RAID 0 vs RAID 1: Speed vs Data Protection

Learn how to create RAID 0 or RAID 1 arrays with ease in this comprehensive guide. Whether you’re looking to enhance operating speed or ensure data protection, this tutorial covers everything you need to know. Dive deep into RAID 0 and RAID 1 array creation techniques and explore insider strategies to maximize performance and safeguard your data. Don’t let the complexity of RAID arrays deter you – empower yourself with the knowledge to create them effortlessly!

RAID 0 vs RAID 1: Speed vs Data Protection

In spite of this strange word, everything is simple: for example, RAID 1 is meant to protect your data on the dard disk from sudden loss due to a broken-down HDD. You may ask, how is data protected, if the disk itself is out of order? In fact, it is all very simple: two hard disks are installe in a computer, and during its work, one of the disks copies completely the contents of the other disk; if one of them breaks down, all the information is safe and intact on the other disk, because theer are very little chances of two hard disks to break down at the same time.

Besides RAID 1, there are also RAID 0, RAID 5, RAID 6, RAID 10, but for a home computer you can successfully use RAID 0. RAID 0 doesn’t protect your data but it doubles the operating speed of the disk! How is that? Just read this article to see.

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How To Create a RAID Array and What It Is For

We have long planned to write about creating a RAID array in a computer. Though it seems complicated, it is very simple in fact, and after reading it many users would love to apply this useful and safety-related technology.

It is no secret that our information on a computer is almost totall insecure and is kept on an ordinary hard disk which can break down at the most inappropriate moment. It is a long-recognized fact that the hard disk is the weakest and the least convenient element in a system unit because of having moving mechanical parts. The users, who have lost important data because of a broken-down hard disk at least once, started thinking about avoiding the same situation in the future. The first thing coming to mind is creating a RAID array.

All the point of having a redundant array of independent disks is in saving your files on a hard disk in case if this disk breaks down! «How can I do it,» you ask me; it is very simple, you just need two hard disks (they can even be of different volume).

In today’s article we will use the operating system Windows 10 to create the simplest and most popular RAID 1 array out of two hard disks; it is also known as mirroring. The principle of mirror is that the information on both disks is duplicated (written in a parallel way) and the two hard disks are in fact the exact copies of each other.

If you copied a file to the first hard disk, then the same file appears on the other disk, and, as you have already realized, if one hard disk breaks down, al your data will be safe on the other hard disk (a mirror). The chances of both disks to break down at the same time are extremely little.

Note: if there is already some informaton on your hard disk, you can create a mirror for such disk.

The only disadvantage of a RAID 1 is that you have to buy two hard disks but they will work as one: that is, if you install two hard disks 500 GB each into your system unit, you will have 500 GB of space to keep your files instead of 1 TB.

If one of the two disks breaks down, you just replace it with another one, adding it as a mirror for the other (surviving) hard disk containing data, that’s all.

Creating a Program RAID 1 Array From Two Empty Hard Disks With Windows 10 Tools

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Software RAID in Windows 10, Storage Spaces and Data Recovery from RAID drives 💻⚕️🤔

Software RAID in Windows 10, Storage Spaces and Data Recovery from RAID drives 💻⚕️🤔

Firt of all, install two empty hard disks into the system unit. For example, let us take two hard disks 250 GB each.

HDD

Then, go to Disk Management:

Disk 0 – a solid-state drive (SSD) with the operating system Windows 10 installed in partition (C:).

Disk 1 and Disk 2 – hard disks 250 GB each that we will use to create a RAID 1 array.

Right-click on any hard disk and select «New Mirrored Volume»

Disk Management. Right-click on any hard disk and select «New Mirrored Volume»

As a result, the wizard opens where you should click Next.
Add the disk to work as a mirror for the disk you have selected previuosly. We have selected Disk 1 to be the first mirrored volume, so in the left part we should select Disk 2, click on Add and then click Next again.

In the next window, select the letter for the program RAID 1 array.
Check the box Perform a quick format and click next.

Disk Management. Select the letter for the program RAID 1 array

Ready.

In Disk Management, mirrored volumes are shown in red and have one disk letter, in our case, it is (D:). Copy some files to any of teh two disks, and they will appear in the other disk immediately.

Disk Management. In Disk Management, mirrored volumes are shown in red and have one disk letter

In This PC window, the program RAID 1 array will be shown as one disk.

If one of the hard disks breaks down, in Disk Management the RAID array will be marked with an error “Failed redundancy” but the data in the other hard disk will be completely safe.

How to Create a RAID 1 Array If There Is Already Some Data on One of The Hard Disks

In the previous section of this article, we have created a RAID 1 array from two empty hard disks. But what can be done if one hard disk is already full of files and we need a mirror for it?

As we have already said, the principle behind RAID arrays is duplicating data or in simple words, there will be two hard disks in your computer to store data; they will copy each other completely. So if you wrote a file to the first hard disk, it will also be copied to the second hard disk. It is made to secure your data, and if one hard disk fails, all your files will be safe and sound on the other hard disk! The only disadvantage of a RAID 1 array is that these two hard disks will work as one; for example, installing two hard disks 1TB each into your system unit, the operating system will see them as one hard disk of 1 TB.

