How do I set up a RAID array with an external hard drive?

Im trying to backup my hard drive onto a 250 GB external hard drive (connected by Firewire) via a RAID 1 configuration. What is the best way to do this?
MacBook   Mac OS X (10.4.6)   Intel-based, Windows XP Pro is installed via Boot Camp

There are times when a mirror is fine. SoftRAID in their example of uses, has a situation with someone who doesn't backup, has a laptop (where failures seem higher) and might also want to be able to take the external mirror and take it with them.
One backup is never enough. What if something goes wrong during the backup? power failure or crash? the backup is now corrupt.
Having a mirror and a 2nd copy would be fine. And you can do that. I find DVDs have been too small and slow in the past to use regularly, I use disks, and burn a DVD of important stuff on a 3 month or longer basis, and some stuff is even less.
so while there is always going to be "mirror raid is not a true backup mantra" it is still useful for what it does. Even if it is instant and copies the good and bad. Just don't rely on it as your ONLY backup, you should have another disk drive as well (and DVDs).
Also, FW400 is not a speed daemon - 35MB/sec or less is not uncommon.

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