1. What is a RAID 50 Calculator?

Definition: This calculator estimates the usable storage capacity for a RAID 50 array configuration.

Purpose: It helps IT professionals and system administrators plan storage arrays by determining available capacity in RAID 50 setups.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the formula:

Where:

• \( Capacity \) — Usable storage capacity (TB)
• \( M \) — Number of spans (RAID 5 groups)
• \( K \) — Number of drives per span
• \( DriveSize \) — Capacity of individual drives (TB)

Explanation: RAID 50 combines multiple RAID 5 groups in a RAID 0 configuration. Each RAID 5 span loses one drive's worth of capacity for parity.

3. Importance of RAID 50 Capacity Calculation

Details: Proper capacity planning ensures you allocate sufficient storage for your needs while maintaining the performance and redundancy benefits of RAID 50.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter the number of spans (minimum 2), drives per span (minimum 3), and individual drive capacity in TB. All values must meet minimum requirements.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What is RAID 50?
A: RAID 50 combines multiple RAID 5 sets in a RAID 0 configuration, offering both striping and distributed parity.

Q2: Why does each span lose one drive's capacity?
A: Each RAID 5 span uses one drive's worth of space for parity information to provide fault tolerance.

Q3: What are typical use cases for RAID 50?
A: RAID 50 is ideal for medium to large storage systems requiring both high performance and fault tolerance.

Q4: How does RAID 50 compare to RAID 10?
A: RAID 50 generally offers better capacity efficiency for large arrays, while RAID 10 offers faster rebuild times.

Q5: What's the minimum number of drives for RAID 50?
A: Minimum 6 drives (2 spans of 3 drives each) are required for RAID 50.