RAID 5 Parity Calculator

RAID 5 Parity Formula:

\[ Parity = D_1 \oplus D_2 \oplus D_3 \oplus \ldots \oplus D_n \]

Data Block 1 (D₁):

Data Block 2 (D₂):

Data Block 3 (D₃):

Data Block 4 (D₄):

Calculated Parity:

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1. What is RAID 5 Parity?

Definition: RAID 5 uses block-level striping with distributed parity, where parity information is distributed across all disks.

Purpose: The parity information allows the array to continue operating even if one disk fails, providing fault tolerance.

2. How Does RAID 5 Parity Work?

The parity is calculated using the XOR (exclusive OR) operation:

\[ Parity = D_1 \oplus D_2 \oplus D_3 \oplus \ldots \oplus D_n \]

Where:

\( Parity \) — The calculated parity block
\( D_1, D_2, \ldots, D_n \) — Data blocks from different disks
\( \oplus \) — XOR (exclusive OR) operation

Explanation: XOR operations allow the array to reconstruct any missing data block using the remaining data blocks and parity.

3. Importance of RAID 5 Parity

Details: RAID 5 provides a balance between performance, storage efficiency, and fault tolerance. It requires at least 3 disks.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter the values of your data blocks (as binary or decimal numbers). The calculator will compute the parity using XOR.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: Why use XOR for parity calculation?
A: XOR operations are reversible and allow easy reconstruction of missing data when combined with the remaining data.

Q2: How many disks can fail in RAID 5?
A: RAID 5 can tolerate the failure of 1 disk. If more disks fail, data will be lost.

Q3: What's the storage efficiency of RAID 5?
A: Storage efficiency is (n-1)/n where n is the number of disks (e.g., 3 disks = 66.7% efficiency).

Q4: Can I use this for binary data?
A: Yes, the calculator works with both binary and decimal representations of data blocks.

Q5: What happens during disk rebuild?
A: The missing data is reconstructed using the XOR operation on the remaining data and parity blocks.