redundant array of inexpensive nodes (storage) (RAIN)

The acronym RAIN is used for different term variants: Redundant/Reliable Array of Inexpensive/Independent Nodes, but also for Redundant Array of Independent Network Interfaces.

The RAIN concept is a method used in Network Attached Storage( NAS) for fail-safe storage of data files. RAIN protects the stored data in the same way as RAID, Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks, but with the difference that with RAIN not several copies of the data stocks are stored on different hard disks, but the copied data stocks are located on several servers, which are also inexpensive.

The management software for RAIN knows the storage locations for the individual databases and can make an additional copy if one server fails.