QNAP TR-004U

The QNAP TR-004U 4-Bay Rackmount Network Attached NAS Storage Expansion Module Enclosure allows you to expand the capacity of your QNAP NAS and PC. The TR-004U can also be utilized as a DAS (Direct-attached Storage) device, allowing you to directly access its content by connecting it via USB. The TR-004U features four 3.5-inch SATA drive bays with multiple RAID configuration options and USB 3.0 Type-C connectivity to bring you a highly-reliable and secure storage capacity expansion solution.

Key Features

• Un-populated four (4) bay network attached NAS storage expansion module.
• USB 3.0 Type-C port for faster data transfer.
• Supports up to four (4) SATA drives for reliable read and write performance.
• Disk mode DIP switch to change from Hardware Control and Software Control configurations for setting RAID group.
• Lockable hard drive trays to prevent accidental drive removal.
• Users can configure RAID and monitor disk health using Storage & Snapshots Manager on a QNAP NAS.
• Can be used to add storage space to a QNAP NAS, serve as hardware-based RAID storage, and offers cross-platform file sharing for users.

Software Controlled

TR-004U enables software-controlled configurations, giving you greater flexibility. Easily manage your storage, and set automatic backups or Snapshots. Monitor disk health and RAID configuration using the QNAP’s External RAID Manager.

Supported RAID levels

The TR-004U supports a variety of RAID configurations. Depending on your requirements, you can switch between hardware- or software-controlled RAID modes. Move the DIP switches to corresponding positions for your ideal RAID mode: Individual, JBOD, RAID 0, RAID 1/10 or RAID 5. You can also configure the RAID settings from your QNAP NAS, or by using the QNAP External RAID Manager utility on your computer.

Individual Mode
Treats every disk as separate storage spaces, allowing you to independently access each one.

JBOD Mode
All the disks are recognised as a single drive. This allows maximal storage utilisation but provides no data protection.

RAID 0 Mode
Data is split amongst the drives. RAID 0 provides the fastest performance but does not protect data from drive failure.

RAID 1/10 Mode
Half of the total storage capacity is used to store data, and the other half keeps a copy of this data. This provides high data protection at the cost of only being able to use half the installed storage space.

RAID 5 Mode
RAID 5 requires at least three drives to use and parity information is distributed among the drives, providing optimised storage capacity and protection against one disk failing.

Software Ctrl Mode
Use this mode to control the RAID configuration from your NAS or computer.

Flexible storage configuration and management

Compared with other RAID enclosures, the TR-004U provides software-controlled configurations for greater management flexibility. Users can configure RAID and monitor disk health using the Storage & Snapshots Manager on a QNAP NAS, or by using the QNAP External RAID Manager utility on their computer.

• Note: When connecting the TR-004U to a NAS, users can choose either the NAS expansion storage mode or the external storage mode.

QTS Storage & Snapshots

Use Storage & Snapshots Manager to configure the TR-004U as a storage expansion unit for your QNAP NAS. In addition to RAID configuration, the NAS expansion storage mode supports various NAS functions, including storage pools and snapshots. By choosing external storage mode, you can use the TR-004U as a DAS.

QNAP External RAID Manager

The QNAP External RAID Manager is a utility for Windows and Mac users to set up, monitor, and view the status of the TR-004U. Users can easily configure RAID groups on the TR-004U and quickly obtain the status of RAID performance and health at a glance.

Versatile usage scenarios to meet storage expansion needs

The TR-004U meets many storage expansion requirements for home and work use, including:

• Scenario 1: Expand the capacity of your NAS
  Use the TR-004U instead of a conventional NAS expansion unit.
• Scenario 2: External storage for your NAS
  Use the TR-004U as external storage for your NAS.
• Scenario 3: Expand the storage space of your computer and server
  Use the TR-004U to provide more space for your computer and server.
• Scenario 4: Cross-platform file sharing
  Use the TR-004U to move files between various devices with various file systems.

Scenario 1: Expand the capacity of your NAS

The TR-004U provides an alternative method for you to expand rackmount NAS storage capacity. By connecting the TR-004U to NAS and using the Storage & Snapshots Manager,  it become easy to configure and manage the storage expansion. The TR-004U supports a variety of QNAP NAS storage and file management functions, allowing users to build storage pools, find files with Qsirch and organise files with Qfiling.

Users can also use the TR-004U as an alternative to conventional NAS expansion enclosures. As an external hardware RAID device, the TR-004U operates independently and does not require additional NAS system resources. When compared with the UX-500P expansion enclosure (sold separately), the TR-004U uses less NAS system resources.

Note:

• The TR-004U does not support the following: the TS-128, TS-228, TS-131, TS-231, TS-431, TS-431U, and NAS models that cannot be updated to QTS 4.3.6 (or later).
• The TR-004U can only be used as an individual storage pool or volume on the NAS. Its storage pool/volume cannot be combined into the connected NAS. NAS applications cannot be installed on the TR-004U.
• Drives can only be migrated from one TR-004U to another TR-004U. The files and data stored on drives moved to/from a NAS (or another device) will not be recognised.

Scenario 2: External storage for your NAS

Instead of using the TR-004U to expand the capacity of your QNAP NAS, you can use it as a complementary storage unit for backing up or moving data. It also allows you to physically migrate huge data collections that would require significant network bandwidth. While connected to the NAS, you can monitor the health and status of the TR-004U by using the Storage & Snapshots Manager on the NAS.

Scenario 3: Expand the storage space of your computer and server

The TR-004U can quickly add storage space to your computer and server. You can use the DIP switch to configure a hardware RAID mode or manage it by using the QNAP External RAID Manager utility. The health and status of the TR-004U can also be monitored by using the QNAP External RAID Manager utility.

• Note: The QNAP External RAID Manager requires Windows 7 (or later), Windows Server 2012 R2 (or later) and macOS 10.13 (or later).

Scenario 4: Cross-platform file sharing

From your NAS to Windows, Mac, and Linux computers, the TR-004U is compatible with a wide range of devices. This makes it ideal for quickly moving large files between different devices. The TR-004U is even compatible with devices that use the exFAT file system, adding further convenience for accessing and sharing files from a wider range of devices.

• Note: QNAP NAS users must purchase a separate exFAT driver licence in order to access exFAT-based devices.

Standard Warranty: 1-Year