Over the past 20 years, RAID has matured to become a standard, transparent feature in storage products inside enterprise-class as well as consumer-oriented storage devices. RAID spreads data across multiple hard disks to improve disk performance and increase fault tolerance.
This handbook consists of three tips on RAID technology. The first discusses the relevance of RAID technology today, the second defines and details the most common RAID levels currently in use, and the final piece offers advice on how to choose the appropriate RAID level for your needs.
RAID: It's alive
RAID is still relevant today, possibly even more than in the past. However, it has become a transparent, standard feature that isn't often discussed. This segment outlines the state of RAID today.
RAID levels defined
This segment offers a listing of the RAID levels in use today and details the characteristics and applications of each.
How to choose the right RAID level
This segment offers nine things to consider when deciding which RAID level is right for your organization's needs.
Related RAID information:
Storage basics: RAID striping in detail
External SATA RAID vs. system replacement
Is RAID passé?
RAID 5 configuration
RAID configuration with three hard drives
RAID technology adds reliability and overcomes concerns
About the author: Greg Schulz is founder and senior analyst with the IT infrastructure analyst and consulting firm StorageIO Group. Greg is also the author and illustrator of Resilient Storage Networks (Elsevier) and has contributed material to "Storage" magazine and other TechTarget venues.
