Linux - Hardware RAID vs Software RAID

Feature	Hardware RAID	Software RAID
How it works	RAID is managed by a physical RAID controller card (dedicated hardware)	RAID is managed by the operating system (example: Linux `mdadm`)
Performance	Usually faster, because it uses its own processor	Slightly slower; uses CPU resources of the OS
Cost	Expensive — requires RAID controller	Free — built into Linux/Windows
Setup	Configured in BIOS/RAID controller interface	Configured via software tools (`mdadm`, Disk Manager)
OS Dependency	Works independently of OS	Depends on the OS for management
Bootability	Easy to boot from RAID	Booting from software RAID requires more configuration
Flexibility	Less flexible; tied to the RAID card	Very flexible; can migrate between systems easily
Failure Handling	If RAID card fails, array may become unreadable (unless you have same model)	Easy to recover — no dependency on a physical controller
Monitoring	Advanced monitoring features built into RAID card	Monitored through OS tools
Best Use Cases	Enterprise servers, high performance databases, mission-critical workloads	Home users, small businesses, virtual machines, cost-effective servers

Short Summary (Easy to Remember)

✔ Faster
✔ Uses a dedicated RAID card
✔ Expensive
❌ Hard to recover if controller fails
❌ Less flexible

✔ Free
✔ Very flexible
✔ Easy to migrate and recover
❌ Slightly slower performance
❌ Uses CPU resources