What is volume optimization and how does it work?

When you select the optimization setting for a volume in SoftRAID, you are telling the SoftRAID driver what you will be primarily using that volume for. This allows the driver to fine-tune its behavior – such as the volume rebuild rate (Server is fastest, Workstation 50%, and Digital Audio/Video and Photoshop settings pause rebuilds whenever there is user activity) – so that rebuilds and background activity do not interfere with your work.

Choosing the right optimization setting

For most users, Workstation is the best choice. It rebuilds fast enough to complete in a reasonable time while not interfering with normal use.

If you are actively editing audio or video, select the appropriate optimization for your workflow (Digital Video, Photography, or Digital Audio). These settings pause rebuilding whenever user activity is detected, resuming only when the system is idle – ensuring that a background rebuild does not cause dropped frames or audio interruptions.

Note: Volume Optimization can be changed at any time, including while a rebuild is already in progress. Its primary purpose after a volume is set up is to control rebuild rates on RAID volumes.

For more information on the different optimization types, see the Volume Optimization help topic in the SoftRAID application: Help menu -> Maintaining Disks and Volumes -> Maintaining Volumes -> Volume Optimization.

Note for Windows users: Changing volume optimization is not currently available on Windows. This is a known issue and is expected to be addressed in a future update.