Which RAID level features striping with parity and requires a minimum of three disks?

RAID 5 is characterized by its use of striping with parity, which provides both redundancy and improved performance. This RAID level requires a minimum of three disks because it distributes the data and the parity information across all disks in the array. In the event of a single disk failure, RAID 5 can still maintain data integrity by reconstructing the lost data using the parity information stored on the other disks.

The use of parity allows for a more efficient use of disk space compared to mirroring techniques, enabling a higher level of redundancy without needing a full duplicate of the data. In addition, because data is striped across all disks, RAID 5 can offer improved read performance, as multiple disks can be accessed simultaneously.

This design makes RAID 5 a popular choice for systems that require a balance of performance, capacity, and data protection.