1. What is a RAID 10 Calculator?

Definition: This calculator estimates the usable storage capacity for a RAID 10 array based on the number and size of drives.

Purpose: It helps IT professionals and system administrators plan storage arrays by determining the effective capacity of RAID 10 configurations.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the formula:

Where:

• \( \text{Capacity} \) — Usable storage capacity (TB)
• \( N \) — Number of drives in the array (must be even)
• \( \text{DriveSize} \) — Size of individual drives (TB)

Explanation: RAID 10 combines mirroring and striping, providing redundancy while using half the total raw capacity for data storage.

3. Importance of RAID 10 Capacity Calculation

Details: Proper capacity planning ensures adequate storage space while maintaining redundancy and performance benefits of RAID 10.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter the number of drives (must be even number ≥ 2) and individual drive size in TB. All values must be > 0.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: Why divide by 2 in the formula?
A: RAID 10 mirrors all data, so half the total raw capacity is used for redundancy.

Q2: What's the minimum number of drives for RAID 10?
A: RAID 10 requires a minimum of 2 drives, though 4 is more common for better performance.

Q3: Can I use drives of different sizes?
A: Technically yes, but the calculator assumes identical drives. With mixed sizes, capacity is limited by the smallest drive.

Q4: How does RAID 10 compare to other RAID levels?
A: RAID 10 offers excellent performance and fault tolerance but uses 50% of raw capacity, unlike RAID 5/6 which use parity.

Q5: What about overhead from filesystems?
A: The calculator shows raw capacity. Actual usable space will be slightly less due to filesystem overhead.