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OWC launches RAID 5-capable, 4-disk Elite-AL Pro Qx2

updated 03:25 pm EDT, Tue April 14, 2009

OWC ships new RAID drive


Other World Computing has launched the Mercury Elite-AL Pro Qx2, featuring four interfaces, four drive bays and multiple RAID settings. The unit runs RAID 1, 0, 1+0/10, 5 and NRAID configurations, and supports up to 8TB of SATA-connected storage using 2TB drives. Connection types include eSATA, FireWire 400/800 and USB 2.0, offering speeds up to 300MBps. The casing is shock-resistant, uses heat-dissipating aluminum, and is equipped with status LEDs as well as a keylock that limits hard disk access.

The Qx2 uses an Oxford 936QSE chipset, has a 128MB RAID data buffer and supports spindle speeds up to 10,000rpm. Special technology regulates fan speed, and sounds warning buzzers for both the fans and the power supply. OWC is shipping the unit with a software package that includes Carbon Copy Cloner, ProSoft Engineering Data Backup 3, NovaStor NovaBACKUP and Intech SpeedTools Utilities.

Purchasing configurations range from 2TB to 8TB, with prices typically beginning at $680 and ending at $1,900. Two enterprise versions (2TB and 4TB) offer five-year warranties; the units otherwise carry a three-year warranty. Mac OS 8.6, 9.2 or 10.2.8 is required on Apple systems, though the unit can also be used with Windows 98SE or later.





by MacNN Staff

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  1. phillymjs

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Jun 2000

    +1
    04/14, 11:09pm | report spam | Reply |

    Nice, but...

    ...I'd like the option of buying the enclosure empty and adding drives of my own choosing.

  1. paulc

    Junior Member

    Joined: Aug 2000

    0
    04/15, 01:21pm | report spam | Reply |

    0G Units

    My guess would be that empty units MAY start selling at some point in the future. OWC has in the past introed such critters populated with drives... then eventually offered a bare unit.Backtracking from their pricing, it looks like the enclosure is 580 bucks... not cheap. OTOH, specs-wise this is about as perfect an external drive set up as one could have.Unfortunately, they are kinda fighting Mac Pros that have 4 internal bays.

  1. kompuntu

    Fresh-Faced Recruit

    Joined: Oct 2009

    0
    10/02, 03:46pm | report spam | Reply |

    Not too thrilled with this unit...

    I got this unit few months ago with no HDDs. Put in my own 1 TB drives (4) for a total of 2.7 TB RAID5 array. Few weeks into it the unit's alarm started screaming (boy is it loud, brain-piercing sound!). Couldn't find a problem and called tech support. I was told by the OWC tech support to make sure the unit is plugged in DIRECTLY into the wall, as opposed to a surge protector or a UPS (which is what i had it plugged into - a UPS). This doesn't make any sense. This is exactly a type of a device you want to be on a UPS battery-backed up outlet, isn't it? But i followed their suggestion and the alarm stopped.
    About a month later, when i finally got comfortable with this unit, the icon disappeared from the desktop and i was no longer able to mount the drive. No red LEDs are on which indicate that there are no HDD failures, but my mac can't see the drive or device. Called tech support again and was told that the "bridge board" went bad and i'd have to send it back for replacement board. I was assured that the data is safe and i didn't need to send the drives. So i sent it back and got it fixed. Upon arrival i put the drives back in and get the dreaded "disk you inserted is unreadable" dialog. Then i noticed that someone had changed the RAID setting on the front dial. I had it on 8 (RAID5 with 4 drives) and it now was on 4. So i turned it off and changed it back. No dice. Same problem. Can't see the disk. Called tech support and was told that since they replaced the RAID controller - it now has no memory of how it was configured. Are they implying that some data about an array is stored on the controller itself? I've never heard of that. All array meta-data is always stored on the drives. Which is why you can replace controllers all you want - you'd still be able to get to your data. So anyway, another tech support person told me to try and restore the data using Disk Warrior or Data Rescue (which they conveniently sell). And if that doesn't work - look into professional data recovery (thanks, it costs tens of thousands of dollars!!!).
    Disk Warrior couldn't even see the device, so it was out right away. Data Rescue said its gonna take 17 hours to run a scan to see if something can be restored...
    And that's where i am right now: it was still running when i left for work today. So I'll see what the results are when i get home tonight. My gut feeling tells me that I'll have to reformat and start from scratch. Loosing all the pictures and movies i uploaded to this array from various sources, some of which are no longer available. My iTunes library that i spent months on building is now gone as well...
    I was actually looking to buy another array to use as a backup of this one - but I'm not so sure it will be an OWC product anymore. I just can't trust it. The comments on the macobserver.com are also in line with my experience of this unit (http://www.macobserver.com/tmo/review/owcs_new_qx2_brings_raid_5_to_the_home_desktop/) so i'm not the only one with this problem...

  1. facebook_Laurent

    Via Facebook

    Joined: Feb 2010

    0
    02/19, 06:37pm | report spam | Reply |

    Major problem with OWC Qx2 unit.

    i've got the Qx2 with 4x2TB ( january 2010) , and it gave me trouble quickly. The drives failed to mount several times, then they finally didn't want to mount at all. I thougth it was the eSata card. So i sent the card for an exchange... just got the card back today... turns out the eSata card is working fine ( i have 2 other enclosures working properly), but the Q2x is still not mounting any drives. I'm in France, so getting this unit back is going to cost me a lot ... if there is a way of only getting the enclosure serviced, that would be great. If the unit is not reliable, then i need it upgraded to something more reliable. I need speed and reliability, above anything.

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