• Overview
  • Tech Specs
  • Accessories

Thunderbolt 2 Storage Solution Designed for Video and Audio Professionals

If you’re working in with complex video, audio, or other applications that quickly generate large files, you need fast and reliable storage with easy expandability and proven file protection. If you're using one of today's ultra-light notebooks, mini, or all-in-one desktop computers, your access to these features has been hard to come by. These computers may pack a lot of processing power, but they lack the ability to connect an expandable pro storage solution as well as the capability to install a high-performance RAID controller card. Sonnet's Fusion DX800RAID (Thunderbolt 2 Edition) provides a convenient solution that addresses both shortcomings.

Fusion DX800RAID with Echo Thunderbolt 2 Adapter

A Winning Combination—Sonnet Fusion DX800RAID (Thunderbolt 2 Edition) combines a Fusion DX800RAID drive enclosure with a Sonnet Thunderbolt 2 adapter (installed with a 6Gb/s SAS/SATA RAID controller card) to deliver a complete 8-drive Thunderbolt 2 storage solution.

We've combined the acclaimed 8-drive Fusion DX800RAID storage system with a Sonnet Thunderbolt 2 adapter (based on our Echo Express SEL Thunderbolt 2 system installed with a 6Gb/s SAS/SATA RAID controller card) and an included Thunderbolt cable to create a complete Thunderbolt 2 storage solution. This powerful combo delivers HD optimized performance and proven data safety to users of Mac Pro® (late 2013), iMac®, Mac® mini, MacBook® Air, and MacBook Pro computers with Thunderbolt ports. The Thunderbolt 2 adapter features dual Thunderbolt ports that support daisy chain connection of other Thunderbolt peripherals, including pro audio and pro video devices.

Available in configurations up to 64TB, the 8-drive Fusion DX800RAID Thunderbolt 2 Edition is a no-compromises solution providing up to many times the formatted capacity of typical desktop Thunderbolt 2 storage system, and offers easy expandability beyond its initial capacity. The hard drives come formatted as a RAID 5 set, but you can choose RAID 4, 5, 6, 0, and JBOD formatting to suit your needs. Use of Enterprise/RAID hard drives increase the system's reliability and reduce the likelihood of a drive failure, and included tools can, in many emergencies, help recover files that would be lost on other systems.

Thunderbolt 2 RAID Controller

The heart of the Fusion DX800RAID (Thunderbolt 2 Edition) storage system is the Thunderbolt 2 SEL adapter installed with a SAS/SATA RAID controller. This powerhouse RAID controller is based on the latest-generation Marvell® 88RC9580 RAID-on-Chip (ROC) processor, which handles the throughput from all the drives with plenty of overhead. The RAID controller is configured with 512MB of ECC-protected cache memory, especially important to maintain data stream writes as the disk array nears capacity.

Echo Express SEL Chassis

Designed for Pro Environments—Sonnet's Thunderbolt 2 SEL adapter is designed with demanding environments in mind. With a front and back ventilated aluminum shell and temperature-controlled, variable speed fan, the SEL adapter keeps things cool on the inside. Two Thunderbolt ports provide expandability and daisy-chain support for pro audio and video peripherals.

Constructed of aluminum, the adapter's outer shell helps transfer heat away from the RAID controller card and securely protects it inside. The enclosure is ventilated front and back, and its quiet, temperature-controlled, variable-speed fan (with no switches or jumpers to configure) automatically cools the adapter; when not needed, the fan slows down to a whisper so you can work without a lot of noise in the background. Dual Thunderbolt 2 ports support daisy chain connections. The adapter is enviro-friendly, powering on and off with your computer.

Optional RAID Controller Connection

Beyond Thunderbolt 2 connectivity, you can connect the Fusion DX800RAID to computers with a 6Gb SAS/SATA RAID controller PCIe card, such as an older Mac Pro installed with a Sonnet Fusion 6Gb PCIe 2.0 RAID Controller (sold separately). With the extra flexibility of a SAS connection you can work with locally stored files, a feat other Thunderbolt storage systems aren't capable of accomplishing. To top it off, Sonnet backs this Thunderbolt 2 storage solution with its 5-year pro warranty.

