Common Server Configurations

Can someone point out send some links on common SUSE Linux server configurations - specifically I need help understanding how to configure the hard drives (4) for boot, swap, raid, LVM and all that. RAID5?

Just a standard time-tested strategy is all I need. Do you setup all four disks as raid first? Then install OS? Or do you partition first? How do I set up so I got three drives chuggin along and then if one of them goes I can swap in another drive? IS that the way most people do it?