RAID Calculator - Storage Capacity & Performance Tool
About This Calculator
This RAID calculator helps you plan storage arrays by comparing different RAID levels based on your disk configuration. Simply enter your disk specifications to see available options with their capacity, performance, and reliability characteristics.
The calculator supports both traditional RAID levels (0, 1, 5, 6, 10, 50, 60) and ZFS configurations (RAIDZ1, RAIDZ2, RAIDZ3). Use Basic Mode for quick calculations with uniform disks, or Advanced Mode for mixed configurations with cost analysis.
This calculator provides estimates only. Actual RAID performance depends on hardware specifications and configuration. Always verify with a qualified professional.
RAID Level Specifications
| RAID Level | Type | Min. Disks | Capacity | Redundancy | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
RAID 0 |
Striping | 2+ | 100% | None | Maximum speed and capacity. Data loss if any disk fails. |
|
RAID 1 |
Mirroring | 2+ | 1 disk | N-1 disks | Complete duplication. Can lose all but one disk. |
|
RAID 5 |
Distributed Parity | 3+ | N-1 | 1 disk | Balanced storage. Best for drives under 4TB. |
|
RAID 6 |
Double Parity | 4+ | N-2 | 2 disks | Enhanced protection for large drives over 4TB. |
|
RAID 10 |
Mirror + Stripe | 4+ even | 50% | N/2 disks | Excellent performance with redundancy. Ideal for databases. |
|
RAID 50 |
Striped RAID 5 | 6+ | Variable | 1 per group | Multiple RAID 5 groups. Better for large arrays. |
|
RAID 60 |
Striped RAID 6 | 8+ | Variable | 2 per group | Enterprise protection with performance. |
|
RAIDZ1 ZFS |
ZFS Single Parity | 3+ | N-1 | 1 disk | ZFS with self-healing and checksums. |
|
RAIDZ2 ZFS |
ZFS Double Parity | 4+ | N-2 | 2 disks | Enhanced ZFS protection with error correction. |
|
RAIDZ3 ZFS |
ZFS Triple Parity | 5+ | N-3 | 3 disks | Maximum ZFS protection for critical data. |
|
JBOD |
Just a Bunch Of Disks | 2+ | 100% | None | Simple concatenation. No performance gain. |
Min. Disks 2+
Capacity 100%
Type Striping
Redundancy None
Maximum speed and capacity. Data loss if any disk fails.
Min. Disks 2+
Capacity 1 disk
Type Mirroring
Redundancy N-1 disks
Complete duplication. Can lose all but one disk.
Min. Disks 3+
Capacity N-1
Type Distributed Parity
Redundancy 1 disk
Balanced storage. Best for drives under 4TB.
Min. Disks 4+
Capacity N-2
Type Double Parity
Redundancy 2 disks
Enhanced protection for large drives over 4TB.
Min. Disks 4+ even
Capacity 50%
Type Mirror + Stripe
Redundancy N/2 disks
Excellent performance with redundancy. Ideal for databases.
Min. Disks 6+
Capacity Variable
Type Striped RAID 5
Redundancy 1 per group
Multiple RAID 5 groups. Better for large arrays.
Min. Disks 8+
Capacity Variable
Type Striped RAID 6
Redundancy 2 per group
Enterprise protection with performance.
Min. Disks 3+
Capacity N-1
Type ZFS Single Parity
Redundancy 1 disk
ZFS with self-healing and checksums.
Min. Disks 4+
Capacity N-2
Type ZFS Double Parity
Redundancy 2 disks
Enhanced ZFS protection with error correction.
Min. Disks 5+
Capacity N-3
Type ZFS Triple Parity
Redundancy 3 disks
Maximum ZFS protection for critical data.
Min. Disks 2+
Capacity 100%
Type Concatenation
Redundancy None
Simple concatenation. No performance gain.