RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks)
What is RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks)?
A way to combine multiple hard drives so that if one fails, your data survives — like having a spare tire built into your car.
Why RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks) Matters
A single drive failure shouldn't mean data loss. RAID mirrors or stripes data across drives so a failed drive is a inconvenience, not a disaster. But RAID is not a backup — it protects against hardware failure, not deletion or ransomware.
Related Topics
Related Terms
NAS (Network Attached Storage)
A dedicated device on your network that stores files and shares them with everyone — your own private cloud, no monthly fees.
HardwareBackup (the 3-2-1 rule)
A copy of your files stored somewhere else, so a dead computer doesn't mean dead data. The 3-2-1 rule: keep 3 copies of your data, on 2 different types of media, with 1 copy stored off-site — so a single fire, flood, or ransomware attack can't destroy everything.
BackupSSD vs. HDD
An SSD (solid-state drive) stores data on flash memory chips with no moving parts, making it much faster and more durable than an HDD. An HDD (hard disk drive) stores data on spinning magnetic platters read by a mechanical arm — slower, cheaper per gigabyte, and more prone to physical failure.
HardwareImmutable Backup
Backups that cannot be altered or deleted — even by ransomware or a compromised admin account. Write once, read many, change never.
Backup