OWC ThunderBay 8 8-Bay USB-C Thunderbolt Storage Solution, 32TB

ThunderBay 8
With up to 160TB at up to 2,586MB/s speeds, the ThunderBay 8 is like a personal data center for content creators and small business workgroups.

-Pro-grade transfer speeds: up to 2,586MB/s real-world tested speed with Thunderbolt 3 port (Thunderbolt 2/Thunderbolt backward compatible)1,2
-Massive capacity: store up to 144TB of critical footage, images, and files
-Create a data center: daisy-chain six units together for up to 960TB of storage capacity
-Eight hot-swappable universal drive bays: mix or match 2.5-inch (no adapter needed) and 3.5-inch HDDs and SSDs
-Includes SoftRAID: robust software for creating, monitoring, and managing advanced RAID sets
-See your work: DisplayPort 1.2 for connecting up to a 4K display
-Daisy-chain expansion: second Thunderbolt 3 port for adding up to five additional Thunderbolt devices
-Deployment ready: preconfigured solutions undergo rigorous multi-hour drive burn-in
-Quick drive swaps: thumb screw release trays
-Plug and play ready: no drivers needed and includes Thunderbolt 3 cable
-Thunderbolt certified for Mac and Windows

Stay Ahead Of Your Storage Needs
This latest addition to the popular ThunderBay line, introduced in 2014, now offers eight drive bays for either 2.5-inch or 3.5-inch HDDs or SSDs in any combination for up to 160TB of capacity. The ThunderBay 8 is like a high-performance personal data center that offers multiple configuration options to suit ever-expanding storage needs. Photo, film and video editors can take advantage of the largest capacity desktop RAID storage solution we’ve ever offered to handle the voracious drive space appetite of RAW, 4K, large format, and VR workflows.

Monstrous Capacity
Need even more capacity? Daisy-chain up to six of these capacity behemoths together for up to a staggering 960TB. Now you can capture vast amounts of footage from multiple cameras or store vast libraries of production work with a unified and reliable storage solution.

Conquer High-bandwidth Demands
With up to 2,586MB/s real-world tested speeds and the ability to RAID together eight SSDs or HDDs, ThunderBay 8 has the under-the-hood horsepower needed to conquer high-bandwidth requirements. Plus, its rugged, field-tested aluminum design stands up to studio and on-location workflows. You can even configure multiple ThunderBay 8 solutions connected via multiple Thunderbolt 3 ports on your Mac or PC to achieve exponential speed increases. Take on multi-stream 4K workflows. Export and render footage with effects at full speed. Whatever your set up, when you’re racing against a deadline, ThunderBay 8 puts you in the winner’s circle.

Includes SoftRAID: Easy and Complete Drive Management
Now you can maximize disk space, get the fastest access speeds, and protect against disk failure with Plug and Play simplicity. SoftRAID’s easy setup makes it a breeze to create RAID volumes by helping you through the entire process. Just decide what you’re using your RAID volume for and how much space to allocate to it. It's that simple to create your preference of speed and/or redundancy attributes of your data volume.

OWC enclosures ship with the XT version of SoftRAID. SoftRAID XT and Lite XT are fully featured and designed to only work with OWC solutions.

Swap And Identify Drives Easily
ThunderBay 8 makes it easy to keep large data sets organized for every project thanks to its eight hot swappable drive bays. Whether you’re using 2.5-inch or 3.5-inch HDDs and/or SSDs, the drives mount in alphabetically labeled trays for easy identification and are secured by a thumb screw. If you want to access a collection of drives quickly, you can create a drive “bullpen” with additional OWC drive trays (sold separately).

As Secure As A Bank Vault
With a locking front panel and security slot on the backside, the ThunderBay 8 is like an ironclad vault for your data. Plus, with front-panel LEDs indicating the status of each drive, you’ll know at a glance if your data is safe and secure.

See More, Do More
ThunderBay 8 isn’t just about high-capacity, high-performance storage. It’s about giving you all the options you need to work at your best. Attach a 5K Thunderbolt display or two 4K displays. Place a USB-C device at the end of a daisy chain. With an extra Thunderbolt 3 port, you have the flexibility to add more devices to your workflow and master any task at hand.

