Which RAID level uses block-level striping with distributed parity?

RAID 5 is the configuration that employs block-level striping combined with distributed parity. In this setup, data is split into blocks and spread across multiple drives, enhancing performance by allowing simultaneous read and write operations. The distributed parity means that parity information, which is used for data recovery in case of a disk failure, is spread across all the drives in the array rather than stored on a single drive. This enhances fault tolerance while efficiently utilizing storage space.

The ability to recover data in the event of a single drive failure adds a significant advantage over other RAID levels. This level effectively balances between performance, redundancy, and storage efficiency, making it a popular choice for applications that require a moderate level of fault tolerance and good read/write performance.

This RAID configuration contrasts with others mentioned: RAID 1 uses disk mirroring rather than striping, making it less space-efficient; RAID 6 extends RAID 5 by providing dual parity for more robust fault tolerance; and RAID 10 combines mirroring and striping but does not use distributed parity, resulting in different trade-offs regarding performance and data protection.