Our IT guy is a knob.

I'm the Database Manager. Wednesday last week, my database went down (it is (or was) a 4D Server running on a oldish Mac XServe).

Very simply, "something" happened, the RAID card was beeping, he couldn't get it booting, couldn't get anything off the drives, couldn't get anything off the backups and everything was lost (this process took about a day and a half).

I look for a data recovery firm, and the recovered contents are winging their merry way back to me as I type.

It seems the following happened.

One of the drives in the RAID 5 array had failed probably months ago and he did nothing.
He also decided to get rid of our multi-tape backup solution and go cloud, except he didn't add the 4D Server contents. He assumedly thought the "just in case" external USB/Firewire drive backup of just the data files was sufficient.
At some point he didn't have enough sockets on the UPS units in the server room and unplugged my server and the USB drive from it and plugged them straight into the mains (you can see where this is going).

He thinks a power surge or something happened, and strangely it killed the RAID card, buggered the remaining hard drives and also the external USB which unbeknownst to me was the only bloody backup.

Do I get to kick him in the balls?

Yes.

Thanks. I will.

Yes. Seconded.

Instant dismissal in our place, providing that hinderance of the data was the result of significant financial loss.

Yeah that's just plain negligence. Kick him two times. Once in each nad.  

Shit, looks like I need to update my signature to include ears as well!

I think I'll show him this. I don't think he quite realises what all the fuss is about since he doesn't use the system day in day out like nearly everyone else.

I think he will when the board haul him in for a kicking in the next few days.

Data came back this morning and I'm currently running a bunch of tools (repair, re-index, compact and all the usual stuff) but it all looks good so far.

Thank fuck.

If we were running Windows 8 we'd no doubt be screwed in the panties and the ear.

I'm sure you have your reasons (old server being one) but RAID5 is generally considered bad practice now. 

My SQL & Exchange servers are the two that I make absolutely sure are being backed up without issue.  Our SQL server has every bit of inventory and financials on it, we'd be straight up fucked if it died, and I'd imagine most other companies are that way.

Really? Wonder if my IT guy knows that. He may but probably doesn't give a shit given he ignored a dead drive in the array.

Why is it bad practice and what's replaced it as good practice?

Financials are elsewhere, but he probably doesn't back that up either.

There's a shitload of stuff on why it's bad practice.

I'm still confused as to what's good practice though.

RAID1 or 10 and reliable backups at the right frequency, depending on how often the data changes. Real time data synch as well if it's that important.

It's bad practice primarily because RAID5 can only sustain one disk failure. The problem with this is that when replacing the disk, you're putting a huge amount of strain on the others - meaning that the chances of another failure (And therefore losing the whole array) during the rebuild is surprisingly high.

This is compounded even more by the fact that people tend to buy all their disks from the same supplier at the same time - meaning they all come from the same batch so will probably fail at around the same time anyway.

Depending on use, RAID1, RAID6 or RAID10 are considered good day to day setups now.

What do you recommend to prevent that?

Simply buying the same size drives from different manufacturers? Or the same drives from different resellers to try and avoid the same batch?

Either one of those is the theory, but in truth, few people do. It's even harder when you consider that, really, to get the best support and reliability you should be buying disks from your server / SAN manufacturer. So, for example, we put in a HP SAN last week with about 70 disks - we pretty much have to buy them from HP, so you're kind of stuck there. 

It's just one of those things to be aware of, and a good reason to avoid RAID5 at nearly all costs.

OK, that makes sense, thanks.

Ahh, yes, I seem to recall that that's where I was heading...except that no one who pontificates over these things on t'webz actually makes a hard-and-fast recommendation that those of us with goldfish-like attention spans can follow.

Until now...until /YOU/!