Netgear RND2220v1 – READYNAS DUO v1 (4TB: 2 X 2TB) Software Guide

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Manage Storage Space
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ReadyNAS Duo, NV+, and 1100 
Basic Disk Configuration Concepts
To get the most out of your ReadyNAS storage system, it is helpful to understand some disk 
configuration concepts. Understanding these concepts is the first step to making good 
decisions about how to configure, manage, and use your ReadyNAS storage system.
You can configure your storage system’s hard disks in a variety of ways. The most common 
way to configure disks is using one of the many RAID technologies.
RAID
RAID is short for redundant array of independent disks. RAID is a storage technology that 
balances data protection, system performance, and storage space by determining how the 
storage system distributes data. Many different ways of distributing data have been 
standardized into various RAID levels. Each RAID level offers a trade-off between data 
protection, system performance, and storage space. For example, one RAID level might 
improve data protection but reduce storage space. Another RAID level might increase 
storage space but reduce system performance.
Your ReadyNAS storage system supports X-RAID®, a proprietary single-volume RAID 
architecture that is easy to administer, and Flex-RAID, which allows you to format your disks 
in a variety of industry-standard RAID levels.
Volumes
In the most general sense, volumes are data storage devices. Your computer treats an 
internal hard drive as a volume. It also treats a portable USB thumb drive as a volume. 
Volumes can be either physical or logical. Usually, the term physical volume refers to a hard 
disk drive. When this term is used in this way, a two-bay storage system can have up to two 
physical volumes (hard disk drives), a four-bay storage system can have up to four physical 
volumes, and a six-bay storage system can have up to six physical volumes. 
The term logical volume refers to the way that you divide, or partition, your storage space, for 
example:
•     
Each logical volume can correspond to a hard disk drive.
•     
A logical volume can be made up of more than one hard disk drive.
In this manual, the term volume refers to a logical volume and the terms hard disk drive and 
disk refer to a physical volume.