Areca controllers and enclosures are exclusively Hardware RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks) based. The main reason being the performance and reliability gain. Hardware RAID offers several benefits:
Performance Boost:
Hardware RAID controllers have dedicated processors and memory, offloading RAID processing from the host system's CPU. This results in faster read and write speeds, especially in RAID 5, 6, or 10 configurations.
Data Protection and Redundancy:
Provides robust data redundancy through RAID levels like RAID 1 (mirroring) or RAID 5/6 (parity). This protects against data loss in case of a disk failure.
Hot Swapping and Failover Support:
Many hardware RAID systems support hot-swappable drives, allowing failed drives to be replaced without downtime. Some controllers also offer automatic failover for better uptime.
Improved Reliability:
Hardware RAID controllers often come with advanced error-checking mechanisms, battery-backed cache, and improved data integrity features compared to software RAID.
Reduced System Load:
Since RAID management is handled by the dedicated hardware controller, the system’s main CPU and memory are free to handle other tasks, improving overall system performance.
Advanced Features:
Many hardware RAID controllers support additional features like cache management, SSD caching, and data recovery tools. They may also provide enhanced diagnostics and monitoring tools.
Scalability:
Hardware RAID controllers often support a larger number of drives, making them suitable for enterprise storage environments requiring petabyte-level storage.
Independent from OS:
Unlike software RAID, which relies on the operating system, hardware RAID is independent of the OS, providing greater compatibility and faster recovery in case of system failure.