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If a server is configured to check the RAID weekly using /usr/sbin/raid-check and the output of smartctl -a is being monitored, is it worthwhile to also have regular SMART short and long self tests be configured to run, or would that be overkill?

In case it matters, this is for Intel DC S3500 SSD drives in a RAID configuration that can tolerate 2 drive failures.

sa289
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If you don't have a hardware RAID controller and are using software RAID, sure...

It makes sense to check the S.M.A.R.T. status and monitor the RAID status of your array in that situation.

ewwhite
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  • Yeah, but since we're already monitoring SMART status and RAID status should we be scheduling regular SMART short and long self tests too or would that be unnecessary. Thx – sa289 Aug 23 '15 at 22:13
  • I don't know. Do what you're comfortable with... but the scheduled tests seem excessive. – ewwhite Aug 23 '15 at 22:41
  • That's what I had wondered too, but I also wonder if perhaps they do some stuff that helps proactively catch drive issues and could be beneficial. Maybe someone else will post some experience where they've found it to be worthwhile but until then I'm with you on them being excessive (though perhaps not if it was just a single drive). – sa289 Aug 23 '15 at 23:12
  • I don't care why a drive fails, other than the fact that it's failed. [Treat this just like a regular disk](http://serverfault.com/questions/712922/ssds-in-servers-best-practice-redundancy/712957#712957). – ewwhite Aug 23 '15 at 23:14