NAS & RAID Calculator

NAS planning example

Region Focus · EU

EU 4x 8TB RAID 10 NAS Calculator

Estimate usable TB, parity, and fault tolerance for EU homelab buyers using 4x 8TB in RAID 10.

Planning route

Answer the capacity question, then validate the purchase path

Use this worked example as a numeric starting point, then validate the RAID choice, capacity reserve, hardware plan, and backup path.

Editorial method

What this calculator can—and cannot—decide

The capacity model makes drive count, drive size, RAID layout, and reserve visible. It is a planning aid: it does not predict exact performance, rebuild duration, hardware compatibility, or the probability of data loss for a specific system.

Last reviewed: July 10, 2026. Product links remain neutral category searches until a partner relationship and page-level disclosure are in place.

Capacity Snapshot

Raw Capacity

32.00 TB

Usable Capacity

14.40 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 21.60 TB 1 drive 75.0%
RAID 6 14.40 TB 2 drives 50.0%
RAID 10 14.40 TB 1 drive per mirror pair* 50.0%
RAID-Z1 21.60 TB 1 drive 75.0%
RAID-Z2 14.40 TB 2 drives 50.0%

EU Buyer Context

EU deployments often place additional emphasis on energy efficiency and predictable lifecycle upgrades, especially for always-on NAS fleets.

Brand / Region Glossary

Lifecycle Planning

Capacity and reliability strategy across multiple hardware refresh cycles.

Operational Headroom

Intentional free-space margin to protect performance and snapshot behavior.

NAS cluster navigation

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FAQ

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 4-drive plan for available space 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 capacity?

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

Is RAID 10 still viable with 8TB drives?

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