Storage Networking , Part 1 eBook: A storage network is any network that's designed to transport block-level storage protocols. But understanding the ins and outs of networked storage takes you deep into several of protocols. This guide covers SANs, Fibre Channels, Disk Arrays, Fabric, and IP Storage. » Storage Networking 2, Configuration and Planning eBook: Picking up where Part 1 left off, Part 2 of our look at storage networking examines configurations for SAN-attached servers and disk arrays, and also includes a look at the future of IP storage. » Storage Management Costs in the Enterprise: A Comparison of Mid-Range Array Solutions Whitepaper: Many factors contribute to the ownership cost for enterprise storage. These include (but are not limited to): physical capacity relative to physical space requirements, performance capacity for data transfer and system reaction time, software maintenance and updates, expandability and flexibility, and much more. » Storage Is Changing Fast  Be Ready or Be Left Behind PDF: The storage landscape is headed for dramatic change, thanks to new technologies like Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE), pNFS, object-based storage and SAS that will affect everything from NAS and SANs to disk drives. Get the knowledge you need to make the most of your storage environment, now and in the future. » HP StorageWorks EVA4400 Demo: Dont settle for an expensive and complex array that lacks functionality. The HP StorageWorks EVA4400 delivers virtual storage with enterprise class functionality at an affordable price. »

When you look at some of the installation documents for any of popular Linux distributions, you will see only few mentions of the term RAID, typically with passages such as "you will need RAID only if you are a very professional systems administrator and you already know what are you doing."

Even in the latest documentation of the latest Linux releases, this is likely the only thing you will see about RAID. This is one big reason why I think we should move past this barrier and demonstrate that RAID can be used by "normal" people.

RAID stands for "Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks." This seems to be rather self-explantory, except for that strange word "inexpensive." In reality, it's usually just refers to common PC hard disks, either SCSI and IDE.

But some additional explanation is necesary, however. Array simply means multiple units. It is perhaps the most significant term in the acronym--for owners of just one, even huge, hard drive, RAID is absolutely useless. Also, the word "redundant" is not an entirely descriptive label. As you'll see, it is not as easy as that.

First, let's begin by describing what RAID can be.

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