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What is RAID and is there still any use for it?

Introduction

RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks) is a configuration comprising multiple drives. These can be traditional hard disk drives (HDDs) or SSDs. Depending on the configuration, Windows recognises such a configuration not as multiple individual drives, but as one single logical drive.

Historically, RAID had two main objectives: greater speed or greater reliability. With RAID 0 (striping), data is distributed across multiple drives to enable parallel access. With RAID 1 (mirroring), the same data is mirrored across two drives so that the system can continue to operate in the event of a mechanical failure of one drive.

Is RAID 0 (striping) still useful today?

We do not recommend RAID 0 for modern laptops.

RAID 0 dates back to a time when mechanical hard drives, with their moving magnetic platters and read heads, were heavily bottlenecked by slow access speeds and low sequential data rates. SSDs work differently: they access memory chips directly and already have very low latencies. A RAID 0 array of SSDs therefore offers no advantage in daily use and is even counterproductive, as the additional RAID abstraction increases access times. RAID 0 thus makes SSDs slower without offering any benefit.

Furthermore, RAID 0 increases the risk: if a drive in the array fails, all data on the RAID 0 array is automatically lost.

Is RAID 1 (mirroring) a sensible backup strategy?

No. RAID 1 can protect against the failure of a single drive, but it is no substitute for a backup.

With RAID 1, data is mirrored across two drives. If a file is deleted, damaged or encrypted by ransomware, this happens on both drives simultaneously. RAID 1 therefore does not protect against user error, software faults, malware, theft or other accidents.

For most users, regular backups and cloud services with versioning make more sense. Versioning means that older file versions are retained and can be restored if necessary.

Furthermore, RAID arrays are not simply managed by the SSDs themselves, but by the firmware of the CPU manufacturer, its storage controller and the associated drivers. A RAID array usually survives firmware updates, but can still cause unexpected problems due to certain changes to firmware, BIOS/UEFI settings or drivers. In the worst-case scenario, you may then no longer be able to access your data.

RAID can also complicate the situation when it comes to data recovery. A RAID 1 array from a specific laptop cannot necessarily be brought back online on another laptop or PC. If the original system is faulty or otherwise no longer bootable, accessing the mirrored data becomes unnecessarily complicated.

RAID 1 therefore adds additional complexity without meeting the typical requirements for data backup. For most users, regular backups to external disks and cloud services with versioning are the better strategy. At best, RAID 1 can serve as a supplementary component for advanced users who know exactly why they need it and how to handle it.

Are XMG and SCHENKER laptops shipped with RAID?

No. Our systems are always shipped without RAID – this applies both to current systems and to all systems offered in the past.

This also applies if a system is ordered with multiple SSDs. We do not offer any standard configurations, retail variants or configurator options where RAID is automatically enabled.

Some other PC or laptop brands have used RAID in the past to advertise high sequential read/write speeds (via RAID 0). We have always deliberately refrained from such marketing measures due to the disadvantages of RAID described above.

An XMG or SCHENKER system only uses RAID if the array has been set up manually. This may have been done by the user themselves or, in exceptional cases, upon explicit request via email or the comments field of an order.

RAID is also, by design, unaffected by reverting to BIOS defaults. Therefore, RAID cannot activate "by itself" even after a BIOS update or BIOS reset.

In conclusion, RAID is not something that one sets up unwittingly by mistake. It can only be configured via BIOS setup in several steps. So, anyone who has never set up RAID themselves and has not explicitly (in writing) requested us to do so when ordering a system can indeed assume that RAID is not active in the system.

How do I find out if my laptop uses RAID?

Rule of thumb: if you have never consciously set up RAID, you are not using RAID. Nevertheless, you can check this quite easily:

Via the graphical user interface:

  • Open the Start menu and search for "partition".
  • Select "Create and format hard disk partitions".
  • This menu item opens the "Disk Management" Program.
  • Right-click on the disks (at the bottom left) and open "Properties".

Via PowerShell:

  • Right-click on the Start menu.
  • Select "Terminal" (opens PowerShell).
  • Enter this command:
  • Get-Disk | Format-Table Number,FriendlyName,SerialNumber,BusType,Size

If the specific SSD names appear there, such as Corsair, Samsung, WD, Crucial, Kingston, or another SSD manufacturer, the drives are recognised directly and are not operating as a RAID array.

Indications of RAID would include names such as ‘Intel RAID Volume’, ‘Intel VMD’, ‘AMD RAID Array’ or similar entries.

Is Intel VMD the same as RAID?

Intel VMD (Intel Volume Management Device) is the abstraction layer that allows you to create a RAID array on Intel systems. Intel therefore no longer uses the term "RAID" in BIOS setup, but groups this function under VMD.

However, an activated VMD controller does not automatically mean that a RAID array is active. The decisive factor is whether a RAID volume has actually been set up. Terms such as "Intel VMD" or "Intel RST" therefore refer merely to the storage controller or driver used, not necessarily to RAID.

In general, however, we recommend avoiding the use of VMD, RST, etc., as these abstraction layers can cause unnecessary compatibility issues and offer no practical advantage outside of specific, deliberate special configurations (such as RAID).