What is the minimum number of 256-GB disks required for the storage pool?

You have a server named Server1 that runs Windows Server 2012 R2. You plan to create a storage pool that will contain a new volume. You need to create a new 600-GB volume by using thin provisioning. The new volume must use the parity layout.

What is the minimum number of 256-GB disks required for the storage pool?
A . 2
B . 3
C . 4
D . 5

View Answer

Answer: C

Explanation:

It takes 3 discs (minimum) in order to create a storage pool array with parity. If this array were using fixed provisioning, this would not be enough given the 256MB capacity (since only 2/3rds of 256 X 3 – less than 600 – could be used as actual data with the rest being parity bits), but since this array uses thin provisioning, a 600GB volume could technically be set up on a 20GB disc and it would still show as 600GB. (So, essentially, the question really becomes how many drives it takes in a storage pool to create a parity array.)

References:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh831391.aspx

http://www.ibeast.com/content/tools/RaidCalc/RaidCalc.asp

http://www.raid-calculator.com/default.aspx

https://www.icc-usa.com/raid-calculator