Mirror servers - please advise

I might need a mirror server for maximum uptime

[Namaste]

We found that even with the best RAID 5 servers, it is inevitable that once in a while the site goes down. And somehow that seems to come at the most ackward time!

We thought that a mirror server is the solution...with the same host. But our host says he will charge $400 extra per month just for mirroring! Is that normal?

Can someone please advise what I should do? My main server is a brand new server with Windows Server 2003; and the proposed mirror server is one of our old boxes withn Windows Server 2000.

[txbakers]

$400 is actually pretty good for mirroring.

Think about what that entails: redundant servers, redundant T-1 or better lines, constant pinging between the servers to see if the main one is up, and the pipe has to be connected to both at all times, with the required DNS servers knowing what is going on.

Mirroring is a big deal.

[plumsauce]

Just a little tip.

If not identical in hardware, at least keep the
OS at the same versions and patch levels.

Otherwise, someday you're going to have a big
surprise when the app fails on 2000 that was
working fine on 2003.

++++

[spud01]

Namaste,

You make it sound like RAID isn't doing its job. What actually happens? Do the drives fails and all content is offline?

I've come across the issue of drives failing me in RAID and replacing the faulty drive, but of course thats a straight RAID 1, pure straight mirrowing.

Have you considered a clustered solution at least this way all drives will be serving 2 or more servers in parallel when need if one server fails.

[Namaste]

sorry guys, to clarify, the host will charge $400 a month for clustering 2 servers.