RAID Calculator

How to Use the RAID Calculator

What Each RAID Value in the Calculator Means

When you use the RAID configuration calculator, you’ll see several key values in the results. Here’s what they mean:

• Total Usable Storage: This value shows the actual storage capacity available for use after accounting for redundancy. Different RAID levels have different amounts of usable storage due to the way data is distributed and protected.
• Storage for Protection: This indicates how many drives can fail without losing data. Higher redundancy levels provide better data protection but reduce usable storage capacity.
• Fault Tolerance Description: This value shows the number of drives that can fail without causing data loss. Higher fault tolerance means better data protection.
• Best For: This suggests the most suitable use cases for the RAID configuration, such as improving performance, ensuring data protection, or balancing both.

Learn More About RAID

Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) is a technology that combines multiple hard drives into a single unit to improve performance, increase storage capacity, and provide data redundancy.

By distributing data across several drives, RAID can protect against data loss in the event of a drive failure and enhance system performance through parallel data access.

To learn more about RAID and how it works, check out our detailed definition page: What is RAID?. This resource explains the different RAID levels, their benefits, how to choose the right configuration for your needs, and gives you the knowledge needed to comfortably use our RAID calc.