RAID Data Arrays Frequently Asked Questions
RAID Data Arrays Frequently Asked Questions
RAID data arrays are an integral part of data storage and protection strategies for small and large businesses and personal computer users with large amounts of data to store and access. Nearly all servers use some form of RAID technology to store and handle data.
The many variations of RAID arrays can be confusing, but the basics of the technology are fairly straightforward to learn and understand. Here are some of the most common questions on RAID data storage.
Q. What does RAID stand for?
A: RAID is an acronym for Redundant Array of Independent Disks. Originally the "I" stood for inexpensive, but that has changed over the years.
Q. What is RAID?
A: A RAID array is a group of disk drives that are connected to a computer system or server in such a way that all the drives operate as one single storage unit.
Q. What are the benefits of this technology?
A: There are two main goals of RAID technology, the first is data protection. In most RAID arrays, data is stored in more than one place so that if one of the drives in the array should fail, the data can be recovered from another drive on the system.
The second goal is to increase performance. Using multiple disk drives increases the storage capacity of the system and in most cases speeds up the process of reading and writing data onto the storage media.
Q. What are RAID levels?
A: RAID levels, such as RAID 1 or RAID 5 refer to the specific way that data is organized on the disk. The levels do not suggest increasing performance, that is, RAID 5 is not necessarily better than RAID 1, nor is RAID 10 better than RAID 5. Different levels of RAID may be more or less suitable for your situation depending on your goals and requirements.
Q. What are nested RAID levels?
A: Nested RAID levels are combinations of two different RAID configurations that give the advantages of both methods. For example, RAID 10 is a combination of the data storage methods used in RAID 1 and RAID 0. Essentially, its two separate RAID 1 configurations that work together using RAID 0 techniques.
Q. How many drives do I need to set up a RAID array?
A: The minimum number of hard drives used in a RAID array depends on the level you use and can vary between 2 and 6 drives. For some nested configurations you could have a virtually unlimited number of drives in the system.
Q. Are there any disadvantages to using RAID?
A: There are a couple of significant limitations, for example, all of your drives in a RAID array must have the same storage capacity. Also, if you want to change your RAID level, you must back up your data, disassemble the array and start over. Some newer technologies get around these problems, but have limitations of their own. In general RAID offers a very effective technique for improving storage capacity, performance and data protection.
Q. How exactly is data stored on the array?
A: Data is stored on the array using a variety of techniques such as mirroring, striping and storing parity data. Mirroring is the process of making an exact copy of a block of data and storing it on two separate hard drives. Striping is the process of distributing data between a series of drives and parity allows data sets to be reconstructed if one or more of the drives in the array should fail.
Q. What applications is RAID used for?
A: In most cases, RAID arrays are used for large file servers that need to be able to preserve data in the event of a hard drive failure. It is also used in desktop systems which require large amounts of data transfer such as CAD and multimedia applications.
Q. What is the most common RAID configuration?
A: RAID 5 is the most commonly used level. It uses striping for easier data access and parity for fault tolerance and data protection. In this technique, the parity data is stored among all of the disks in the system, providing a more balanced access load among the drives in the system. RAID 5 is an excellent choice for read-oriented applications such as internet, intranet, and email servers. It tends to be relatively slow for writing applications to the drive. RAID 5 also offers a good level of fault tolerance, so your data can often be recovered by a data recovery company from other drives in the array of one drive fails for any reason.
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