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12x 18TB RAID 10 NAS Calculator | Usable TB

Estimate usable TB, parity overhead, and fault tolerance for 12x 18TB in RAID 10. Includes reserve planning for NAS and homelab arrays.

Capacity Snapshot

Raw Capacity

216.00 TB

Usable Capacity

97.20 TB

Fault Tolerance

1 drive per mirror pair*

Efficiency

50.0%

Excellent random I/O and rebuild behavior; capacity is typically 50% of raw. This scenario applies a 10% filesystem reserve.

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Alternative Mode Comparison

Mode Usable Tolerance Efficiency
RAID 5 178.20 TB 1 drive 91.7%
RAID 6 162.00 TB 2 drives 83.3%
RAID 10 97.20 TB 1 drive per mirror pair* 50.0%
RAID-Z1 178.20 TB 1 drive 91.7%
RAID-Z2 162.00 TB 2 drives 83.3%

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FAQ

Should I optimize this 12-drive plan for capacity or resiliency first?

For long-lived NAS pools, resiliency first is usually safer. Capacity can be expanded later, while a risky parity choice can force migration sooner.

Why include a 10% reserve when planning NAS storage headroom?

Keeping free space improves filesystem behavior for snapshots, metadata, and write performance. Full arrays often perform worse and rebuild more slowly.

Can this calculator replace real-world benchmark and rebuild testing?

No. Use this page for pre-purchase sizing, then validate with workload benchmarks, SMART health policy, and a tested restore plan.

Is RAID 10 still worth deploying with 18TB drives?

It can be practical, but larger drives increase rebuild windows. Validate parity choice and backup policy before committing to the final layout.