What Does Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) Mean?
Redundant array of independent disks (RAID) is a method of storing duplicate data on two or more hard drives. It is used for data backup, fault tolerance, to improve throughput, increase storage functions and to enhance performance.
Techopedia Explains Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID)
RAID was first patented by IBM in 1978. In 1987 a team of electrical engineers and computer science specialists from the University of Berkley in California defined RAID levels 1 through 5. Their work was published by the Association for Computing Machinery’s Special Interest Group on Management of Data in 1988. It was called a case of redundant arrays of inexpensive disks (RAID). The objective was to combine multiple inexpensive devices into an array, which featured more storage, dependability and faster processing. Later, RAID marketers eliminated the term “inexpensive” so there was not a low cost association by consumers and changed the term to “Independent.”
