RAID in Computer Organization

and Architecture
• RAID stands for Redundant Array of Independent
Disks. It is a technology designed to improve data
reliability, availability, and performance by
combining multiple physical disk drives into a single
logical unit. RAID is used widely in data centers,
enterprise systems, and servers to ensure data
redundancy and to protect against disk failures. By
spreading data across multiple drives using methods
such as striping, mirroring, and parity, RAID systems
can recover lost data and continue operations even
when one or more drives fail. RAID is not a backup
solution but enhances storage reliability and speed.
 Importance of RAID

Raid is crucial in modern computing

environment where data integrity , system
uptime, and performance are vital. It
ensures that data is safe in case of hardware
failure and enhances system performance
through various configuration
 Objectives of RAID
• The key objectives of RAID include:
- Enhancing data read and write speeds through striping
techniques.
- Increasing data availability and system uptime with
redundancy.
- Protecting against data loss from hardware failure using
mirroring and parity.
- Improving scalability of storage solutions to meet growing
data needs.
- Balancing cost, performance, and fault tolerance according
to user requirements.
 History of RAID
• RAID was formally defined in 1987 by David
Patterson, Garth Gibson, and Randy Katz at the
University of California, Berkeley. They proposed a
set of RAID levels (RAID 0 through RAID 5) as a
solution to the high cost and limited performance of
large-capacity disk drives. Their research introduced
the concept of using multiple inexpensive disks to
achieve the performance of expensive, high-end
disks. Over time, additional RAID levels such as
RAID 6 and RAID 10 were developed, and RAID has
become a standard technology in the field of data
storage systems.
 Basic RAID Techniques
• RAID achieves its goals through three core
techniques:
1. Striping: Data is divided into blocks and distributed
across multiple disks, increasing read and write
performance.
2. Mirroring: Identical copies of data are stored on two
or more disks. If one disk fails, the data is still available
on the other.
3. Parity: Extra data is stored to enable recovery in case
of disk failure. Parity information helps reconstruct lost
data without full mirroring.
 RAID 0 – Striping
• RAID 0 uses striping without any redundancy. Data is
split and written across two or more disks
simultaneously, which results in improved
performance. However, RAID 0 offers no fault
tolerance. If any one disk in the array fails, all data is
lost. RAID 0 is ideal for non-critical applications like
gaming, multimedia editing, or temporary data
processing where speed is crucial and data loss is
acceptable.
 RAID 1 – Mirroring
• RAID 1 duplicates the same data on two or more
disks. If one disk fails, the other(s) continue to
operate normally, ensuring no data loss. RAID 1
provides excellent read performance since data can be
read from multiple disks. However, it has a high
storage overhead since each piece of data is stored
twice. RAID 1 is suited for systems requiring high
reliability and data integrity, such as financial systems
and healthcare databases.
 RAID 5 – Block-Level Striping
with Distributed Parity
• RAID 5 combines striping with distributed parity.
Data and parity information are spread across all
drives in the array, requiring at least three disks.
When a disk fails, the missing data can be rebuilt
using the parity data. RAID 5 offers a good balance
of performance, storage efficiency, and fault
tolerance. However, write operations are slower due
to parity calculation. It is widely used in file and
application servers.
 RAID 6 – Dual Parity
• RAID 6 extends RAID 5 by adding a second parity
block, allowing recovery from two simultaneous disk
failures. This enhances reliability, especially in large-
scale storage environments. RAID 6 requires a
minimum of four disks and has higher write overhead
due to additional parity computations. It is ideal for
mission-critical applications such as government
databases, military systems, and large data
warehouses.
 RAID 10 – Combination of RAID
1 and RAID 0
• RAID 10, also known as RAID 1+0, combines the
features of RAID 1 (mirroring) and RAID 0
(striping). It requires a minimum of four disks. Data
is first mirrored and then striped, providing high fault
tolerance and performance. RAID 10 offers fast data
access, quick recovery from failure, and is commonly
used in transactional databases, virtualization
environments, and high-performance computing.
 RAID 2, 3, and 4
• These RAID levels are less common:
- RAID 2: Uses Hamming code for error correction;
requires synchronized drives.
- RAID 3: Uses byte-level striping with a dedicated
parity disk. Offers good read performance but poor
concurrent access.
- RAID 4: Uses block-level striping with a dedicated
parity disk, improving read performance over RAID 3
but still suffers from a bottleneck on parity write
operations. These levels are mostly of historical interest
or used in niche applications.
 Nested RAID Levels

Nested or hybrid RAID levels combine two

or more standard RAID configurations.
Examples include RAID 01 (0+1), RAID
50, and RAID 60. These offer improved
performance and fault tolerance but are
more complex and costly.
 Software vs. Hardware RAID
• Software RAID:
- Implemented via OS
- Cost-effective
- Uses CPU resources

• Hardware RAID:
- Dedicated controller
- Better performance and reliability
- Higher cost and complexity
 RAID Performance Comparison
• RAID performance varies by level:
- RAID 0: Best read/write speed
- RAID 1: Slower writes, fast reads
- RAID 5: Balanced read/write with parity
- RAID 6: Slower writes, robust recovery
- RAID 10: Excellent speed and fault tolerance
 RAID Advantages and
Disadvantages
• Advantages:
- Increased speed
- Improved fault tolerance
- Scalable architecture

• Disadvantages:
- Cost (especially RAID 10)
- Complexity
- Not a substitute for backups
 RAID in Modern Applications
• Modern uses include:
- Enterprise servers
- Network Attached Storage (NAS)
- Cloud environments
- Personal and business data centers
• RAID is integral to maintaining data integrity and
uptime in critical environments.
 Conclusion
• RAID provides an essential mechanism for enhancing
storage performance and reliability. Choosing the
right RAID level depends on application needs,
budget, and desired fault tolerance. It is a cornerstone
of modern storage architecture.
 Questions

1. What is RAID and what are its primary objectives

in data storage systems?
2. Why is RAID not considered a substitute for data
backup ?
3. How do the three core techniques of RAID
striping, mirroring and parity contribute to its
functionality ?