Setting Up Software RAID in Linux

RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks) is a way of combining multiple physical disks into one or more logical units for data redundancy, performance improvement, or both.

Common RAID Levels

• RAID 0 (Striping): Spreads data across multiple disks for higher performance but provides no redundancy. If one disk fails, all data is lost.
• RAID 1 (Mirroring): Duplicates data across two or more disks. Provides excellent redundancy but uses only 50% of the total disk capacity.
• RAID 5 (Striping with Parity): Requires at least three disks. It stripes data and parity information across all disks, providing a good balance of performance and redundancy.

Using `mdadm`

The `mdadm` utility is the standard tool for managing software RAID in Linux. Creating a RAID array involves partitioning the disks correctly and then using `mdadm --create` to build the array.

Warning: Setting up RAID is an advanced task that can lead to data loss if done incorrectly.