350-601 Compute Practice Question
A data center engineer is configuring a Cisco UCS C-Series server with a hardware RAID controller. The server will host a critical database. The RAID controller supports RAID 0, 1, 5, 6, and 10. Which RAID level should be chosen to provide the best combination of performance and fault tolerance?
⚠ Common exam trap
Cisco often tests the misconception that RAID 5 or RAID 6 offer 'good enough' performance for databases, but the trap is that parity-based RAIDs introduce significant write penalties that degrade transactional throughput, making RAID 10 the correct choice for critical database workloads.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
RAID 10
RAID 10 (striping of mirrors) provides the best combination of performance and fault tolerance for a critical database workload. It offers high read/write performance through striping and full redundancy via mirroring, allowing up to one disk failure per mirrored pair without data loss. This is ideal for a Cisco UCS C-Series server with a hardware RAID controller where both I/O throughput and availability are paramount.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
RAID 10
Why this is correct
RAID 10 combines mirroring and striping, offering both performance and fault tolerance.
- ✗
RAID 6
Why it's wrong here
RAID 6 provides double parity but has higher write penalty than RAID 5.
- ✗
RAID 5
Why it's wrong here
RAID 5 provides single parity but has a write performance penalty due to parity calculation.
- ✗
RAID 0
Why it's wrong here
RAID 0 provides no fault tolerance; if one drive fails, all data is lost.
Quick reference
RAID Level Comparison
| RAID Level | Min Disks | Fault Tolerance | Read | Write | Usable Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RAID 0 | 2 | None | Excellent | Excellent | 100% |
| RAID 1 | 2 | 1 disk | Good | Moderate | 50% |
| RAID 5 | 3 | 1 disk | Good | Moderate | 67–94% |
| RAID 6 | 4 | 2 disks | Good | Lower | 50–88% |
| RAID 10 | 4 | 1 disk per mirror | Excellent | Good | 50% |
RAID is not a backup strategy — it protects against disk failure but not against accidental deletion, ransomware, or site-level events.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This 350-601 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Cisco certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the 350-601 exam.