David,

Running the database from a network/shared source is not an available
option (perhaps with FB2 superserver). Even if it where technically
feasible, I would not recommend it -- too much possibility for database
corruption due to loss of network connection. It's one thing for a
client to loose connection to the server, the server will rollback the
transaction/changes -- no harm, no foul. It is quite another for a
server to get 5 out of 10 disk updates! There is not such thing as a
transaction for network disk updates -- that's what database servers are
for.

Bottom line: DON'T DO IT!

Having thought through these issues for a major customer install, which
is about to start up, I would recommend:

Two identical server boxes with a system/boot drive connected to a data
RAID using either accessible drive bays or an external RAID sub-system.
In that way the server performance will be optimal while still providing
redundancy -- take drives out of one box insert/connect to other and go.


Sean