NAS & RAID Calculator

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3x 18TB RAID 1 NAS Calculator | Usable TB

Estimate usable TB, parity overhead, and fault tolerance for 3x 18TB in RAID 1. Includes reserve planning for NAS and homelab arrays.

Capacity Snapshot

Raw Capacity

54.00 TB

Usable Capacity

16.20 TB

Fault Tolerance

2 drives*

Efficiency

33.3%

Strong redundancy but low capacity efficiency. Great for small, critical datasets. This scenario applies a 10% filesystem reserve.

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Alternative Mode Comparison

Mode Usable Tolerance Efficiency
RAID 5 32.40 TB 1 drive 66.7%
RAID 6 N/A N/A N/A
RAID 10 N/A N/A N/A
RAID-Z1 32.40 TB 1 drive 66.7%
RAID-Z2 N/A N/A N/A

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FAQ

How much real-world usable storage does 3x 18TB RAID 1 provide?

This NAS planning scenario estimates 16.20 TB usable after a 10% reserve from 54.00 TB raw.

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.

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.

Is RAID 1 still practical 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.