OWC has announced the release of SoftRAID version 5.5. This update adds the ability to convert AppleRAID volumes created by earlier versions of Disk Utility to SoftRAID, expanded error logging, and Thunderbolt chain error detection. SoftRAID version 5.5 is a free update for all version 5.x users of SoftRAID.
For $49, users can purchase SoftRAID Lite and convert their AppleRAID volumes to SoftRAID. Not only will they be able to start using the highly optimized SoftRAID driver which has been shipping since 2003, but they can also take advantage of all of SoftRAID’s advance disk health monitoring and logging features.
Users who purchase the normal version of SoftRAID can not only convert their AppleRAID stripe (RAID 0) volumes to SoftRAID but can also convert those volumes to RAID 1+0. A stripe (RAID 0) volume becomes unusable if a single disk fails whereas a RAID 1+0 volume will continue to function after a disk fails.
Additionally, SoftRAID version 5.5 can now detect problems which are occurring on the Thunderbolt port of a Mac. These problems can cause disks to be ejected while in use. When these errors occur, SoftRAID version 5.5 notifies the user and suggests possible ways to keep these problems from reoccurring.
SoftRAID 5 requires an Intel based running Mac OS X 10.6.8 or later. Support for TRIM commands on SSDs requires 10.7.5 or later. SoftRAID version 5.5 is available as a 100% fully functional trial version, which allows prospective customers to try all the features of SoftRAID for 30 days for free. SoftRAID Lite is essentially a replacement for the lost features in Apple Disk Utility, and retails for $50. The full SoftRAID version 5 is available for just $179 for the electronic download version and includes one year of free technical support via email.
