I am building myself a Linux NAS/home server. I am considering either using sw RAID-1 (mdadm) to replicate data or alternatively just rsync them periodically. What are advantages/disadvantages of both approaches. I am adding my assumption as an answer, but I'd like to make this list of pros/cons more comprehensive.
Edit: I know they are different technologies for different purposes. And I know that people have to decide which is more important: reliable backups or availability or some other property of the solution. But there will be people who will be looking at both rsync and RAID and deciding between them. I wanted a list to point them to. I guess I misunderstand when downvoting questions is supposed to be used.