David Hanak Related to QNAP, there have been articles on this site over the last few months where we describe working and living with various NASs. Today, however, we have something a little different - a product that targets a different type of user. Let's have a novelty with a name QNAP TR-004 introduce.
Many common NAS are unnecessarily complicated for many users. The settings are very complex, as are the device options, which can also sometimes be expanded with the help of additional applications. For an ordinary user, a typical NAS can be a bit scary, which can discourage a purchase, because a potential buyer does not want to spend their money on something that they do not understand much and that they will not even use in the end. And that is why there is a new product from QNAP called TR-004. It is an offline data storage that supports many data configurations, but does not have a complex system with a huge list of different functions. On the contrary, the device focuses on straightforwardness, simplicity and user-friendliness.
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The QNAP TR-004 is classified as an expansion unit for existing NASes, but it can also be used as a completely independent data storage device. Thanks to the relatively low price (roughly 6 thousand crowns for the 4-slot version), it is a potentially advantageous solution for someone who is looking for a means of data storage, but for whom NAS is already too complex, complex and expensive equipment. The TR-004 unit, which we have in the editorial office, has four slots with connection support for 3,5″/2,5″ SATA HDD or SSD, a USB-C interface for lightning-fast data transfer, the ability to use virtual JBOD, a simple software interface for management and especially support for RAID 0/1/5/10.
In addition to the unit itself, the package includes basic accessories and accessories that we need for commissioning and basic use. Therefore, the manufacturer included a set of screws for attaching 2,5″ SSD disks (3,5″ disks use a screwless attachment system. We also find here a pair of keys for locking the individual disk slots and, above all, a USB-C/USB-A connecting cable for connecting to your With a Mac/computer, the presence of the user manual is also a matter of course.
As such, the device corresponds to what we are used to with products from QNAP. The white color has been replaced by black, the discs are removed from the front of the device, where there are also two hardware buttons and a number of notification LEDs. The fact that it is a functionally simpler device is indicated by the rear I/O panel, which, in addition to the connector for power supply and turning the unit off/on, also offers a connecting USB-C connector, a button for setting modes and a three-position DIP switch for individual usage modes. The device communicates with the connected computer through the QNAP External RAID Manager program, which is available for both macOS and Windows.
QNAP TR-004 can be used in four different roles, according to the needs of the end user. On the one hand, it can be an expansion unit for an existing NAS, or the disk array can be used as external storage for already existing and functioning network storage. Another possibility is to use the unit purely as an extension of the internal storage of the connected computer, or as a central storage for several different computers, for example in the office. We will present specific examples of practical use in a follow-up article.
