A redundant array of independent disks (RAID) is a way of storing your digital data in different places on multiple hard disks. This is done to protect you from losing data in case of a drive failure. There are different RAID levels, but not all of them provide redundancy.
There are two different systems to implement RAID:
- Hardware RAID is directly managed by a hardware controller to which the disks are connected.
- Software RAID is more common these days. It is integrated into OS and doesn’t require any extra hardware. It is more cost-effective than hardware RAID, though it’s less reliable than hardware RAID because it uses the host system’s power.
With that said, let’s consider several RAID levels and their pros and cons.
RAID 0 (disk stripping)
This form of RAID requires at least two disks. It functions by splitting data across the disks. The data is read by an individual file afterward. This form of RAID perfectly fits live streams, IPTV, and VOD Edge Servers.
- Pros: it is incredibly quick and offers the best performance capabilities.
- Cons: it offers no security or protection for your data as it does not duplicate it. If your system fails, then you lose your data.
RAID 1 (disk mirroring)
RAID 1 offers a higher level of data protection than RAID 0. It’s name disk mirroring because it reads and writes data from identical drives. The main function is to protect the data it holds. Even if one of the disks within the system fails, the data will still be accessible to you. RAID 1 is best suited for businesses and companies that need their data to be protected. For example, it’s perfectly suited for photographers and other creative professionals.
- Pros: Your data is protected and mirrored so that if something goes wrong, you will still have access to it.
- Cons: it is slower and does cost more as double the amount of drives is required.
RAID data recovery
Whenever you find out that your data is lost or inaccessible, you need to find a quick solution to recover data from RAID drives. In such cases, it’s always a wise choice to rely on expert help. RAID data recovery specialists can help you recover data no matter how and what kind of loss occurred. Whether you lost your data due to accidental deletion, hardware crash, corrupted data, or fire and water damage, RAID data recovery professionals can get your data back. Only a data recovery services professional can restore your data after a hardware failure. In cases when you feel like everything is lost and nobody can help, never miss the chance to rely on the experts who can provide you with real help.