I make regular backups to a software RAID1 disk array.  I'd like to  
periodically store some backups offsite.  Been thinking about buying 2  
extra drives, and adding 1 of them as a hot spare to the RAID1.  Then  
remove it from the array, store it elsewhere, and add the other disk  
in its place as the hot spare.  Every week or so, I'd plan to swap the  
offsite disk with the current hot spare.

It seems like this should work.  Anyone care to comment?  If I buy a  
hot-swap drive bay for the server, can I add/remove normal SATA drives  
without restarting the OS?

I was looking at something like this StarTech caddie, which protects  
the disk a bit more than other disk enclosures.
http://www.startech.com/item/DRW110SATBK-Black-Serial-ATA-Drive-Drawer-with-Shock-Absorbers-Value-Series.aspx

thanks,
alex