Hamming codes are rate-efficient array codes

Array codes are error-correcting codes of very low complexity that were initially used for burst and erasure correction in redundant arrays of inexpensive disks (RAID) architectures and other storage applications. The structure of these codes allows a very simple encoding and decoding mechanism. Although they are very high-rate codes, they do not achieve the maximum possible rate given their design constraints. In fact Hamming codes maximize the possible rate given these design constraints. This paper compares the rate and complexity of array codes when compared to Hamming codes.