Stabilize Thunderbolt and USB-C Cables
Greatly reduce - if not eliminate - cable strain and accidental disconnects with the OWC ClingOn. These custom cable stabilizers (sold separately) screw into the enclosure to secure your Thunderbolt 3 and USB-C connections to prevent work session interruption and possible data loss.

Professional Grade = Ready To Work
We understand having confidence in gear reliability is paramount to creative professionals. That’s why every ThunderBay 8 undergoes OWC's multi-hour "burn-in" performance certification prior to shipping. This ensures your ThunderBay 8 arrives operating properly and immediately ready for demanding use.

Technical Specifications

Includes
(1) OWC ThunderBay 8 External Storage Enclosure
(1) 0.7M (29") Thunderbolt Cable
(1) US Power Cable
(2) Security Keys for Front Panel Lock
(1) Quick Start Guide for OWC ThunderBay 8
(1) Assembly Manual & User Guide for OWC ThunderBay 8
(1) OWC SoftRAID XT Software Bundle
(1) Quick Start Guide for OWC SoftRAID XT
(1) Manual & User Guide for OWC SoftRAID XT
1 Year OWC Limited Warranty
Number of Bays
8
Plug and Play
Yes
Hot Swap Support
Yes
Boot Support
Mac only
Drive Interface
SATA 6.0 Gb/s
RAID Capable
Yes
RAID Levels Supported
RAID 0
RAID 1
RAID 0+1
RAID 4
RAID 5
JBOD
RAID Features
Software RAID
Device Ports
(1) Host Port - Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) up to 40 Gb/s (5000 MB/s)
(1) Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) Port
(1) DisplayPort Port
Display Support
Up to two 4K displays @ 60Hz,
or one 5K display @ 60Hz
Display Support by Port
Thunderbolt 3: Up to 5K @ 60Hz via a native Thunderbolt 3 display or 4K @ 60Hz via a Thunderbolt display or a USB-C display adapter
DisplayPort 1.2: Up to 4K @ 60Hz
Data Transfer Rate (Maximum)
Thunderbolt 3 : Up to 40 Gb/s (or 5000 MB/s)
Chipset
Thunderbolt: (1) Intel JHL-6540
SATA Controller: (2) JMicron JMB-585
Contact Start Stops
Varies depending on drive mechanism installed
Host Port Requirements
Thunderbolt (USB-C) port (backward compatible with Thunderbolt 2/Thunderbolt1)
Mac OS Compatibility
macOS 10.12 Sierra
macOS 10.13 High Sierra
macOS 10.14 Mojave
macOS 10.15 Catalina
macOS 11.x Big Sur
macOS 12.x Monterey
macOS 13.x Ventura
macOS 14.x Sonoma
PC OS Compatibility
Windows 10 64-bit Edition
Windows 11
Driver Required
SoftRAID Only
Other Requirements
SoftRAID XT works with macOS 10.14 or later and Windows 10 or later. SoftRAID is licensed per computer. The SoftRAID serial number will work with both Mac and Windows but can only be active on one computer at a time. Additional seats can be purchased. RAID 4/1+0 (10) are currently Mac only at this time.
External Power Adapter
No
Power Supply
Internal UL-listed universal auto-switching power supply
AC Input
90-264V, 47-63Hz, 3.5A At 115V, 1.8A At 230V
DC Output
+12V, 25A
Wattage
300W
Cooling
(1) 92mm cooling fan
Security Slot
Yes
Power Button
Yes
Power/Activity LED
Yes
Housing Color
Black
Housing Material
Aluminum
Dimensions
Height: 18.0 cm (7.1 in)
Length: 24.0 cm (9.4 in)
Width: 26.0 cm (10.2 in)
Weight
7.3 kg (16.14 lbs)
Certifications
CE, FCC, VCCI, RCM, BSMI
Ambient Temperature
Operating: 41°F to 95°F (5°C to 35°C)
Non-Operating: -4°F to 140°F (-20°C to 60°C)
Altitude
Operating: -304.8 m to 3,048.0 m (-1,000 ft to 10,000 ft)
Non-Operating: -304.8 m to 12,192.0 m (-1,000 ft to 40,000 ft)
Humidity
Operating: 8% to 90% non-condensing
Non-Operating: 5% to 95% non-condensing
Noise
Varies depending on drive mechanism installed