OWC Flex 1U4
4-Bay Thunderbolt™ Storage, Docking, and PCIE Expansion Rackmount Solution
3.5/2.5-inch
4
Drive Bays
Connections
7PORT
Dock + 85W Charging1
Gargantuan
128TB
Capacity2
Up to
2750MB/s
Performance
X16 (X4) Lane
PCIe
Expansion Slot
Advanced
RAID
Settings
Diverse
NVMe & HDD
Drive Configurations
Incredible
U.2
Ecosystem Options
Or Configure FLEX 1U4 Your Way
The Rackmount Workflow Game-Changer
Since the launch of the OWC ThunderBay desktop storage line in 2014, computer users across the planet have continued to fall in love with it. They embrace its massively powerful RAID capacity and intense performance fueled by time-tested OWC reliability. Its appeal skyrocketed when it was infused with industry-first FLEXibility to create ThunderBay Flex 8.
Now businesses, institutions, studios, and creatives can go beyond the desktop with the OWC Flex 1U4. This innovative 4-bay rackmount solution is ready to fuel your endeavors with the best combination of storage capacity, Thunderbolt transfer performance, drive flexibility, and device expandability. With FLEX in its name, you can count on Flex 1U4 to be your rackmount workflow game-changer.
FLEXible Storage
Drive Diversity
Use SATA/SAS3 and U.2/M.24 NVMe drives for up to 128TB2 of capacity and real-world Thunderbolt speeds up to 2750MB/s
Drive Flexibility
Swap drives quickly and easily if/when needed
Get Maximum
Utilize U.2 NVMe SSDs as well as the OWC ecosystem of U.2 drives and adapters for incredible speed and flash density per bay
Powerfully Easy RAID
Create, manage, and monitor advanced RAID sets with OWC SoftRAID
FLEXpandable for Unique Needs
Do More
Add a half-length full-height single-width audio/video capture, 10Gb Ethernet, SSD storage, hardware RAID, or I/O card to the PCIe x16 lane (at x4 speed) slot
Configurable
Daisy chain up to five devices or add an additional display with the second Thunderbolt (USB-C) port
Rack Up Workflow FLEXibility
You’ll turn your expandability and connectivity dreams into reality when you add Flex 1U4 to your rack or cart.
Add up to an 8K display via DisplayPort. And when you have a custom capture, recording, networking, or storage need, Flex 1U4 lets you install a PCIe card to conquer specialized tasks.
Connect mixers, keyboards, cameras, and other gear to your heart’s content as well as charge mobile devices with an ample variety of Thunderbolt and USB ports.
Use a mix of 2.5 or 3.5-inch SATA/SAS and U.2/M.2 NVMe drives with four quick-access, hot-swappable drive bays.
Future Ready
When your workflow needs change, the “FLEXpandability” of the OWC Flex 1U4 easily adapts. Add new drives, connect different devices, and install the PCIe expansion card of your choice – like the OWC 10G Ethernet PCIe Networking Card or the blistering fast OWC Accelsior 4M2 SSD for expanded performance storage capacity. By not locking you into an inflexible, single-task design, the OWC Flex 1U4 extends its useful life and maximizes your investment well into the future.
OWC Accelsior 4M2 SSD PCIe card installation in the OWC Flex 1U4
Ideal for All Rackmount Environments
Flex 1U4 is like a bolt-in productivity supercharger for new or existing rack environments powered by a rack Mac Pro, rack PC, MacBook Pro, PC notebook, or even a Mac mini. Whether you build your own custom drive and card configuration or select one of our convenient ready-to-run solutions, Flex 1U4 is ideal in a wide variety of settings:
In School
Perfect for taming ever-growing collections of digital files with easy integration and future drive capacity and performance scalability.
At Work
Adds Thunderbolt speed and swappable drives to server closets, server rooms, or colocation center backup capabilities.
On Stage
Handles all the storage and peripheral connectivity needs “front of house” pros require for live performances.
On Set
Easily fits into mobile DIT carts to capture multi-stream, hi-res footage at full framerate while daisy-chaining up to five additional Thunderbolt devices.
In Studio
Expands storage and connectivity options of fixed racks.
At Home
Great for installers creating a high-performance home entertainment server closet.
Do It U.2 It
A hallmark of OWC FLEX technology is the ability to use U.2 NVMe SSDs as well as the OWC ecosystem of U.2 drives and adapters. U.2 NVMe drives are specifically designed to maximize the PCIe bus, and when combined with Thunderbolt, you’ll blast past fast with up to 2750MB/s real-world transfer speed. Whether you use your rackmount setup to complete massive backups faster, stream content during a live performance, edit large format video, or run high transactional and complex calculation applications, you can do it U.2 it with Flex 1U4.
A Complete Swap and Share Ecosystem
When you need to move data outside or beyond the local network, Flex 1U4 helps you go with the flow. Thanks to the OWC U.2 ecosystem, moving and sharing data with Flex 1U4 is fast and easy. Swap out and ship a project from field to post in video production workflows. Move backup data to an offline colocation for backup workflows. The combination of Flex 1U4 and the OWC U.2 ecosystem opens a new dimension to data transfer possibilities.
