RAID options for the Linux desktop
EASY RAIDER
Linux offers several options for fulfilling the RAID promise of fast hard disk access and data security.
In the past 15 years, hard disk capacities have grown by a factor of almost a thousand. 15 years ago, a typical hard disk had a capacity of between 300 and 500 Mbytes, and they were just as expensive as today’s 300 to 500 Gbyte disks. Because PCs with two or more disks are now quite common, home users can easily afford the data redundancy and higher performance that used to be the reserve of enterprise-level servers. The technology that makes this possible is known as RAID. RAID – an Introduction RAID [1] was designed some 20 years ago by Berkeley post-graduate students David Patterson, Garth Gibson, and Randy Katz. At the time, RAID was the answer to a difficult problem: if you needed a lot of storage capacity, you had to choose either a single, large disk that was reliable but expensive or a lot of small, fairly unreliable, inexpensive disks.
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.

News
-
System76 Releases COSMIC Alpha 7
With scores of bug fixes and a really cool workspaces feature, COSMIC is looking to soon migrate from alpha to beta.
-
OpenMandriva Lx 6.0 Available for Installation
The latest release of OpenMandriva has arrived with a new kernel, an updated Plasma desktop, and a server edition.
-
TrueNAS 25.04 Arrives with Thousands of Changes
One of the most popular Linux-based NAS solutions has rolled out the latest edition, based on Ubuntu 25.04.
-
Fedora 42 Available with Two New Spins
The latest release from the Fedora Project includes the usual updates, a new kernel, an official KDE Plasma spin, and a new System76 spin.
-
So Long, ArcoLinux
The ArcoLinux distribution is the latest Linux distribution to shut down.
-
What Open Source Pros Look for in a Job Role
Learn what professionals in technical and non-technical roles say is most important when seeking a new position.
-
Asahi Linux Runs into Issues with M4 Support
Due to Apple Silicon changes, the Asahi Linux project is at odds with adding support for the M4 chips.
-
Plasma 6.3.4 Now Available
Although not a major release, Plasma 6.3.4 does fix some bugs and offer a subtle change for the Plasma sidebar.
-
Linux Kernel 6.15 First Release Candidate Now Available
Linux Torvalds has announced that the release candidate for the final release of the Linux 6.15 series is now available.
-
Akamai Will Host kernel.org
The organization dedicated to cloud-based solutions has agreed to host kernel.org to deliver long-term stability for the development team.