6Gb SATA/SAS RAID or Thunderbolt 2 Connections

Versatile Connections—Easily move the Fusion DX800RAID Thunderbolt 2 Edition between your workflows with no downtime. Connect the Fusion DX800RAID drive enclosure to an older Mac Pro via Sonnet's Fusion 6Gb PCIe 2.0 RAID Controller (sold separately) or to your Thunderbolt port-equipped computer through the included Thunderbolt 2 adapter and Thunderbolt cable. There's no need to reformat or change drive settings—just connect and work!


HD Optimized Performance

This Thunderbolt storage system is designed for work environments where high performance and fault tolerance are critical, and simple expandability a must. It is fast enough to easily handle uncompressed HD while protecting the data at the same time, yet flexible enough to be configured for any workflow. Under real world use (drives 85% filled and fragmented) with its drives formatted as a RAID 5 group (eight drives striped with parity across all group members), a Fusion DX800RAID (Thunderbolt 2 Edition) storage system is capable of single-stream 2K (2048 x 1556) LOG RGB capture and playback. It can achieve up to 725 MB/sec read, 640 MB/sec write (AJA Kona 1080HD test), fast enough to handle a single stream of uncompressed 10-bit 1080 4:4:4 HD, or multiple streams of ProRes 422, uncompressed 8-bit 1080 HD, DV, HDV, and DVCPRO video.

SpeedometerRaw data transfer rates are just one measure of a storage system’s abilities, but they don’t tell the whole story. How many video streams can be transferred at the same time without dropping frames is another measure critical in determining overall performance, and one that can greatly impact your workflow. The Fusion DX800RAID (Thunderbolt 2 Edition) storage system achieves high stream counts because of its ability to consistently and efficiently sustain data throughput, a result of incorporating ATTO Technologies’ exclusive Advanced Data Streaming (ADS™) Technology in the included Thunderbolt adapter. ADS provides controlled acceleration of data transfers, compensating for transfer speed peaks and drops to maintain a consistent data flow, allowing more streams without dropped frames for the bandwidth available.

Enterprise RAID Edition Hard DrivesDriving Force

The Fusion DX800RAID (Thunderbolt 2 Edition) employs Enterprise/RAID Edition hard drives that have been selected for their superior performance, error handling, and reliability characteristics, especially when used in RAID groups. These drives are subjected to hours of additional, stringent testing to check for soft errors, vibration, and other reliability predictors. Just the sturdiest drives pass these tests and are prepared with special RAID-optimized firmware to become the building blocks of a super-reliable Fusion storage system.

RAID Flexibility

The Fusion DX800RAID (Thunderbolt 2 Edition) system supports RAID 4, DVRAID, 5, 6, and 10 formatting for balanced performance and protection, RAID 1 for ultimate redundancy, and RAID 0 for pure, unadulterated speed; JBOD support is available, too. This storage solution even support hot spares—you can set up your RAID group so that one or more designated hot spare drives wait unused in the background to automatically replace a failed drive without you having to lift a finger. RAID Selection SwitchAll this flexibility is accomplished without switches—a simple to use configuration utility enables you to optimize your setup for specific workflow requirements.

 

Key Features

Pro Thunderbolt Storage—Connect the acclaimed Fusion DX800RAID storage system to your computer via high-speed 20Gbs Thunderbolt 2 (backward compatible with 10Gbs Thunderbolt)

Dual Thunderbolt Ports—Daisy chain up to six devices to a single port on the host computer

Large Storage/Expandable—16TB, 24TB, 32TB, or 48TB capacity(1) to start; supports up to 16 additional Fusion DX800RAID Expansion Systems

High Performance—With its eight drives configured as RAID 5 group, delivers up to 1170 MB/sec read, 1270 MB/sec write data transfers

Enterprise/RAID Drives Included—More reliable than the "desktop" drives used in other Thunderbolt storage systems; included drives are designed for use in RAID groups

Enhanced Data Security—Monitors drive performance and can automatically map out bad sectors to prevent drive failures, and provides data recovery tools in case a RAID group can’t be rebuilt and is taken offline

Pro RAID Support/File Protection—Supports RAID levels 4, 5 and 6 formatting with ATTO Technologies’ exclusive DriveAssure™ Technology to protect data in case of a drive failure (two drives with RAID 6) while maintaining great performance

Monitored Operation—SES (SCSI Enclosure Services) and S.M.A.R.T. data reporting provide realtime monitoring of the enclosure and drives

Status at a Glance—Drive Activity, Drive Presence, Power, SES, and Link LED indicators provide instant status reporting

Complete System—Storage system includes 8-drive enclosure with drive modules, Thunderbolt 2 adapter (with 6Gb/s SAS/SATA RAID controller card installed), cables, software, and user's documentation

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Quiet
Fusion DX800RAID storage systems integrate an ultra-quiet Vantec Stealth™ fan. This fan is 80% quieter than a standard case fan, making this system well suited for use in noise-sensitive environments.

