Understanding RAID

When it comes to your photos, videos, and other valuable files, don’t scrimp on data security and management. Whether it is past archives, present projects, or future jobs, RAID storage solutions are a key component to optimizing and protecting your digital work.

So, what exactly is RAID?

RAID stands for “Redundant Array of Independent Disks” — meaning you are putting multiple disks together for two main reasons: keeping your data safe, or accessing your data fast. RAID distributes data across disks in different ways, depending on the level you choose: RAID 0, 1, 4, 5, or 1+0.

The double-tired truck principle

Think of a semi truck. Each axle has two tires on each side — so if one tire goes flat, the truck can still drive safely to the next repair station. RAID applies this same principle to your data by spreading your files across two or more disk drives. Not only does this speed up data access, but if one disk fails, your data remains safe on the remaining disk(s) — as long as you are using RAID 1 or higher.

Note: RAID 0 provides speed but no redundancy — if one disk fails, all data is lost. Think of it as a single-tired axle.