Sonnet Fusion R400S RAID With Four 4TB SATA 3.5-Inch HDDs

Sonnet Technologies Inc. announced the Fusion R400S RAID, a 1U rackmount, four-drive hardware RAID-5 storage system with an eSATA interface.

It integrates a RAID controller for versatility, critical data protection, and speedy file transfers, and its eSATA interface provides single-cable-to-host connectivity. Low-noise fans make this product suited for use in noise-sensitive environments.

Available in 8TB, 12TB, and 16TB configurations, the storage system features an internal RAID controller that supports RAID levels 0, 5, and 10, plus JBOD and Clone modes, offering flexibility to configure the drives.

Configurations include maximum capacity (RAID-0), data protection with performance (RAID-5), most concurrent audio file editing (JBOD), or fast cloning of up to four drives concurrently (Clone mode) when it is necessary to send each drive to a different location for security. Selecting the RAID mode requires no application software and is a matter of setting a switch. Onboard RAID support eliminates the need for a specialized RAID controller card. For those who prefer to configure with separately sourced drives, Sonnet also offers a diskless version of the Fusion R400S RAID, enabling the customer to purchase separately the drives.

The Fusion R400S RAID’s eSATA interface offers an advantage in data transfer speeds. When used along with a high-performance SATA controller, such as a Sonnet Tempo SATA Pro 6Gb PCIe card, the Fusion R400S RAID can support data transfer rates of up to 240MB/s read and 220MB/s write, with its drives configured as a RAID-5.

Consistent, sustained data transfer performance enables the Fusion R400S RAID to support multistream ProRes 422 HD, uncompressed 8-bit 1080i HD, DV, HDV, and DVCPRO video editing. Higher data transfer rates and additional workflow capabilities are possible when two or more systems are RAIDed together on the same SATA controller.

Requiring a single eSATA cable connection to the host controller, the 1U Fusion R400S RAID drive enclosure installs in most racks and serves as a low-profile unit when used on the desktop. The included Sonnet eSATA cable locks – at both ends when used with a Sonnet SATA controller – to prevent accidental disconnection. In addition, it offers quiet operation with three automatic, temperature-controlled, variable-speed fans, making it suitable for use in noise-sensitive environments.

"We are pleased to offer this high-performance 1U, rackmount, four-drive RAID storage system at such an affordable price," said Robert Farnsworth, Sonnet CEO. "The Fusion R400S RAID is the perfect complement to our xMac mini Server PCIe 2.0 expansion system/1U rackmount enclosure for Mac mini to support our small-to-medium-sized business and education customers."

The Fusion R400S RAID is available with suggested prices ranging from $299.95 for the diskless model to $1,999 for 16TB. It is backed with one-year warranty.