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Beyond the standard RAID levels are Hybrid RAID levels, which means two different RAID levels are “nested” within one controller. (Rarely are more than two RAID levels nested.) Hybrid RAID array configurations include designations such as RAID 0+1, RAID 1+0, or RAID 5+0. Some people may eliminate the plus sign, resulting in RAID 10 or RAID 50, but that doesn’t mean RAID “ten” or RAID “fifty.” The number of the top array comes second in the listing, so RAID 10 means drives are combined into multiple level 1 RAID arrays, which are then treated as single drives combined into a RAID 0 configuration. Let’s explore the very common hybrid RAID arrays of RAID 0+1 and RAID 1+0 or RAID 10. RAID 0+1: Configured with a minimum of four hard drives, always in pairs, this highly complex hybrid RAID configuration has high fault tolerance and good performance. The array can continue operating if more than one drive fails in the same mirrored set, but not if two mirrored disks fail at the same time. RAID 1+0: In this configuration, a RAID array will keep running as long as no mirror loses all of its drives, so it can keep running as long as there is at least one hard drive still running, offering excellent fault tolerance.

Limitations

Hybrid RAID configurations, while offering many benefits such as increased fault tolerance and improved performance, also have limitations. These limitations include the potential for increased complexity in management and configuration and the risk of reduced storage efficiency due to the redundancy inherent in nested RAID setups. When deciding whether to implement a nested RAID configuration in your storage infrastructure, it’s crucial to consider these factors carefully.

Complexity: Nested RAID can be complicated to set up and manage, requiring high technical expertise.

Expensive: Due to multiple drives, nested RAID can be more costly than traditional RAID configurations.

Performance Degradation: In certain nested RAID configurations, performance can degrade significantly if multiple drives fail.

RAID 0 + 1

RAID 01 is a data storage configuration that combines the features of RAID 0 array (striping) and RAID 1 (mirroring) to provide both enhanced storage capacity and data redundancy. RAID 01 involves distributing data across several drives and creating a duplicate copy on another set of drives. This setup guarantees that the data can be accessed from the mirrored drive even if one drive malfunctions. This configuration provides a combination of performance and resilience.

RAID 1 + 0

RAID 10 is a type of nested RAID level that brings together the characteristics of RAID 1 (mirroring) and RAID 0 (striping) to enhance performance and ensure data redundancy. In RAID 10, data is duplicated across multiple drive sets and divided into stripes for faster read and write speeds. This configuration offers both the redundancy of mirroring and the performance benefits of striping, making it well-suited for applications requiring high performance and data protection levels.

RAID 5 + 0

RAID 50 is a hybrid RAID level that combines the features of RAID 5 (parity-based striping) and RAID 0 (striping) to provide a balance between performance and fault tolerance. In RAID 50, data is striped across multiple sets of drives with parity information for fault tolerance, and then those sets are striped for increased performance. This configuration offers both the benefits of striping for performance and the benefits of parity-based striping for fault tolerance.

RAID 5 + 1

RAID 51 is a hybrid RAID configuration that combines the features of RAID 5 and RAID 1 to provide increased redundancy and performance. In RAID 51, multiple sets of drives are used, where each set is configured in a RAID 5 (parity-based striping) configuration, and then those sets are mirrored using RAID 1 (mirroring). This configuration offers the benefits of both RAID 5 and RAID 1, providing increased redundancy and improved performance.

RAID 6 + 0

RAID 60 is a RAID level that combines the features of RAID 6 (dual parity) and RAID 0 (striping) to provide increased performance and fault tolerance. In RAID 60 configuration, data is striped across multiple sets of drives with dual parity for fault tolerance, and then those sets are striped for increased performance. This configuration offers the benefits of both RAID 6 for fault tolerance and RAID 0 for performance, making it appropriate for applications requiring high performance and data protection levels.

RAID 10 + 0

RAID 100 is a RAID level that combines the features of RAID 10 (mirroring and striping) and RAID 0 (striping) to offer high performance and fault tolerance. In RAID 100, multiple sets of drives are used, where each set is configured in a RAID 10 configuration, and then those sets are striped using RAID 0. This configuration provides the benefits of both RAID 10 and RAID 0, offering high performance and data protection levels.