SLED (Single Large Expensive Disk)

In computing, a single large expensive disk (SLED) is a traditional data storage system that uses only a single hard disk drive. These conventional systems are an alternative to RAID (a redundant array of independent disks), which consists of multiple smaller hard disks that can improve efficiency and fault tolerance. On average, SLEDs are nearly twice the diameter of RAID systems and more expensive to manufacture. The SLED design was commonly used in mainframes and computers until the arrival of personal computers in the 1990s; it has since fallen by the wayside as more cost-effective solutions have emerged.