Now, let us imagine a situation, when your computer has two hard disks installed: a solid-state drive with Windows 10 and an ordinary 250 GB hard disk with most important files which you just cannot afford to lose. Then, we should create a simplest RAID 1 array of two hard disks – that is, buy another 250 GB hard disk and install it into the system unit.

After that, turn on the computer; as soon as the operating system has booted. Go to Disk Management and find three hard disks there:

Disk 0 – a solid state drive (SSD), partition (C:) with Windows 10.

Disk 1 – an ordinary HDD (New volume (D:) of 250 GB containing your files, and we will create a mirror for it.

Disk 2 – an empty HDD of 250 GB which will become a mirror for Disk 1.

The size of the disks should not necessarily be the same; the point is that the mirror should not be less than the disk for which it is created.

Disk Management. The size of the disks should not necessarily be the same

Right-click on Disk 1 and select Convert to Dynamic Disk.

Disk Management. Right-click on Disk 1 and select Convert to Dynamic Disk.

Disk 1 (New Volume (D:) has been converted to Dynamic Disk; nothing has happened to our files and they are available.

Right-click on New Volume (D:) and select Add Mirror.

Disk Management. Right-click on New Volume (D:) and select Add Mirror.

Left-click on Disk 2 and click on Add Mirror Volume.

The process of synchronizing contents of the hard disks begins, and all information from New Volume (D:) is copied to the mirror.
Disk Management reports that syncronization is complete, the disks are all right and you can continue with your work.

Disk Management. Left-click on Disk 2 and click on Add Mirror Volume

In This PC window, the RAID 1 array is now shown as one disk.

Vladimir Artiukh

Author: , Technical Writer

Vladimir Artiukh is a technical writer for Hetman Software, as well as the voice and face of their English-speaking YouTube channel, Hetman Software: Data Recovery for Windows. He handles tutorials, how-tos, and detailed reviews on how the company’s tools work with all kinds of data storage devices.

Oleg Afonin

Editor: , Technical Writer

Oleg Afonin is an expert in mobile forensics, data recovery and computer systems. He often attends large data security conferences, and writes several blogs for such resources as xaker.ru, Elcomsoft and Habr. In addition to his online activities, Oleg’s articles are also published in professional magazines. Also, Oleg Afonin is the co-author of a well-known book, Mobile Forensics - Advanced Investigative Strategies.

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Questions and answers

  • What is RAID and how does it work?

    RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks) is a data storage technology that combines multiple physical disk drives into a single logical storage unit. RAID is used to provide increased storage capacity, improved performance, and fault tolerance. RAID works by using multiple disks in a single array to store data in multiple locations. This allows for faster read and write speeds, as well as data redundancy in case one of the disks fails. RAID also allows for data to be spread across multiple disks for improved performance.

  • What are the different types of RAID configurations?
    1. RAID 0 (Striped Disk Array without Fault Tolerance): RAID 0 splits data across multiple disks, allowing for faster read and write speeds, but provides no fault tolerance.
    2. RAID 1 (Mirrored Disk Array): RAID 1 provides fault tolerance by mirroring data across multiple disks, providing a complete copy of the data on each disk.
    3. RAID 5 (Striped Disk Array with Distributed Parity): RAID 5 stripes data across multiple disks, with parity information distributed across all the disks. This provides fault tolerance, but reduces the total storage capacity of the array.
    4. RAID 6 (Double Parity): RAID 6 is similar to RAID 5, but it provides double parity, which increases the fault tolerance of the array.
    5. RAID 10 (Striped Mirrored Disk Array): RAID 10 combines both RAID 0 and RAID 1, creating a striped array of mirrored disks. This provides both speed and fault tolerance.
  • How does RAID 0 differ from RAID 1 in terms of data protection and operating speed?

    RAID 0, also known as striping, is a data storage technology that distributes data across multiple disks. It does not provide any data protection, but instead increases the operating speed of the system by allowing multiple disks to work together. RAID 1, also known as mirroring, is a data storage technology that stores the same data on two or more disks. It provides data protection by creating an exact copy of the data on each disk. While it does not increase the operating speed of the system, it does provide a higher level of data protection.

  • What are the benefits and drawbacks of using RAID 0?

    Benefits:

    1. RAID 0 offers improved performance as it allows for striping, which splits data across multiple disks. This allows for faster read/write speeds as the data is accessed from multiple disks at once.
    2. RAID 0 also offers increased storage capacity as it allows for multiple disks to be used in a single array.

    Drawbacks:

    1. RAID 0 does not offer any redundancy or fault tolerance, meaning that if one disk fails, all data stored on the array is lost.
    2. RAID 0 is also more susceptible to data corruption as there is no redundancy or fault tolerance.
  • What are the benefits and drawbacks of using RAID 1?

    Benefits:

    1. RAID 1 offers redundancy and increased data reliability, since it creates an exact copy of the data on two separate drives. This means that if one drive fails, the other can be used to recover the data.
    2. RAID 1 also offers improved read performance, since data can be read from both drives simultaneously.
    3. RAID 1 is a simple and cost-effective solution for data redundancy.

