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5x 6TB RAID 6 NAS Calculator | Usable TB

Estimate usable TB, parity overhead, and fault tolerance for 5x 6TB in RAID 6. Includes reserve planning for NAS and homelab arrays.

Capacity Snapshot

Raw Capacity

30.00 TB

Usable Capacity

16.20 TB

Fault Tolerance

2 drives

Efficiency

60.0%

Safer for larger arrays with dual parity, at the cost of one extra parity disk. This scenario applies a 10% filesystem reserve.

Run Interactive Calculator →

Alternative Mode Comparison

Mode Usable Tolerance Efficiency
RAID 5 21.60 TB 1 drive 80.0%
RAID 6 16.20 TB 2 drives 60.0%
RAID 10 N/A N/A N/A
RAID-Z1 21.60 TB 1 drive 80.0%
RAID-Z2 16.20 TB 2 drives 60.0%

NAS Cluster Guides

NAS Hub RAID Level Compare RAID Capacity Matrix Planning Quick Sheet RAID Selector NAS FAQ

Related Long-Tail Calculators

2x 4TB RAID 1 2x 6TB RAID 1 2x 8TB RAID 1 2x 10TB RAID 1 2x 12TB RAID 1 2x 14TB RAID 1 2x 16TB RAID 1 2x 18TB RAID 1 2x 20TB RAID 1 3x 4TB RAID 1 3x 4TB RAID 5 3x 4TB RAID-Z1 3x 6TB RAID 1 3x 6TB RAID 5 3x 6TB RAID-Z1 3x 8TB RAID 1

Sequential Long-Tail Navigation

← Previous: 5x 6TB RAID 5 NAS Calculator | Usable TB Next: 5x 6TB RAID-Z1 NAS Calculator | Usable TB →

FAQ

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.

Should I optimize this 5-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.

How much usable storage does 5x 6TB RAID 6 provide?

This NAS planning scenario estimates 16.20 TB usable after a 10% reserve from 30.00 TB raw.