Anyone who has ever looked into their computer backup strategy in any serious way will no doubt have heard of RAID. Essentially, RAID (an acronym originally meaning Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks) is a term used to describe an arrangement of hard drives in which numerous drives are configured to work as one. This can be done in several ways, resulting in a system which is more capable in one way or another. For example, RAID 0 (also known as striping) involves splitting information and writing on half on one drive, and half on another. This increases the performance of the drives, but increases the chance of losing data, as when one hard drive fails, the information on the other becomes useless.
For users interested in keeping reliable backups, there is RAID 1 (also known as mirroring). In this arrangement, the same information is written to two drives simultaneously, and the operating system recognises the two as a single drive. This option results in a much smaller chance of losing data, as one hard drive failing still leaves the user with the other, which contains exactly the same information. This can be an invaluable tool when it comes to backing up your computer because it is a zero-maintenance solution.
Since the information is written to both drives by the operating system, the user doesn't have to manage backup programs, or organise the backup themselves in any way. Once the drives are in RAID, everything is done automatically and it take the element of human error out of the process. All but the most obsessive computer users have at some point forgotten to back up information, or done it quite irregularly and therefore been unsure of the last time they have done so. Additionally, automatic backup programs leave a gap between the data being written and then copied, as they are often configured to run once per week, whereas RAID 1 does it instantly.
Occasionally, users may find that they either need or desire both redundancy (meaning multiple drives with the same information) and increased performance. For these people, the answer is one of two slightly more complex forms of RAID, RAID 0+1 or RAID 1 + 0. For these, a minimum of four drives would be needed, so they are likely only useful for enthusiasts, but they work in much the same way one would expect after learning about RAID 1 and 0; they create arrays of drives with both the increased speed of RAID 0 and the increased reliability of RAID 1.
Ultimately, for those people for whom keeping backups is an absolute necessity, RAID can be invaluable. It is especially good for shared computers, as no one user is responsible for keeping the backup up-to-date. For simple peace of mind, it can be useful to have RAID set up so the user can simply forget about backing up and just let it happen. With increased data reliability, less worry, and less time spent organising data safety, it's no wonder many professionals and enthusiasts choose to use RAID as part of their system setups.
For users interested in keeping reliable backups, there is RAID 1 (also known as mirroring). In this arrangement, the same information is written to two drives simultaneously, and the operating system recognises the two as a single drive. This option results in a much smaller chance of losing data, as one hard drive failing still leaves the user with the other, which contains exactly the same information. This can be an invaluable tool when it comes to backing up your computer because it is a zero-maintenance solution.
Since the information is written to both drives by the operating system, the user doesn't have to manage backup programs, or organise the backup themselves in any way. Once the drives are in RAID, everything is done automatically and it take the element of human error out of the process. All but the most obsessive computer users have at some point forgotten to back up information, or done it quite irregularly and therefore been unsure of the last time they have done so. Additionally, automatic backup programs leave a gap between the data being written and then copied, as they are often configured to run once per week, whereas RAID 1 does it instantly.
Occasionally, users may find that they either need or desire both redundancy (meaning multiple drives with the same information) and increased performance. For these people, the answer is one of two slightly more complex forms of RAID, RAID 0+1 or RAID 1 + 0. For these, a minimum of four drives would be needed, so they are likely only useful for enthusiasts, but they work in much the same way one would expect after learning about RAID 1 and 0; they create arrays of drives with both the increased speed of RAID 0 and the increased reliability of RAID 1.
Ultimately, for those people for whom keeping backups is an absolute necessity, RAID can be invaluable. It is especially good for shared computers, as no one user is responsible for keeping the backup up-to-date. For simple peace of mind, it can be useful to have RAID set up so the user can simply forget about backing up and just let it happen. With increased data reliability, less worry, and less time spent organising data safety, it's no wonder many professionals and enthusiasts choose to use RAID as part of their system setups.
Expert Steven Menjivar maintains several websites about online storage and online backups. By visiting his website backupreviewz.com you can learn about ibackup online backup review and best online backup services.
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