    Drawbacks:

    1. RAID 1 requires at least two drives to be used, so it is not as cost-effective as other RAID levels.
    2. RAID 1 does not offer any increase in storage capacity, since the data is mirrored across both drives.
    3. RAID 1 is not suitable for applications that require high write performance, since data must be written to both drives simultaneously.

Comments (11)

  • Cyrus Stackhouse
    Cyrus Stackhouse 14.11.2016 00:44 #
    How can you monitor the health and performance of your RAID array?
    Reply
    • Hetman Software
      Hetman Software 14.11.2016 01:05 #
      1. Use RAID monitoring software: RAID monitoring software is designed to detect any problems with your RAID array, such as disk failures, disk errors, and disk performance issues.
      2. Monitor disk performance: Use performance monitoring tools to monitor the performance of your RAID array, including read/write speeds, disk utilization, and disk throughput.
      3. Check the RAID controller logs: The RAID controller logs can provide information on any errors or warnings that may be occurring with your RAID array.
      4. Check the RAID array health: Use RAID health check utilities to check the health of your RAID array, including checking for any failed disks or other problems.
      5. Run a consistency check: Running a consistency check will help identify any inconsistencies in the data stored on the RAID array.
      Reply
  • Mitchell Cudworth
    Mitchell Cudworth 13.11.2016 22:40 #
    What are some common issues that can occur when using RAID arrays and how can they be resolved?
    Reply
    • Hetman Software
      Hetman Software 13.11.2016 23:14 #
      1. Drive failure: This is the most common issue with RAID arrays. It occurs when one or more drives fail, causing data loss or corruption. The best way to resolve this issue is to replace the failed drive with a new one and rebuild the array.
      2. Data corruption: RAID arrays can become corrupted due to hardware or software issues, or due to human error. To resolve this issue, you should restore the data from a backup or use data recovery software to recover the data.
      3. Disk synchronization: RAID arrays can become unsynchronized if one of the drives is not operating correctly. To resolve this issue, you should check the RAID controller settings and make sure all drives are operating correctly.
      4. RAID controller failure: The RAID controller is responsible for managing the RAID array and can fail due to hardware or software issues. To resolve this issue, you should replace the failed controller with a new one and reconfigure the RAID array.
      Reply
  • Gideon Newey
    Gideon Newey 13.11.2016 19:28 #
    Can you mix different types of drives in a RAID array?
    Reply
    • Hetman Software
      Hetman Software 13.11.2016 19:56 #
      Yes, you can mix different types of drives in a RAID array. However, it is important to note that the drives must be compatible with the RAID controller and have the same capacity, speed, and interface.
      Reply
  • Kaden Tetlow
    Kaden Tetlow 13.11.2016 15:37 #
    How do you create a RAID 1 array and what are the steps involved?
    Reply
    • Hetman Software
      Hetman Software 13.11.2016 16:03 #

      Creating a RAID 1 array involves the following steps:

      1. Decide which type of RAID 1 array you want to create. There are two types of RAID 1 arrays, hardware and software.
      2. Gather the necessary hardware components for a hardware RAID 1 array, such as a RAID controller card, hard drives, and cables.
      3. Install the RAID controller card in your computer and connect the hard drives to it.
      4. Configure the RAID controller card according to the instructions provided by the manufacturer.
      5. Create the RAID 1 array by selecting the appropriate option from the RAID controller card's menu.
      6. Format the newly created RAID 1 array and assign it a drive letter.
      7. Install the operating system on the RAID 1 array.
      8. Test the RAID 1 array to ensure that it is working properly.
      Reply
  • Drew Belknap
    Drew Belknap 13.11.2016 12:24 #
    How do you create a RAID 0 array and what are the steps involved?
    Reply
    • Hetman Software
      Hetman Software 13.11.2016 12:56 #

      A RAID 0 array is a type of RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks) configuration that combines multiple disks into one larger, faster disk. It is also known as striping. The steps involved in creating a RAID 0 array are as follows:

      1. Gather the necessary hardware components: at least two hard drives, a RAID controller card, and a power source.
      2. Install the RAID controller card into your computer.
      3. Connect the hard drives to the RAID controller card.
      4. Configure the RAID controller card to create a RAID 0 array. This will involve setting the RAID level to 0, and selecting the appropriate hard drives for the array.
      5. Initialize the RAID array, which will create a single virtual drive from the multiple physical drives.
      6. Format the virtual drive and assign it a drive letter.
      7. Create a partition on the virtual drive, if desired.
      8. Install an operating system on the virtual drive.
      9. Install any additional software or data onto the virtual drive.
      Reply
  • Hetman Software: Data Recovery
    Hetman Software: Data Recovery 20.07.2018 12:15 #
    Read about creating RAID 0 or RAID 1 arrays (operating speed and data protect) and recommend it to friends. If you do have any questions, don't hesitate to contact our technical support service - we will be happy to help you.
    Reply
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