What Is RAID Storage Techonology and Its Benefits – 2024 Guide
Technology is improving every single day, and we are sure you are aware of that. We are using it in our everyday life to make things more comfortable and save more time. Logically, when people work hard every day, they need everything that could expand the length of their free time.
However, we are not using technology only for some private reasons. More and more people started to understand that usage of different technology is mandatory for business success. It can save the money company spends, improve the productivity of all the workers, etc. Well, if you agree with that statement, we have one question for you. Have you ever heard about RAID storage technology?
Okay, when you read RAID, everything probably seems confusing to you. Because of that, we would like to make an in-depth analysis of this type of technology. You will manage to find out what is RAID storage technology and its benefits. The list of benefits will only serve as a confirmation that this type of technology truly deserves your attention. Let’s get started.
First of All – What Is RAID Storage Technology?
RAID is an acronym that stands for Redundant Array of Independent Disks. This type of technology allows you to store all the essential business information on multiple hard drives. One of the methods that this technology uses to complete the procedure is data striping. Data striping helps you break down all the large data like documents, videos, or basic files into different consecutive segments. All the segments that you divide are going to be stored in a proper order thanks to RAID tech.
It would probably be good to use an example to make things clear. Let’s say that you have a video file that you want to store on multiple hard drives. The video you are working with has 5 different consecutive segments, from A1 to A5. Well, if you use 3 hard drives, then each segment would be stored in this order – A1 for hard drive 1, A2 on hard drive 2, A3 on hard drive 3, A4 on hard driver 1, A5 on hard drive 2.
But, how exactly the entire process function? Well, let’s use once again the same example of video files. At some moment, you will rant to retrieve your video file, right? Well, when you want to start the process, the device you are using will give instructions to the first hard drive to load the first segment of the video. However, after it does that, the next hard drive will automatically start to load the A2 video segment. Because of that, you will manage to turn on all the hard drives at the same moment.
Let’s say that your video is 60 minutes long. As mentioned, the computer will load all the segments from A1 to A5 at the same time. Because of that, the computer will load 12-minutes segments at the same time which will boost the speed of the entire process.
RAID Technology Has Different Levels
Well, here comes one part that you need to understand. Every type of RAID technology comes with a different level. More precisely, there are six levels that use different methods to distribute data across all the hard drives you are using. Of course, neither of these levels is perfect for every type of distribution. You will need to find out the one that provides performances that meet your requirements and expectations. We recommend you read more about these levels and check out which one is the best for you.
Benefits of Raid StorageTechonology
We are sure everything around RAID storage technology is clear now. Yet, the question is – why would someone use it? Well, the benefits of this type of technology will probably give you a clear picture. You will see that things can be much easier if you start using it as soon as possible. So, let’s begin.
Improvement of Speed
This benefit especially counts when we talk about the RAID 0 level. As previously mentioned, each file that you use is going to be read from multiple disks. Because of that, the speed of the entire process is going to increase. This benefit can especially be important for people that work with live streams as well as other types of files where speed is essential.
It Is a Cost-Effective Solution
Well, this was actually the primary reason why RAID storage technology was invented 40 years ago. The inventors of this technology had the duty to cut all the costs of the storage prices. That was essential for large companies that had to access all the essential business data 24 hours a day.
However, even today, when the technology improved a lot, RAID storage technology is a cost-effective solution. People mostly use them for some specialized tasks that usually require certain monthly fees as well as privacy concerns. As previously mentioned, the entire process is quick and safe. Because of that, you can be sure it is a cost-effective solution that will allow you to save money for a longer period.
It is a Safe Option
Don’t you want to ensure the safety of all the business or private data you are working with? Well, the good news is that RAID storage technology comes with a high level of protection. At every moment, you will have control over your hardware. Despite that, we can also add this technology delivers peace of mind. You won’t have to be afraid that someone else is going to steal the data you are working with.
Final Thought
We have finally come to the end of this article. As you see, understanding RAID storage technology is not as difficult as you think. It definitely ensures that the distribution of data is a lot quicker. Despite that, you can be 100% sure your data is going to be safe at every moment and you will have complete control over your hardware. In the end, if you struggle to organize your budget, you need to use every possible opportunity that will allow you to save money. It seems that RAID is one of the options that you. The question is – Will you use it?
