Addonics RAID Tower III: InTheWild
Back that thing up!!!
With inexpensive cloud storage widely available, does anyone still use local RAID storage for backups? Surprisingly, RAID (aka Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks) remains highly useful for uptime and high-capacity local data access, particularly for video playback, editing, and other performance-related applications.
We ask this question because recently, one of our REALLY OLD servers stopped powering up. It contained four SCSI drives with a few terabytes of data on them, and we really wanted to get the data. We pulled the drives, but the interface was too old for our current enclosure.
There is a difference between a RAID system and a NAS (Network-Attached Storage) system. A home NAS, also known as network storage, personal cloud, or file server, is worth it if you need centralized, secure storage for large amounts of data, frequent backups, or remote access to files without relying on something else that requires monthly cloud fees. A NAS acts as a private, high-capacity, versatile data center for the home, allowing for automated backups, media streaming (e.g., Plex), and improved privacy.
RAID Tower III
Back in 2015, we populated the Addonics array with three Seagate 3TB drives. They had a low cost-per-megabyte ratio, a proven track record, and were backed by a 3-year exchange warranty. At that time, the drives were around $100 each. We recently added two more WD 3TB NAS units for a total of 15TB for just an additional $80 ($40 each). Amazing!
NAS Drives
Knowing that we would eventually go to a NAS, we updated the RAID with NAS drives instead of the less rugged drives (the ones designed for normal home computing applications).
A NAS is a centralized, network-connected storage device that acts as a private cloud, allowing multiple users to store, backup, and stream files from any device. They are excellent for home use, especially because they enable automatic, secure backups of photos, videos, and documents without subscription fees.
One can absolutely use NAS-designed drives (like WD Red Plus or Seagate IronWolf) for home use. In fact, they are often superior for home servers or PC storage due to higher reliability, 24/7 duty cycles, and better vibration resistance compared to standard desktop drives.
Installation
When we set up our first backup server back in 2006, installing the drives, while not complicated, was cumbersome. The limited space in the enclosure meant that connectors and cables had to be short, which meant that hooking things up required patience.
Things were much easier with the Addonics Tower III because of the positioning of the bays, rails, and slide-in sleds. The connectors are on the back panel, the drives are mounted onto the sleds, and the rails assure proper alignment and a tight connection.
Adding or swapping a drive is simple with the Addonics Tower III: pull a lever to pop out the sled, mount the drive on the sled, then slide the sled back into place.
One “gotcha” we did run into was using mounting screws with heads that protruded too high. Because the fit is tight between drives, flatter head screws were needed so that the sleds could slide past each other.
Switching to a flatter head on both sleds solved the problem in less than a minute!
Format
With the drives installed and connected, the last step was to format the new drives so that they would be recognized by the computer.
With MacOS, the easiest way to do this is to use the Disk Utility, which we did, and which it was.
Both drives got formatted without any issues and were successfully recognized and mounted on the Mac. The enclosure is now fully loaded with five 3TB drives!
Since Brady has retired from football, we no longer need to keep adding storage for recording his games. So 15TB should be sufficient for our needs for the foreseeable future 🙂
FinalThoughts
Addonics Technologies, known for storage products and converters, ceased its USA operations after filing for bankruptcy in 2022. Their assets were sold to a new owner, and their future under new ownership is unclear. Official technical support and warranty services from the original California-based entity have effectively ended due to the bankruptcy.
There is no reason why the Addonics Tower III workhorse of an enclosure shouldn’t work for a long time, but we know we will eventually transition to a NAS solution. We’ll update RainyDaySOHO readers once we find something we like 🙂
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