.txt file. At one point I mentioned it on the forum in case anyone was interested, but it didn't seem anyone was. So I never really polished it up beyond what I needed. And it doesn't deal with spanned DRUs (as I wasn't even aware of them when I originally wrote it), but now that I actually use a spanned DRU, I just edit that one manually.


I understand. We've discussed this already, and I know you're working on a solution. I know you can't taylor it to everone's individual needs. But despite my understanding, I may still complain just a bit, just to keep the thought processes going.