[ale] USB External hard drives

[David Corbin]

I've got a home file server that I run software raid on, because I'm lousy 
about making backups. It's an older system with IDE drives.

I've had a recent failure, and  looking for a replacement. Some of the 
USB-based external drives seem to be available at good prices.  I also wonder 
if  they might do better in terms of survivabilty (instead  of being inside 
a "hot PC").   

Are the USB (2.0) external drives "fast enough", or will the USB a tremendous 
I/O limitation?
-- 
David Corbin