SoftRAID 7.5 is Here With Easier Setup and Better Support

The latest version of OWC's software RAID management solution is here. SoftRAID 7.5 brings support for the latest Mac and Windows PCs alongside a host of improvements.

A major focus in the development of SoftRAID 7.5 was easier setup. We're proud to say that SoftRAID now seamlessly integrates into both macOS 13 Ventura and the latest build of Windows 11 thanks to the app's new driver loading architecture.

With SoftRAID 7.5 we're also proud to announce our new Upgrade + Support Plan, the perfect complement to the RAID management app that works everywhere.

It just works. Everywhere.

In Apple’s continued effort to make macOS as secure as iOS, they have been increasing the checks the OS performs before loading third-party drivers. The driver loading process has become particularly onerous and has led to a lot of confusion for SoftRAID users in particular with regard to what steps they must perform to get the SoftRAID driver to load. Over the past two years this process has become our #1 customer support issue.

With previous versions of SoftRAID, users had to change security settings during the install of the driver. This is no longer necessary; the user can simply drag SoftRAID to the Application folder and begin working.

With macOS 13.3 the user no longer has to jump through hurdles to install SoftRAID and the SoftRAID driver. With SoftRAID 7.5, we have a new UI which, along with our new support pages and instructional videos, make this process much easier. And, we have further enhancements in SoftRAID coming which will make this process completely transparent.

This ease of use extends to the Windows version of SoftRAID 7.5 as well. There is no driver or additional steps needed to install the software on either platform and the guided process will help you decide your RAID volume type, file system, optimization settings, and volume size. Plus, you'll stay ahead of any drive issues with SoftRAID warnings in the Mac menu bar and in the Windows system tray.

Wait, but SoftRAID is a software RAID and I've heard Hardware RAID is better. What's the truth?

The truth is—and for many of the reasons stated above—software RAID has never been easier. The setup just works.

SoftRAID gives you increased power and control over your RAID drives and disks that hardware RAID can’t deliver, and it doesn’t lock you into technology that you can’t upgrade or expand. Our software teams are constantly developing SoftRAID to keep it optimized for today and tomorrow’s technology, so you are always ready for what comes next—often without having to update or upgrade anything.

SoftRAID gives you the flexibility of mixing and matching drives from different manufacturers, even drives with different capacities. You can easily replace a bad enclosure, upgrade to a new enclosure or even add move drives without skipping a beat: All things that are impossible with hardware RAID.

As computers become more and more powerful, so does SoftRAID. Unlike hardware RAID that relies on a static hardware controllers, SoftRAID utilizes your computer’s advanced processing power, producing fast and flexible RAID arrays that have a negligible impact on your computer system or applications.

Does SoftRAID make it easier to move data between Mac and PC?

Moving data between Macs and Windows machines is fully supported and extremely easy with SoftRAID.

The Windows version includes OWC MacDrive technology which enables you to create, read, and write Mac-formatted drives and use them interchangeably between Windows and macOS.

What's this about a new Upgrade plan?

While a lot of the software industry is moving to a subscription license model, we don’t feel this is appropriate for storage software. Why should you have to pay monthly to use storage hardware you already own? So, we will continue to provide a perpetual software license for SoftRAID.

But we're also introducing a new Upgrade + Support Plan for SoftRAID which ensure that you will have the latest version of SoftRAID in addition to OWC's world class customer support.

So, does that mean I have to pay for SoftRAID?

1. If you purchased an OWC RAID enclosure that included drives, we include the SoftRAID Upgrade + Support plan free of charge for 3 years.
2. If you buy a disk enclosure without drives we include the plan free of charge for 1 year.
3. If you need to run SoftRAID on non-OWC hardware, in other words you're purchasing SoftRAID on its own, 1 year of the plan is included.

After the initial 1- or 3-year period is up, to continue receiving support for SoftRAID and to continue receiving updates to the software, you will need to purchase an Upgrade + Support Plan.

If you decide to not re-up your Upgrade + Support Plan, you will still be able to use SoftRAID without limitation. However you will not receive further updates to SoftRAID or support.

Why are SoftRAID updates now behind the new Upgrade + Support Plan?

SoftRAID is constantly under development as our teams work on new features, bug fixes, and addressing larger changes in technology over time. The development team behind SoftRAID spends almost 20% of its time tracking down and characterizing problems with macOS. We then submit these as bug reports with Apple and work directly with their engineers to get the needed fixes incorporated into upgrades or new versions of macOS itself.

We're combining that constant and diligent development cycle with OWC’s award-winning support staff to give SoftRAID users the peace of mind that they are running software designed for the latest operating systems and challenges as well as a support team that is there when need them if you have a problem or question that pops up.

The new Upgrade + Support Plan will allow OWC to provide more frequent updates and feature additions as well as provide faster customer support. During the life of a SoftRAID purchase users receive multiple updates that makes sure their RAID storage is at optimal performance.

Why should I continue/renew paying for SoftRAID?

The Upgrade + Support plan ensures that you always have access to the latest features and updates, and our support team is available to assist you whenever you need help. It also enables our software teams to roll out features and fixes faster, test solutions with cutting-edge technology and work closely with companies to make sure your data is always ready for the next innovation.