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RAID combines disks for speed or recovery, but does not replace backups

#raid #datastorage #backup

RAID combines multiple drives into one unit, with different layouts making different trade-offs.

RAID 0 prioritizes speed but offers no protection if a drive fails; RAID 1 mirrors data while using half the total capacity.

RAID 5 needs at least three drives and can recover data after one fails.

This overview also covers RAID 10 and why RAID is not a substitute for a complete backup.

Different operating modes

  • RAID 0: It combines the disks for faster speed, but it doesn't protect the data. If one disk fails, everything could be lost.
  • RAID 1: It stores the same data on all disks. If one fails, the data can be recovered from the others. This layout uses 50% of the total space.
  • RAID 5: It needs at least three disks and can recover data if one fails.
  • RAID 10: It combines features of RAID 0 and RAID 1.

How can it be set up?

RAID can be configured through software in the operating system, such as Windows or macOS. Alternatively, a dedicated disk controller or external RAID enclosure can be used.

Whichever configuration you choose, you need separate backups. RAID is not a complete protection against data loss.

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