Back row from left to right: OWC Thunderbay Flex 8, OWC Mercury Helios 3S, and OWC Mercury Pro U.2 Dual. Front row from left to right: OWC U.2 NVMe Interchange System and OWC U2 ShuttleOne (2).
OWC ThunderBay Flex 8
Take control of your media workflow with the world’s first 3-in-1 Thunderbolt storage, docking, and PCIe expansion desktop solution. Easily swaps U2 ShuttleOne and U2 Shuttles to/from the Flex 1U4.
OWC Helios 3S + U.2 NVMe Interchange System
Create an external Thunderbolt powered set to post U.2 solution that safeguards your data while lowering shipping costs.
OWC Mercury Pro U.2 Dual
Put blazing fast Thunderbolt powered storage and backup on a desktop with a compact two bay footprint that can use U2 ShuttleOne and U2 Shuttles.
OWC U2 Shuttle
Combine four NVMe M.2 SSDs into the world’s first 3.5-inch U.2 carrier shuttle to create a swappable, massive capacity RAID solution.
OWC U2 ShuttleOne
Convert an NVMe M.2 “blade” style SSD into a swappable 2.5-inch U.2 SSD with the peace of mind that your drive is protected by the full metal, heat dissipating adapter.
Learn More About U.2 Technology Benefits on the Rocket Yard Blog
RAID Made Easy
Harness the full capability of your OWC drive array with the included SoftRAID XT, the most powerful, intuitive RAID management software on the market for macOS and Windows. SoftRAID’s RAID creation and management technology has been finely tuned to perfection with over 20 years of development to provide rock solid protection of your data and optimize drive performance.
Packed with Features
SoftRAID XT provides an unbeatable combination of speed, protection, and compatibility:
- Advanced: Create RAID 0/1/4/5/1+0 (10) arrays1
- Protected: SoftRAID Monitor constantly watches your disks and alerts you if problems are detected
- Validated: Volume validation ensures sectors can be read and parity is correct
- Certified: Checks disks before use to ensure they are safe for data storage
- Vigilant: Error prediction helps protect against unexpected failure
- Universal: Move SoftRAID arrays seamlessly between Mac and PC2 with built-in OWC MacDrive technology
Beyond Hardware RAID
SoftRAID provides a level of storage performance that you simply can’t get with hardware RAID. Software RAID gives you increased power and control over your RAID drives and disks that hardware RAID can’t deliver and doesn’t lock you into technology that you can’t upgrade or expand.
- RAID 4/1+0 (10) is available for Mac only at this time.
- SoftRAID serial numbers work on both Mac and Windows. SoftRAID is licensed per computer. In order to use SoftRAID on multiple computers, you will need a unique, valid license per computer. Additional licenses can be purchased anytime.
Thunderbolt Made Easy
We make it easy to choose the right gear. Our Thunderbolt Certified products offer the same performance and functionality whether they are Thunderbolt 3 or Thunderbolt 4. And if you’re rocking a beloved Thunderbolt 2 machine, we offer an adapter so you can plug into our universe of award-winning solutions. No hassles, no confusion. That’s the OWC Difference.
Apple Mac models with Thunderbolt 2/Thunderbolt ports can be connected using an Apple Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt 2 Adapter and a Thunderbolt 2 cable (available separately). This configuration provides data transfer at up to 20Gb/s but does not support notebook charging.
Ready to Rack
Flex 1U4 comes complete with hardware for mounting into most racks and cabinets.
OWC Thunderbolt Cable Included
OWC Flex 1U4 comes with a certified 0.7M OWC Thunderbolt Cable. But if your workflow demands a different length to make the connection, OWC Thunderbolt (USB-C) Cables are the perfect choice.
Certified for Demanding Use
We understand having confidence in gear reliability is paramount to creative professionals. That’s why OWC Flex 1U4 solutions go through a multi-step performance certification prior to shipping. This ensures they arrive operating properly and immediately ready for demanding use.
Stabilize Thunderbolt and USB-C Cables
Active workspaces expose gear to bumps, shoves, or even the random tail wag from a pet. OWC ClingOn custom cable stabilizers (sold separately) screw into the OWC Dock or OWC Drive housing to reduce – if not completely eliminate – cable strain on Thunderbolt and USB-C connections so you can work with confidence even in the highest foot traffic environments.
OWC, Trusted by Pros & Enthusiasts the World Over
We build our hardware to the highest standards of reliability and performance. Because 100% reliability is always the goal, we rigorously quality test and back our hardware with a 5 Year OWC Limited Warranty and award-winning customer support.
Learn More- Apple Mac models with Thunderbolt 2/Thunderbolt ports can be connected using an Apple Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) to Thunderbolt 2 Adapter and a Thunderbolt 2 cable (available separately). This configuration provides data transfer at up to 20Gb/s but does not support notebook charging.
- Up to 128TB supported via 4 x OWC U2 Shuttles (16 x 8TB NVMe M.2 SSDs) available soon.
- SAS drives are supported with SAS drive controller card (available separately).
- Up to four U.2 drives are supported. M.2 drives are also supported with M.2 to U.2 adapter such as the OWC U2 Shuttle and OWC U2 ShuttleOne (available separately).
- Full DisplayPort 1.4 capabilities depends on host computer support of DisplayPort 1.4 specification through its Thunderbolt 3 connection, host computer GPU capabilities, and connecting cable capabilities.