How to build softRAID: A Guide to Enhanced Storage

Setting up a RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks) configuration can be a great way to improve performance, data redundancy, or both for your storage setup. This blog post will walk you through two common methods for creating RAID arrays: using SoftRAID and Apple Disk Utility.

Building Your RAID: A Guide to Enhanced Storage

Whether you're looking to speed up your video editing workflow, create a robust backup solution, or simply consolidate your drives, RAID offers compelling advantages. Let's explore how to get started with two popular options.

Method 1: Powering Up with SoftRAID

SoftRAID is a highly regarded, powerful software RAID solution that offers a wider range of RAID levels and advanced features compared to built-in utilities.

1. Acquiring SoftRAID:

• Purchase: You can buy SoftRAID directly from OWC. They often bundle SoftRAID with their external drive enclosures, making it a convenient option if you're also in the market for new hardware.

• Bundled Licenses: Keep an eye out! Some OWC devices or other compatible hardware might include a SoftRAID license. This license is typically found on a sticker or label on the bottom of the device. Make sure to check thoroughly before purchasing a separate license.

2. Steps to Create a RAID with SoftRAID:

Before you begin, ensure your drives are properly installed in your enclosure or connected to your computer, and SoftRAID is installed and licensed on your Mac.

1. Launch SoftRAID and Initialize Disks:

   • Open the SoftRAID application from your Applications folder.

   • In the SoftRAID window, navigate to the "Disks" tab. You should see all the physical disks you intend to use for your RAID listed. They will likely appear as "Uninitialized" or similar, indicating they are not yet formatted for use by SoftRAID.

   • Select all the disks you plan to include in your RAID array. You can do this by clicking on the first disk and then Shift-clicking on the last disk, or Command-clicking each disk individually.

   • Right-click on any of the selected disks (or go to the "Disk" menu in the SoftRAID menu bar).

   • Choose "Initialize..." from the context menu.

   • A warning will appear stating that initializing the disks will erase all data. Confirm that you wish to proceed. This prepares the disks for SoftRAID's use.

2. Crucial: Certify Your Disks: This is a mandatory and highly recommended step for SoftRAID to ensure disk reliability. Do not skip this!

   • After initializing, the disks will still be selected. If not, select all your disks again in the "Disks" tab.

   • Right-click on one of the selected disks (or go to the "Disk" menu).

   • Choose "Certify..." from the context menu.

   • A dialog box will appear with certification options.

     • Number of passes: SoftRAID recommends at least one full pass (random data write/read verification). For critical data, consider 2 or 3 passes. More passes mean more thorough testing but significantly longer times.

     • Write zeroes on last pass: This option is usually selected by default and is good for ensuring a clean slate.

     • Random access test: You can enable this for additional testing.

   • Click "Start Certify" (or a similar button).

   • Be prepared for this to take a very long time. For mechanical hard drives, a rule of thumb is approximately one day per 2TB of capacity. For multiple large drives, this could be several days.

   • Do not interrupt the certification process. Let it run to completion. SoftRAID will show the progress for each disk.

   • Once certification is complete for all disks, SoftRAID will confirm their health.

3. Create Your RAID Volume:

   • Once all your disks have been successfully certified, they should still be selected in the SoftRAID window. If not, select all your certified disks again.

   • Right-click on one of the selected disks (or go to the "Disk" menu).

   • Choose "New Volume..." from the context menu.

   • The "New Volume" wizard will appear:

     • Volume Name: Give your RAID volume a descriptive name (e.g., "My Fast RAID," "Redundant Archive").

     • RAID Level: This is where you choose your RAID type. SoftRAID offers a wide range, including:

       • RAID 0 (Striped): Maximum speed and capacity (combines all disk capacities), but no redundancy. If one drive fails, all data is lost. (Requires at least 2 drives)

       • RAID 1 (Mirrored): Excellent redundancy. Data is duplicated across drives. Capacity is limited to the smallest drive. (Requires at least 2 drives)

       • RAID 1+0 (RAID 10): Excellent performance and redundancy. Requires an even number of drives (e.g., 4, 6, 8). You lose half your total capacity to mirroring, but you can lose one drive from each mirrored pair without data loss.

       • RAID 5: Good balance of performance, capacity, and redundancy. You lose the capacity of one drive for parity information, meaning you can lose one drive and still recover your data. (Requires at least 3 drives)

       • RAID 6: Even greater redundancy than RAID 5. You can lose two drives and still recover your data. (Requires at least 4 drives)

       • Choose the RAID level that best fits your needs for speed, capacity, and data protection.

