1. What is a RAID 5 Transfer Speed Calculator?

Definition: This calculator estimates the maximum transfer speed of a RAID 5 array based on the number of drives, individual drive speeds, and controller limitations.

Purpose: It helps IT professionals and system builders predict the performance of RAID 5 configurations.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the formula:

Where:

• TransferSpeed — Maximum array transfer speed (MB/s)
• N — Number of drives in the array
• SingleSpeed — Speed of an individual drive (MB/s)
• ControllerSpeed — Maximum speed supported by the RAID controller (MB/s)

Explanation: The potential speed from multiple drives is calculated, but limited by the controller's maximum throughput.

3. Importance of RAID 5 Speed Calculation

Details: Proper speed estimation helps in selecting appropriate hardware and setting performance expectations for storage systems.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter the number of drives (minimum 3), typical drive speed (default 150 MB/s for HDDs), and controller limit (default 600 MB/s). All values must be > 0.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: Why does RAID 5 need at least 3 drives?
A: RAID 5 requires a minimum of 3 drives to implement striping with distributed parity.

Q2: What's a typical single drive speed?
A: HDDs typically range 100-200 MB/s, while SSDs can reach 500+ MB/s per drive.

Q3: How do I find my controller speed?
A: Check your RAID controller specifications - common values are 600 MB/s for SATA II or 1200 MB/s for SATA III.

Q4: Does this account for parity overhead?
A: No, this calculates theoretical maximum speed. Real-world speeds will be lower due to parity calculations.

Q5: Can I use this for other RAID levels?
A: This formula is specific to RAID 5. Other RAID levels have different performance characteristics.