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OWC's ThunderBay 4 RAID 5 Edition Delivers Speeds up to 675 MB/s and is the First Ever Software RAID 5 on a Mac

Aug 5, 2014 | Woodstock, IL

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OWC continues to innovate and build on the proven performance and flexibility of its second generation ThunderBay 4 by releasing the ThunderBay 4 RAID 5 Edition. The ThunderBay 4 RAID 5 Edition gives users the freedom to use this cutting-edge technology as additional storage or backup, with the optimal balance of data-redundancy and performance via various RAID configurations.

Thinking Outside the Enclosure
Over a year ago, OWC and SoftRAID created a strong collaborative partnership to harness the full power and flexibility of ThunderBay 4 and software RAID 5 to bring enhanced performance, storage, and data-redundancy capabilities to the Mac.

"Going this route offers an extremely competitive price point with exceptional flexibility, advanced RAID / drive health monitoring features, and up to 35% higher performance compared to other RAID 5 hardware solutions that typically cost twice as much," said Larry O'Connor, Founder and CEO, OWC.

Greater Speed + Capacity
The exceptional performance and massive capacity of ThunderBay 4, combined with a robust, proven software RAID engine, provides better performance capabilities that are up to 35% faster than many competing drives. With capacities ranging from 4TB to 20TB, and sustained data rates up to 675 MB/s for RAID 5 performance, users can optimize their workflow, and experience the first and only software RAID 5 technology developed for the Mac with the ThunderBay 4 RAID 5 Edition.

"OWC's ThunderBay 4 brings to the market capacities that have yet to be seen in such a compact medium, as well as the performance and data security that only RAID 5 can provide!" - Les Tokar, The SSD Review

Personalized Performance + Redundancy - Bring Your Own Drives (BYOD)
Get the perfect BYOD solution with OWC's ThunderBay 4 RAID 5 Edition Enclosure Kit to add up to four drives, SSDs, or a mixture of both hard drives and SSDs for customizable performance to meet specific storage and backup needs. In addition, users can also set up RAID 0, 1, 4, 5, or 1+0 arrays using SoftRAID that also includes drive monitoring, e-mail notification, and rapid rebuild capabilities.

Configure & Go Bigger
Use ThunderBay 4's dual Thunderbolt 2 ports and daisy-chain up to five additional devices, plus one high-resolution display. Or take full advantage of the flexibility offered by ThunderBay 4 and SoftRAID to connect multiple ThunderBays to create even larger RAID arrays with up to 8, 12, and 16 drives for optimal performance and redundancy. Now, users can get near enterprise-level storage and performance on their desktop for a fraction of the cost.

"I remember when I spent $20,000 to buy 20GB of storage. Now, we can get far more storage, with far better performance, for about $100 per terabyte. The ThunderBay 4. I like what I see. Congratulations, OWC." - Larry Jordan & Associates, Inc.

Key Features Include:

  • 4 drive bays and dual Thunderbolt 2 ports
  • SoftRAID 5 - the first ever software RAID 5 for the Mac
  • Speeds up to 675 MB/s for RAID 5 performance
  • Availability in large capacities up to 20TB
  • Flexibility to combine multiple ThunderBays into a single massive RAID array
  • High-Quality, Certified, Double-Shielded 1-Meter Thunderbolt cable
  • Utility software bundle for Mac
  • OWC 3-Year Limited Warranty with 48-Hour Turnaround Time

Pricing and Availability:
OWC's ThunderBay 4 is available for immediate ordering in the following configurations:

OWC ThunderBay 4 RAID 5 Edition
Bring-Your-Own-Drives (BYOD)$649.00
4TB (1.0TB x four (4) 7200 RPM)$869.99
8TB (2.0TB x four (4) 7200 RPM)$999.97
12TB (3.0TB x four (4) 7200 RPM)$1,129.99
16TB (4.0TB x four (4) 7200 RPM)$1,499.99
20TB (5.0TB x four (4) 7200 RPM)$1,769.99


Photo available at: http://eshop.macsales.com/NewsRoom/images/PR_Thunder_Bay4.jpg

One-Stop Destination for Thunderbolt Upgrades and Thunderbolt Solutions
OWC's Thunderbolt upgrades and Thunderbolt solutions are available at:
http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/Thunderbolt/

The OWC Advantage - Over 20 Years of Storage Design and Innovation
– All solutions pre-tested to 100% capacity with a multi-hour full load burn-in (excludes BYOD)
– OWC tested for guaranteed compatibility, speed, flexibility, and reliability
– Comprehensive step-by-step installation and support videos
– 24/7 award-winning, US-based support for both ThunderBay 4 and SoftRAID is included with purchase

OWC's Industry Awards Include:
Inc. 5,000 "Fastest Growing Privately Owned Companies in America" list honoree 2007–2013
Reseller Ratings Elite Member 2009-2014
Better Business Bureau Top Rating of A+ 2010–2014
About.com Readers' Choice Award winner for best Mac Peripheral Reseller
Business Intelligence Group 2013 Green Tech Company of the Year

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About OWC

Other World Computing (OWC), founded in 1988, is dedicated to helping Mac and PC enthusiasts do more and reach higher. We believe in sustainability – OWC solutions are genuinely built to last, go the distance, and enable users to maximize the technology investment they have already made. OWC's operation provides leadership in business sustainability, with its headquarters among the first in the world awarded LEED Platinum certification. OWC features an award-winning technical support team and an unparalleled library of step-by-step DIY and informational videos. From the home desktop to the enterprise rack, the corporate backup to secure medical data, the recording studio to the motion picture set, and beyond, there should be no compromise. That is why OWC is here.

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Company Contact

Nathan Papadopulos

npapadopulos@owc.com