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RAID5

TL/DR: RAID 5 is a data storage solution using striping with parity to balance performance, capacity, and data protection, ensuring reliability in case of single-drive failure.

Definition:
RAID 5 (Redundant Array of Independent Disks 5) is a data storage technology that uses striping with parity to distribute data across multiple drives. It provides a balance between performance, storage capacity, and data protection, making it a popular choice for reliable storage systems.

How It Works:
RAID 5 requires at least three drives. Data is divided into blocks and written across the drives (striping), with one drive storing parity information. The parity allows the system to rebuild data if a single drive fails. This ensures redundancy while maintaining efficient use of storage capacity.

Applications:

  • Servers: Storing critical business data with fault tolerance.
  • Data Centers: Managing large volumes of information with redundancy.
  • Video Surveillance: Storing high-resolution video footage securely.
  • NAS Devices: Providing reliable storage solutions for small businesses and home offices.
  • Content Creation: Handling large media files with speed and reliability.

Key Benefits:

  • Provides redundancy to protect against single-drive failure.
  • Balances performance and storage efficiency.
  • Offers scalability by adding more drives to the array.
  • Maintains high read performance for data-intensive tasks.

Challenges:

  • Slower write speeds due to parity calculations.
  • Data recovery can be time-consuming after a drive failure.
  • Vulnerable to data loss if multiple drives fail simultaneously.

Related Terms:

  • RAID Levels (e.g., RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 6)
  • Striping
  • Parity
  • Fault Tolerance