OWC Adds Independent Mode to Mercury Elite Pro Qx2 RAID

Other World Computing Inc. announced the increased versatility of independent mode in its multi-interface, four-bay Mercury Elite Pro Qx2 RAID storage product for enterprise, professional and prosumer users.

It has been enhanced with the addition of independent mode to the user selectable options of hardware RAID-0, 1, 5, 10 and span. In independent mode, each drive mounts as an individual volume. With the flexibility of multiple drive modes and USB 3.0, FireWire 800 and eSATA interfaces, it offers the discerning user combination of speed, capacity, and redundancy to handle applications.

It features four hot-swappable bays, multiple interface support, and up to 16TB of available storage capacity. It is engineered for applications such as backup, audio/video, photography, data management, and data-intensive processes.

“We’ve listened to customer demands for ‘drive independence’ and now the extremely robust Elite Pro Qx2 is even better with Independent Mode,” said Larry O’Connor, founder and CEO, OWC. “Its unique mix of multiple drive capacities, multiple high-speed interfaces, and multiple drive modes makes it the premier choice for power users.“

Plug and play Convenience for Mac and PC
Adding the appliance to any Mac or PC is plug-and-play easy. FireWire 800 (two), USB 3.0, and eSATA interfaces provide compatibility and interoperability with multiple OSs and computers. Front panel LEDs allow for system status checks. A removable key lock ensures the installed HDDs and selected RAID mode remain secure. Four hot-swappable bays support up to 16TB of drive capacity.

Available with no drives:

• 0GB Kit add/mix/match up to four (4) SATA Drives – $ 279.00

Four Prosumer Models Available:

• 4TB 7,200rpm (1TB x 4) – $ 549.99

• 8TB 7,200rpm (2TB x 4) – $ 699.99

• 12TB 7,200rpm (3TB x 4) – $ 849.99

• 16TB 7,200rpm (4TB x 4) – $ 1,229.99

It is also available in four enterprise options that range from 4TB to 16TB solutions. It includes all connecting cables, locking keys, documentation, and a disk utility software bundle valued at more than $100 (retail). Units are backed with an up to five-year warranty.

Built for Demanding, Performance-Intensive Applications
It’s built for performance-intensive professional applications such as audio/video editing, HD-video, digital photography, professional music, graphics, and redundant backup. It was engineered for professionals who require high-level storage performance and reliability. It’s pre-configured in a hardware RAID-5 mode to provide performance with data redundancy, and to ensure uninterrupted access to stored data and protection against data loss. In addition, the Mercury Elite Pro Qx2 can be user configured between RAID-0, 1, 5, or 10, and can be set to non-RAID span and independent drive settings.

“Burn-in” Test Ensures Reliability
Unlike other companies that assemble and ship their products with little or no testing, each unit undergoes a multi-hour ‘burn-in’ performance certification procedure prior to shipping. This ensures every one of them is operating properly and that the installed drives are ready for use, with burn-in testing up to 30 hours.  

Backed by Support
Each unit comes with free lifetime, US-based 24/7 technical support, an up to a five-year warranty (which includes a 48-hour repair turnaround time guarantee), and six months of complimentary level 1 data recovery.