dwg files missing from a server

[ventura.associates]

Hi,

I have a dilemma. We have a file server that keeps all the drawings, xrefs, etc... Every so often the files(dwg, xrefs, etc..) disappear from the server.
Environment setup:
-1 NAS server (DELL Powervault) 100gb - Raid 5 configuration for data.
-25 workstations running XP.
-Applications: Softdesk 8 with Autocad R14, LDD 2003, LDD 2005

What I want to know is why are these files disappearing and we can prevent this from happening. I can understand losing drawings 2 to 3 times a months. But we lose 4-5 drawings a day.
The engineer I support says that because our server is on a Raid 5 configuration that would be the reason why the files are missing more often. He says that in his environment a Mirror Raid was more stable. Personally, I think he is wrong.
Could someone help me out with this. I really want to get to the root cause of the problem.
thanks in advance.

[stilesj]

I don't think it has anything to do with the RAID 5 configuration. I would think that if RAID 5 had a problem with deleting files at such a rate, it would be a much more well-known issue. We have a RAID 5 and I am not aware of drawings disappearing, other than by people accidentally deleting, moving, or renaming them. So far, we have been fairly successful getting any missing files back via Volume Shadow Copy or our nightly backup.

I wish I could help you further; I'll be very interested to learn if you find what's causing this issue, especially since we may be considering adding a PowerVault sometime here to our existing file server.

p.s. have you run diagnostics on your hard drive(s) to make sure there's no corruption in there. Also, as I said, my most common reason for this has been human error...have you done a thorough search for missing files in other folders (moved accidentally when someone's trying to open another file)?

[thomas.stright]

I can understand losing drawings 2 to 3 times a months. But we lose 4-5 drawings a day.

I would not be understanding at all if I was losing 1-2 drawings a month

There is no excuse IMHO for a network to lose files.... Human error, Maybe....

I would suggest that your IT guy review how things are set up and maybe review network logs if he has those enabled.

[pchampion77894]

I agree that even 1 or 2 missing files per month is not acceptable. We have never lost a file that I know of.

It sounds to me that the problem here is more likely user error than computer/network error.