1. What is a RAID 6 Speed Calculator?

Definition: This calculator estimates the read and write speeds for a RAID 6 array based on the number of drives and single drive speed.

Purpose: It helps IT professionals and system administrators plan storage performance for RAID 6 configurations.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses these formulas:

Where:

• ReadSpeed — Maximum read speed of RAID array (MB/s)
• WriteSpeed — Maximum write speed of RAID array (MB/s)
• N — Number of drives in the array
• SingleSpeed — Speed of an individual drive (MB/s)

Explanation: RAID 6 can read from all drives simultaneously (N × speed) but must write to all drives with parity overhead (N-2 × speed).

3. Importance of RAID 6 Performance Calculation

Details: Understanding RAID 6 performance helps in capacity planning, meeting performance requirements, and comparing storage options.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter the number of drives (minimum 3) and the speed of a single drive in MB/s. All values must be positive numbers.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: Why does write speed decrease in RAID 6?
A: RAID 6 requires writing parity information to two drives, reducing available bandwidth for data writes.

Q2: What's the minimum number of drives for RAID 6?
A: RAID 6 requires a minimum of 3 drives, though 4+ is recommended for better performance.

Q3: Are these theoretical maximum speeds?
A: Yes, actual speeds may be lower due to controller limitations, system overhead, or other factors.

Q4: How does drive speed affect RAID 6 performance?
A: Faster individual drives directly improve both read and write performance proportionally.

Q5: Can I mix different speed drives in RAID 6?
A: Technically yes, but the array will perform at the speed of the slowest drive.