[Xen-users] optimizing raid passthrough performance?

[PGNet <pgnet.trash+xen@xxxxxxxxx>]

i've external storage (2 x 1TB drives) attached via a Multilane SATA +
RAID card (driver:sata_sil24).

my goal is a file server in DomU, serving files from a RAID array of
the two drives.

my Dom0, fwiw, is OpenSuse 11.1.

3 types of file service will be provided:

 - large, media files will be served to the LAN
 - active data files will be served to other DomUs over a private bridge
 - a backup server will write Dom0, DomU & LAN backups (files &
snapshots) to the file server

iiuc, i've four choices:

(1) passthru the SATA card to the Domu
    use H/W RAID in the DomU to create/manage the array

(2) passthru the SATA card to the Domu
    use S/W RAID in the DomU to create/manage the array

(3) use H/W RAID in the DomU to create/manage the array
    assign storage to the DomU's @ create

(4) use S/W RAID in the DomU to create/manage the array
    assign storage to the DomU's @ create

I'm _leaning' to (2), because

 (a) the DomU can be Solaris/ZFS
 (b) S/W raid frees me from dependence on proprietary hardware RAID
implementations

but, I've yet to weigh any Xen-related performance issues for my
particular case.

Which scenario is recommended to avoid (over)taxing traffic
to/from/thru the hypervisor etc etc?

Thanks.

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