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8x 12TB RAID 1 NAS Calculator | Usable TB

Estimate usable TB, parity overhead, and fault tolerance for 8x 12TB in RAID 1. Includes reserve planning for NAS and homelab arrays.

Capacity Snapshot

Raw Capacity

96.00 TB

Usable Capacity

10.80 TB

Fault Tolerance

7 drives*

Efficiency

12.5%

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 75.60 TB 1 drive 87.5%
RAID 6 64.80 TB 2 drives 75.0%
RAID 10 43.20 TB 1 drive per mirror pair* 50.0%
RAID-Z1 75.60 TB 1 drive 87.5%
RAID-Z2 64.80 TB 2 drives 75.0%

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FAQ

Should I optimize this 8-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.

Is RAID 1 still worth deploying 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.