Secure Connection
Fusion DX800RAID enclosures link to the Sonnet RAID controller with robust mini-SAS to mini-SAS connector cables that lock securely at both ends.

Status Supervisor

Hard Drive Monitoring IconThe reliability of the Fusion DX800RAID (Thunderbolt 2 Edition) is further enhanced through SES (SCSI Enclosure Services) 2.0 compliance, a feature more commonly found on enterprise storage systems, and enhanced S.M.A.R.T (Self-Monitoring Analysis and Reporting Technology) data reporting for each hard drive installed in the system. Built into the drive enclosure, SES functionality provides enhanced real-time monitoring and reporting of drive, power supply, and temperature status, with real time results displayed in utility application screens and the illumination of conveniently placed LEDs on the enclosure. S.M.A.R.T. data criteria can be used to notify you of an impending drive failure and enable you to minimize downtime as a result.

Excellent Expandability

16TB, 32TB, or 48TB to start—it's your choice. When you need to grow your storage capacity, wouldn't you like a system that's expandable without hassle? Sonnet's got you covered. When your job calls for access to more than your system's original capacity, Sonnet offers an economical upgrade path that is simple to deploy—the Fusion DX800RAID Expansion storage system. Each DX800RAID drive enclosure features an internal SAS (Serial Attached SCSI) expander that enables you to connect additional DX800RAID enclosures in a daisy chain, no additional RAID controller needed. This simplifies installation and significantly reduces your cost to expand capacity. Of course, if your needs are simpler, each system includes user-swappable drive modules so you can easily change sets of drives as you go.

Fusion DX800RAID Expansion Configurations

Easy, Economical Expandability—Fusion DX800RAID's internal SAS expander enables you to connect up to 16 Fusion DX800RAID Expansion enclosures to a single Sonnet RAID controller card in a daisy chain, simplifying installation and significantly reducing the cost for expandable storage.

Enhanced Data Security

With drives formatted as a RAID 4, 5, 6, or DVRAID™ protected group, the Fusion DX800RAID Thunderbolt 2 Edition storage system provides data protection in the event of a drive failure (two drives when formatted as a RAID 6 group). You can configure your system to provide visual and audible alerts, including e-mail notification in the event of a drive failure. A drive can be swapped out and the RAID group rebuilt in hours, or you can tune the rebuild priority to deliver full read performance during the process to keep you working while the RAID group rebuilds in the background.

The Fusion DX800RAID (Thunderbolt 2 Edition) storage system provides additional protection beyond basic data security. Its Thunderbolt 2 adapter employs ATTO Technologies’ exclusive DriveAssure™ Technology, which monitors drives’ I/O performance and performs periodic drive scans to map out and repair bad sectors and slow spots without failing the drive. This proactive maintenance enables the controller to compensate for instances when a RAID group does not respond to a command within a specified time, which could lead to degraded performance (e.g., dropped frames), or worse, the RAID group being failed.

DriveAssure Diagram

DriveAssure Performance ChartWhat happens if a drive does fail? In most instances, a protected RAID group rebuilds using data on the remaining drives. Protected RAID groups using high capacity drives face a greater risk of a second or third drive failure during a RAID group rebuild. When this occurs, most storage systems fail the RAID group and take it offline, making the data inaccessible. DriveAssure can recover data when other methods have failed. Its data recovery modes enable access to data in offline RAID groups so you can copy it to a new RAID group or continue working with it in the case of a soft drive failure. This ability can potentially mean the difference between losing a single file versus all of your assets.

Versatile Performance

This system is ideal for use in mixed environments—various editing applications and output demands requiring the flexibility and interoperability that the Fusion DX800RAID (Thunderbolt 2) Edition storage system provides. This product supports OS X® version 10.8.5 and later. It is compatible with capture cards from AJA, Blackmagic Design, Matrox, and Bluefish444, and work with all mainstream video editing applications including Apple® Final Cut Pro® X, and Adobe® Premiere® Pro.

