This tool helps you calculate the storage capacity and redundancy of your QNAP RAID configurations effortlessly.
How to Use the QNAP RAID Calculator
To use the QNAP RAID Calculator, follow these steps:
- Enter the number of drives you have in the “Number of Drives” field.
- Enter the size of each drive in terabytes (TB) in the “Drive Size” field. You can use decimal values (e.g., 1.5).
- Select the RAID type you want to use from the “RAID Type” dropdown menu.
- Click the “Calculate” button to see the total usable storage capacity.
How the Calculator Works
This calculator helps you determine the usable storage capacity for various RAID configurations:
- RAID 0: All storage is available; no redundancy. Capacity = Number of Drives * Drive Size
- RAID 1: Mirroring; half of the total storage is available. Capacity = Drive Size (minimum two drives)
- RAID 5: Distributed parity; capacity is reduced by one drive. Capacity = (Number of Drives – 1) * Drive Size (minimum three drives)
- RAID 6: Dual parity; capacity is reduced by two drives. Capacity = (Number of Drives – 2) * Drive Size (minimum four drives)
- RAID 10: Striping + mirroring; half of the total storage is available. Capacity = (Number of Drives / 2) * Drive Size (minimum four drives)
Limitations
Please note the following limitations of this calculator:
- The calculator assumes all drives are of the same size. Different drive sizes are not supported.
- The calculator only supports basic RAID levels (0, 1, 5, 6, 10).
Use Cases for This Calculator
Calculating RAID Level
Choose the number of drives you have and the desired level of redundancy to calculate the best RAID level for your needs. The calculator will recommend the optimal configuration based on your inputs.
Estimating Storage Capacity
Input the size of each drive and the total number of drives to estimate the total storage capacity after configuring the RAID array. The calculator accounts for RAID overhead to give you an accurate estimate.
Determining Fault Tolerance
Define the number of drives that can fail in the RAID array without losing data. The calculator will show you the level of fault tolerance based on the selected RAID configuration, helping you plan for contingencies.
Calculating Usable Storage Space
Enter the total storage capacity and the RAID level to determine the actual usable storage space available for data after RAID overhead. The calculator accounts for parity and mirroring requirements to provide an accurate result.
Estimating Read Performance
Specify the number of drives and the RAID level to estimate the read performance of the RAID array. The calculator factors in read operations across multiple drives to give you an idea of the expected performance.
Estimating Write Performance
Input the number of drives and the RAID level to estimate the expected write performance of the RAID array. The calculator considers the write operations across the drives to provide a performance estimate.
Comparing RAID Levels
Compare different RAID levels by entering the number of drives and desired level of redundancy for each configuration. The calculator will show you the storage capacity, fault tolerance, and performance differences between the RAID levels.
Understanding Parity Overhead
Learn about the impact of parity overhead on storage capacity by inputting the total drive capacity and RAID level. The calculator will display the amount of space reserved for parity information in the RAID array.
Calculating Rebuild Time
Specify the number of drives and the RAID level to estimate the time required to rebuild the array in case of a drive failure. The calculator considers drive capacity and read/write speeds to provide an estimate of the rebuild time.
Simulating Drive Failure
Simulate the failure of one or more drives in the RAID array to see the impact on storage capacity, fault tolerance, and performance. The calculator will show you the resilience of your RAID configuration in the face of drive failures.