     • File System: Choose your desired file system.

       • APFS: Apple File System (modern macOS standard, good for SSDs and HDDs on macOS).

       • Mac OS Extended (Journaled) / HFS+: Older macOS standard, still widely compatible.

       • If you plan to use the RAID with Windows as well (via SoftRAID's cross-platform capabilities), consider the implications of your file system choice. SoftRAID can manage APFS/HFS+ volumes on Windows.

     • Volume Size: Set the size of your RAID volume. For most cases, you'll want to use the maximum available capacity.

     • Optimize for: SoftRAID allows you to optimize the RAID for specific workloads (e.g., "Video Editing," "Database," "General Purpose"). Choose the option that best matches your primary use case. This optimizes stripe unit size for better performance.

   • Click "Create" (or similar).

   • SoftRAID will present a summary of your choices. Review them carefully.

   • Click "Create Volume" to confirm.

   • SoftRAID will now create the RAID array. For redundant RAID levels (like RAID 1, 5, 6, or 10), there will be an initialisation process where parity information is written. This can take some time.

   • Once the process is complete, your new RAID volume will appear on your desktop (or in Finder under Locations) and will be ready for use.

Important Considerations After Creation (SoftRAID):

• SoftRAID Monitor: Keep the SoftRAID application running (or the SoftRAID Monitor active in your menu bar). This is essential for real-time monitoring of your RAID array and individual drive health. It will alert you to potential issues like drive degradation or failure.

• Backups: As reiterated in the blog post, a RAID array provides redundancy (for RAID 1, 5, 6, 10), but it is not a backup solution. Always have a separate, independent backup of your critical data.

• Performance Monitoring: SoftRAID provides tools to monitor your RAID's performance. Test your read/write speeds to ensure they meet your expectations.

Here's a video on How to create a RAID using OWC SoftRAID: Click here

Method 2: Free and Convenient with Apple Disk Utility

For macOS users, Apple's built-in Disk Utility offers a free and straightforward way to create basic RAID configurations.

1. Accessing Disk Utility:

• Open Finder, navigate to "Applications," then "Utilities," and launch "Disk Utility."

2. Starting the RAID Assistant:

• From the menu bar in Disk Utility, go to "File" > "RAID Assistant...".

3. Choosing Your RAID Type:

• Disk Utility offers a more limited selection of RAID types compared to SoftRAID, typically including:

  • Striped RAID Set (RAID 0): For maximum performance, combining the capacity of all drives. Data is split and written across all drives simultaneously. Note: No data redundancy. If one drive fails, all data in the array is lost.

  • Mirrored RAID Set (RAID 1): For data redundancy, duplicating data across drives. Every piece of data written to one drive is also written to the other (or others). Capacity is limited to the smallest drive. If one drive fails, the data is still accessible from the mirror drive.

  • Concatenated Disk Set (JBOD - Just a Bunch Of Disks): Combines drives into one larger volume without performance or redundancy benefits. Data is written sequentially to each drive until it's full, then moves to the next.

4. Selecting Your Disks:

• Drag and drop the disks you want to include in your RAID array from the sidebar into the RAID Assistant window.

5. Naming and Formatting:

• Give your RAID array a name and choose the desired format (e.g., APFS, Mac OS Extended (Journaled)).

6. Creating the RAID:

• Click "Create" to finalize the process. Disk Utility will then format the drives and create your RAID array.

SoftRAID vs. Apple Disk Utility: A Head-to-Head Comparison

While both tools can create RAID configurations, they cater to different needs and offer vastly different capabilities. Understanding these distinctions is key to choosing the right solution for you.

Which Method is Right for You?

• SoftRAID: Recommended for users who need advanced RAID levels, superior performance, more robust monitoring, and comprehensive disk health checks. It's an investment, but for professional workflows or mission-critical data, the features, reliability, and the crucial disk certification process often justify the cost. If your data is valuable and your workflow demands high performance and resilience, SoftRAID is the clear winner.

• Apple Disk Utility: A great free option for users who need basic RAID 0 or RAID 1 configurations for everyday use. It's simple, readily available, and gets the job done for less demanding scenarios. However, it lacks the advanced features, diagnostic tools, and proactive health checks that SoftRAID provides. For quick, non-critical setups, Disk Utility is a convenient choice.

No matter which method you choose, remember that RAID is not a substitute for a comprehensive backup strategy. While some RAID levels provide redundancy, accidental deletion, software corruption, or a catastrophic event affecting multiple drives can still lead to data loss. Always back up your important data to a separate location (e.g., cloud storage, external hard drive) to ensure true data security.