See Tech Specs Tab for footnotes
Part No.  
FUS-DX8SRT2-16TB Discontinued
FUS-DX8SRT2-24TB Discontinued
FUS-DX8SRT2-32TB Discontinued
FUS-DX8SRT2-48TB Discontinued
Hardware  
Warranty 5-year
Form Factor Desktop storage enclosure
eSATA Interface Speed 6 Gb/s
Data Transfer Speed Up to 1170 MB/s read, 1270 MB/sec write, depending on configuration
Drives Supported

Up-to-date compatible hard drives listed on our Certified Hard Drive Compatibility Chart

Supported Drive Configurations Hardware-based JBOD; RAID 0, 1, 4, 5, 6, and 10
Supported Video Formats 2K (2048 x 1556) LOG RGB, 10-bit 1080 4:4:4 HD, uncompressed 8-bit 1080i HD, ProRes 422, DV, HDV, DVCPRO, and uncompressed SD
External Connectors Two mini-SAS
Drives Supported 6, 3, and 1.5 Gb per second Serial ATA; up to 7,200 RPM
Power Supply 300W, 100-240V, 50/60Hz Universal
Operating Temperature +41º F to +104º F (5º C to +40º C)
Dimensions (WxDxH) 7.4 x 15.8 x 11.2 in (18.7 x 40.1 x 28.6 cm)
Weight (with drives) 28.1 lbs (12.7 kg)
Noise 42 dBA
(Ambient Office: 40-50 dBA)
RoHS Compliant Yes
Package Contents
  • Desktop drive enclosure
  • Echo Express SE 6Gb/s SAS/SATA RAID Controller
  • Eight 3.5" drive modules
  • Universal power adapter (for Echo adapter)
  • Two Power cords
  • Two 2-meter mini-SAS cables
  • One 1-meter Thunderbolt cable
  • Software CD
  • Documentation
Echo Express SE 6Gb/s SAS/SATA RAID Controller Card
Dimensions WxDxH 5.7 x 8.8 x 2.9 in. (14.5 x 22.3 x 7.4 cm)
External Connectors Two mini-SAS
Power Adapter Input: 100-240V AC 1.6A, 50-60 Hz

Output: 12V@5.0A (60W)
RAID Processor Marvell 88RC9580
Firmware Flash-ROM upgradeable to latest firmware version
Operating Temperature 0º C to 35º C (32º F to 95º F)
RoHS Compliant Yes

 

Specifications subject to change without notice.

 

 

 

 

Hardware Compatibility

Any Mac® with a Thunderbolt or Thunderbolt 2 port

Any PC with a Thunderbolt or Thunderbolt 2 port

OS Compatibility

OS X® and Server 10.8.5+

OS X El Capitan compatible

Windows® 10, 8 or 7


Technical Notes

  1. Although hard drive manufacturers and Mac OS X 10.6 define 1 gigabyte as 1,000,000,000 byte, many other computer operating systems calculate a gigabyte by dividing the bytes by 1,073,741,824 (). This distinction may be a cause of confusion, as a hard disk with a manufacturer rating of 1000GB may have its capacity reported by the operating system as 915GB.

 

Mac LogoeSATA LogoroHS Logo

 

Accessories Part No. Description
Fusion 1TB RAID Drive Module FUS-RM6-1000GB Spare drive module for Fusion DX800RAID
Fusion 2TB RAID Drive Module FUS-RM6-2000GB Spare drive module for Fusion DX800RAID
Fusion 3TB RAID Drive Module FUS-RM6-3000GB Spare drive module for Fusion DX800RAID
Fusion 4TB RAID Drive Module FUS-RM6-4000GB Spare drive module for Fusion DX800RAID
Multilane SAS Cable, 2 meter TCB-SAS-2M  
Multilane SAS Cable, 4 meter TCB-SAS-4M  
Multilane SAS Cable, 6 meter TCB-SAS-6M  
Fusion DX800RAID Quiet Fan FUS-XFAN-DX8 Spare fan for Fusion DX800RAID
Fusion DX800RAID Power Suppy FUS-XPS-DX8 Spare power supply for Fusion DX800RAID