RAID10 Frequently Asked Questions

RAID 10 vs. RAID 0

If a RAID10 was created from a RAID0, how to make sure that it works properly?

The most simple test is to shut down the PC, disconnect one of the RAID 10 disks, and start the PC. The array should still be accessible normally. If the test fails, shut down and reconnect the disk back. As always, make sure you have current backup before testing.

What is the difference between RAID10 and RAID0?

• The number of member disks in a RAID10 should be even and not less than four, while for RAID0 two member disks are enough and there is no requirement to have an even number of disks.
• RAID10 is a redundant array, while RAID0 is not.
• Write speed in a RAID10 with N member disks is two times smaller than for RAID0 with the same number of disks.
• Array capacity - given that member disks in both arrays have the same size, RAID10 capacity is two times smaller than RAID0 capacity. Thus, RAID10 overhead is exactly the half of the total capacity of the array member disks.
• It is pretty easy to create a RAID0 either using software (Windows home edition) or hardware. RAID10 can be created only using Linux or hardware controllers.

Which is easier to create: RAID10 from RAID0 or from RAID1?

The easiest way to create RAID10 is to take RAID0 and as many blank disks as there are in RAID0. Then just mirror RAID0 data on these disks. To create RAID10 from RAID1, first you need to stripe RAID1 data (transform RAID 1 to RAID0) and then copy data as described above.

What is better: RAID10 with 2N member disks or RAID0 with N disks along with an external drive which is used as backup?

Conclusions: as can be seen from the table, both options have advantages and disadvantages, so you should choose based on your particular needs and requirements. If you need more reliability, then stick to a RAID0+backup. If you are ready to sacrifice some reliability for higher performance, then choose a RAID10.