DAS Promise Pegasus R4 Review

Data storage units have become an integral part of PC hardware in recent years. Such conjuncture is simply explained by the rising necessity to store huge amounts of information and transfer the data to various devices. NAS and DAS units have been developed with the intention to solve all storage problems, however, the efficiency of their work is much dependent on the interfaces they use for data transfer. USB 2.0 interfaces are unable to cope with voluminous info; the prevalent now USB 3.0 and eSATA interfaces are efficient only for a single winchester. But when it comes to the management of really huge data blocks, there appears a need for a more advanced solution. Promise Technology dares to solve all vital issues by releasing DAS Pegasus R4 with Thunderbolt interface which is notable for the high and stable data transfer speed with the retention of compatibility.

General Characteristics

DAS Promise Pegasus R4 series does not differ so much in design terms from other similar products, except for R6 model which contains six desktop winchesters. R4 model is delivered in a rather compact dimensions and serves a mini-PC and data storage means. The larger part of the casing is alloted for disk bays with the possibility for hot swapping of winchesters. The implementation of RAID-controllers which are intended for the connection by means of PCIe, contain MIPS-core that promotes for their autonomous employment. The only distinction and privilege of Pegasus R4 is absence of traditional for this product type sockets (Ethernet, USB, FireWire, eSATA) on the rear plate, and instead, the integration of two Thunderbolt ports.

Thunderbolt Facilities

The implementation of Thunderbolt interface in promise Pegasus R4 added the might to this DAS model. The advantages of such technological solution can't be overestimated, since Thunderbolt is capable to combine DisplayPort and PCIe x4 facilities simultaneously. Besides, one can hardly find any storage solution with 10 Gbit/sec bandwidth but for Pegasus R4 from Promise Technology. The other facility offered by Thunderbolt is the chain activation of devices. Hence, it's possible to connect several DAS units to a single PC and get unlimited storage and data transfer possibilities. In addition, any adapter with PCIe interface can be transferred into an external solution.

Software

DAS Pegasus R4 can be communicated to create various configurations due to the dedicated user-friendly applet. The basic principle of its work lies in the possibility to combine separate drives into a single or several arrays which serve the platform for the creation of disk volumes of this or that type. Arrays are created with the help of a mouse only by indicating the necessary disks for combining. R4 model has got 4 disks available for configurations. The applet contains 'Physical Drive' tab that is used by customers for getting a detailed information about each of the winchesters, or searching for them in the formed arrays. Such facility is quite beneficial if there is a need to change the old winchester for a new one.

Performance

In view of the fact that NAS/DAS market is void of analogous to Promise Pegasus R4 products, there is no feasibility to compare its performance characteristics. Nevertheless, it's still possible to test the storage in different RAID configurations. With the purpose to ensure the maximal performance, the user needs to opt for RAID0. But the space for creativity is enormous, and users are able to adjust the device according to their requirements. Upon the whole, this model provides 8TB of volume capacity, 2TB for each winchester, that can be distributed and employed in various configurations.

The general Thunderbolt performance potential is huge, while the scalability is practically linear: a single winchester is able to demonstrate up to 150 Mb/sec, two disks – approximately 300 Mb/sec, and four disks – 600 Mb/sec.