JBOD vs RAID Features and Advantages, Part Two
The average PC user finds the basic external hard drive a satisfactory solution for data storage. As for the average organization (enterprise or otherwise), more capacity, more efficiency and more reliability is the name of the game. Generally, enterprise data systems (EDS) are narrowed down to a couple of options: RAID and JBOD.
How JBOD Compares to RAID
JBOD is an acronym for “Just a Bunch of Disks” and refers to a bundle of hard drives populating one or more hard drive enclosures. Nevertheless, a lot of people also use the term to define a collection of external hard drives connected to a single computer. No matter which configuration one intends, the host computer in a JBOD system accesses each individual hard drive as a separate disk. Some JBOD architectures feature storage enclosures with an internal hub while others have connectors for each individual hard drive.
RAID is an acronym for “Redundant Array of Independent Disks.” As its name suggests, RAID employs a variety of processes to achieve data redundancy. Rather than storing data on a solitary drive, RAID breaks down, replicates and distributes tiny bits of data across multiple drives. The data is retrieved from these drives whenever someone needs to access a file. Even though a RAID data storage system is comprised of multiple drives, computers recognize it as a single disk volume. Furthermore, it’s important to know that all RAID configurations are designed to improve overall performance.
Both JBOD and RAID have their own individual strengths and weaknesses – but the weaknesses are only an issue if they ultimately outweigh the strengths. For this reason, it’s quite critical for one to assess and compare them carefully before choosing one or the other as a data storage solution. The rest of this article should answer any basic questions you have about how JBOD differs from RAID.
Disk Expansion and Scalability
Compared to JBOD, RAID scalability is a tab bit more complex and requires administrators to consider things like connectivity options, drive size and the number of drives required. Additionally, each drive must be of the same type, model and size because RAID data storage systems operate as single “entities.” Being able to expand RAID allows one to increase storage capacity as needed, improve system performance and enhance overall reliability.
Speed
The standard SSD is capable of reading sequential data at approximately 550 MBps while writing sequential data at around 520 MBps.
Tolerance, Redundancy & Availability
RAID has a solid reputation for providing a wider fault tolerance that covers the disks as well, not merely the power supply and cooling system as with JBOD. However, it’s important to note that while most RAID levels (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10 and 0+1) provide this added protection to the hard drives, RAID 0 is the only level that doesn’t.
Fault tolerance is loosely defined as “the way in which an operating system (OS) responds to hardware or software failure. The term essentially refers to a system’s ability to allow for failures or malfunctions, and this ability may be provided by the software, hardware or a combination of both. To handle faults gracefully, some computer systems have two or more duplicate systems.” For an enterprise data storage solution, providing fault tolerance for hard drives is equally – if not more important – than other components.
Nevertheless, RAID 0 does have its place in the world of mass storage: boosting the performance of servers. One must be able to accept the risk of data loss in exchange for better performance – if one hard disk fails, other disks may fail as well. This further increases the chances of data loss.
Disk Usage
JBOD is best used in situations where space is critical. JBOD solutions use the entire capacity of each hard drive (independently) of one another. For example, if you have four 250 gigabyte hard drives, you would have 1,000 gigabytes of usable space. For those who realize how valuable ever bit of data is these days, JBOD seems a logical choice.
RAID is designed to allocate disk space for storing redundant data with the purpose of providing greater and faster data volume. Data redundancy improves fault tolerance which allows the system to function even if one or more disks fail. This also prevents data loss due to natural disasters, security breaches and malware.
Lastly, RAID is excellent for those who wish to stream large data sets across various storage devices, network-attached storage (NAS) and other networks. This is why RAID-technology principles are utilized in managing data distribution across multiple cloud storage service providers, for example.
Cost-Effectiveness
Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) is a technology ordinarily used in building RAID configurations; SCSI (SAS) is a “point-to-point” serial protocol that replaces the parallel SCSI.” Compared to SATA drives, which usually comprise JBOD systems, SCSI (SAS) hardware is significantly more pricey. Depending on what is more imperative (cost versus higher-end performance), JBOD (at first glance) allows enterprise functionality at a lower cost than what RAID solutions normally cost.
This article only covers the basics of how RAID is different than JBOD. If you’re looking to invest in a new data storage solution or upgrade your present system, contact us today to learn more about which storage solution is best for you.
