Originally Posted By: thseng
Can I take a HD and plug it into andy computer or external hard drive enclosure and read it?
Yes. And you should buy that HD enclosure now and test it as a proof of concept. After the test, keep the enclosure in a closet somewhere ready to be deployed.
Or do I need another RAID controller?
Not for RAID 1
Or do I need the SAME RAID controller?
No, only if you are using a RAID level other than 1
In other words, if I don't absolutely need uninterrupted service, should I set it up as RAID 1 or just two normal seperate volumes?
RAID 1 is great. It is mirroring without having to remember to manually backup your data.

One last note of advice. There are several scenarios where the drives AND the controller can be destroyed. If you have critical data, you need to have another copy of that data offsite on a different medium. This will cover you if you have a fire, theft, electrical surge, or other event that completely wipes out all the data in your house.