Overview

Pick the layout that matches your drive count, workload, and risk tolerance.

RAID 6 tolerates two drive failures using dual parity. RAID 10 mirrors pairs and stripes across them for performance and fast rebuilds.

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How each layout works

Understand the mechanics before you size capacity.

  • RAID 6 uses dual parity across all disks to protect against two failures
  • RAID 10 mirrors pairs then stripes across the mirrors for speed and resilience
  • Both require backups because parity or mirrors cannot protect against deletion or malware

Pros and cons side by side

Aspect RAID 6 RAID 10
Drive failure tolerance Two simultaneous One per mirror pair
Usable capacity with 8 drives Approx 6 drives worth Approx 4 drives worth
Random I O performance Good Very good
Rebuild speed Slower on large disks Faster per mirror pair
Drive size mixing Prefer uniform sizes Prefer uniform sizes

Capacity and performance

Capacity and speed trade off differently on each layout.

  • RAID 6 offers higher usable capacity than RAID 10 for the same drive count
  • RAID 10 often delivers lower latency for random I O
  • For very large arrays consider 10 GbE or faster paths to see gains

Rebuild time and risk

Bigger drives increase rebuild times. Keep backups and spare drives ready.

  • RAID 6 protects against a second failure during rebuilds
  • RAID 10 rebuilds a single mirror which is usually faster
  • Keep free space and healthy thermals to reduce stress during rebuilds

Use case recommendations

Simple mapping for common workloads.

  • RAID 6 for large capacity arrays and archival with many bays
  • RAID 10 for latency sensitive workloads and mixed small files
  • Consider SHR 2 on Synology when you need flexibility with mixed sizes

Decision checklist

Answer these questions to choose with confidence.

  • How many bays and what drive sizes are planned
  • Is your workload more sequential or random I O
  • What rebuild window is acceptable for your site
  • Do you plan to expand capacity gradually

Need technical support or more detailed guidance? Please contact Synology via our Synology Support – Australia page. It includes ticket, Live Chat, warranty and downloads links.

FAQs

Quick answers to common layout questions.

Can I convert between layouts?
A migration is required with data moves
Is RAID 6 slower for writes?
Parity adds overhead but is fine for many file server uses
Do I still need backups
Yes for deletion, corruption, and site risks

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