What is a common feature of RAID 5 configurations?

A common feature of RAID 5 configurations is that it utilizes single parity with striping. In a RAID 5 setup, data is divided into blocks and distributed across multiple disks, similar to striping. This means that data can be read and written efficiently because it is spread out over several disks, which allows for parallel access.

The key aspect of RAID 5 is its implementation of parity for fault tolerance. A single parity bit is calculated and written alongside the data blocks, which enables the system to recover lost data if one of the disks fails. With this design, RAID 5 strikes a balance between improved performance and redundancy, making it a popular choice for many storage solutions.

This configuration does not involve mirroring, which characterizes RAID types like RAID 1. Thus, while striping is present, the unique aspect of RAID 5 is its use of single parity for data recovery. Sequential disk access is not a typical limitation of RAID 5, as it allows for both sequential and random access depending on how the data is organized across the disks.