NAS & RAID Calculator

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6x 12TB RAID-Z2 NAS Calculator | Usable TB

Estimate usable TB, parity overhead, and fault tolerance for 6x 12TB in RAID-Z2. Includes reserve planning for NAS and homelab arrays.

Capacity Snapshot

Raw Capacity

72.00 TB

Usable Capacity

43.20 TB

Fault Tolerance

2 drives

Efficiency

66.7%

Popular TrueNAS default for medium arrays; dual-parity with good safety margin. This scenario applies a 10% filesystem reserve.

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Alternative Mode Comparison

Mode Usable Tolerance Efficiency
RAID 5 54.00 TB 1 drive 83.3%
RAID 6 43.20 TB 2 drives 66.7%
RAID 10 32.40 TB 1 drive per mirror pair* 50.0%
RAID-Z1 54.00 TB 1 drive 83.3%
RAID-Z2 43.20 TB 2 drives 66.7%

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FAQ

Is RAID-Z2 still practical with 12TB drives?

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

Should I optimize this 6-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.

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 available space?

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