The new StorCenter ix2-200 from Iomega.
(Credit: Iomega)If you like the StorCenter ix2 NAS server, Iomega has some news for you.
The company announced Thursday the next generation of the server, the Iomega StorCenter ix2-200. This is a dual-bay NAS server that can be set up in RAID 1 configuration for data protection.
Like the previous version, the new server doesn't offer a quick way to replace the hard drive. You will have to use quite a bit of screwdriving work to get this done, which means no hot-swapping, either. Some other two-bay NAS servers, such as the QNAP TS-239 Pro, offer a tool-free way to do this. The new Iomega NAS server also lacks an eSATA port for external storage.
To make up for this, it has Bluetooth support, which has been the unique feature of Iomega NAS servers, and comes with three USB ports that can be used with both USB external hard drives and printers. The server is powered by EMC's Linux-based proprietary firmware, which offers a generous set of network storage features, including:
... Read moreI reviewed the QNAP TS-109 II NAS server a while ago and was happy with its Web interface, which is now about to get even better.
QNAP TS-109 II NAS server.
(Credit: Dong Ngo/CNET)QNAP announced Wednesday the latest upgrade of NAS management firmware that adds more functionality and ease of use to its NAS servers.
The new firmware version 3.1 includes two of new major functions: support for virtual disk and QNAP RAID Recovery that can recover a degraded or inactive RAID 1, 5, or 6 due to unintentional removal of drives. Other new features of the 3.1 firmware also include support for EXT4 file system (which allows for very large volumes and file sizes), SNMP support, and bitmap support for faster rebuilding of RAID volume after a crash or adding/removing a drive.
Other than than, other existing features also get enhanced. The Network Discovery Services now comes with new Bonjour support, offers zero-configuration networking for HTTP, SAMBA, FTP, AFP, and SSH based networks, and full UPnP support.
The new 3.1 NAS management firmware is completely overhauled with a new Ajax-based User Interface. This means novice users now can easily install and manage the NAS server on the network via simple wizards. The new Web-interface works with major browsers including Internet Explorer, Safari, Firefox and Google Chrome. It comes with three different color themes and supports instant switching between a long list of supported languages.
Starting July, new NAS servers from QNAP will be preloaded with the new firmware. Existing devices can be upgraded for free.
If you are the owner of the TS-109 II or any other QNAP NAS servers on this list, you can download and install the new firmware here.
Synology, maker of the DS209+ that earned our Editors' Choice award, unveiled Monday the DS409slim, its first advanced NAS server based on 2.5-inch laptop hard drives.
There are a few other NAS servers that use laptop hard drives, such as the Buffalo LinkStation Mini (most NAS servers use the regular 3.5-inch desktop hard drives). However, the Synology DS409Slim is the first we've seen that offers advanced functionality, including a variety of RAID configurations.
The biggest advantage of supporting small hard drives is the reduction in size of the device. Measuring only 4.7 inches by 4.1 inches by 5.6 inches, the DS409slim is significantly smaller than other four-bay NAS servers that support 3.5-inch hard drives. According to Synology, the DS409Slim consumes much less energy than other NAS servers of the same performance.
Despite its compact physical size, the DS409slim comes with impressive specifications, including a 1.2GHz CPU, 128MB DDR2 RAM, one Gigabit Ethernet port, two USB 2.0 ports, and one eSATA port. The new NAS supports up to four 2.5-inch SATA hard drives with up to 500GB each, which is currently the largest capacity for hard drives of this size. The hard drives are hot-swappable and can be set up in a variety of configurations including JBOD, RAID 0, RAID 1, RAID 5, and RAID 6.
Like the DS209+, the DS409slim is powered by Synology Ajax-based Disk Station Manager 2.1 firmware, which supports Windows ADS integration, cross-platform data sharing, several backup alternatives, and a vast amount of multimedia applications. Examples of these applications include a download station that supports BitTorrent, FTP, HTTP, eMule, and NZB; an audio station that supports Internet radio stations, and iPod playback with connected USB speakers; and support for a variety of media-streaming standards that let users stream multimedia files to set-top boxes or game consoles including the Sony PS3 and Microsoft Xbox 360.
Synology also announced at the end of June that its upcoming version 2.2 of the DSM firmware will be DLNA-compliant. Users will be able to update to this version for free when it's released in September.
The DS409slim is available for purchase now with a street price of about $400 without hard drives.
The updated version of the My Book World Edition's firmware.
(Credit: Dong Ngo/CNET)I reviewed Western Digital's new My Book World Edition NAS server (the white light version) a while ago and complained about its sluggish Web interface, which contains confusing information suggesting that you would need to download software to make the MioNet remote-access solution work. The remote-access solution itself seemed useless.
... Read more
Seagate BlackArmor NAS server next to the Maxtor Central Axis.
(Credit: Dong Ngo/CNET)I got my hands on Seagate's BlackArmor 440 NAS server and it seems different from most NAS servers I've reviewed.
The BlackArmor 440 is one of two products in the BlackArmor NAS server family that Seagate introduced last Tuesday. The other is the BlackArmor 420. The only difference between the two is the 420 ships with only two hard drives preinstalled, leaving two bays empty, while the 440 comes fully populated with four drives. Both devices are aimed at business and home office environments.
These are the first NAS servers that are truly from Seagate. The company does sell and support a few others, such as the Central Axis, but under a different brand.
The BlackArmor NAS server has a rugged and compact look for a four-bay NAS server and comes with an easy-to-use, tool-free design. It can take up to four SATA hard drives of up to 2TB of storage.
Unlike other NAS servers I've seen, the BlackArmor has four USB ports and two Gigabit Ethernet ports. The USB port can host other external USB hard drives that can be set to contain the backup of the NAS server's internal storage. According to Seagate, this allows for offsite backup rotation.
... Read more
Six months after the initial release of the WD ShareSpace NAS server that offers up to 4TB of storage, Western Digital is now ready to double the storage space of the device.
The company announced Tuesday that its WD ShareSpace network storage server now offers up to 8TB of capacity, DLNA2 media-streaming capabilities, and more importantly, up to 30 percent faster transfer speed.
The WD ShareSpace NAS server.
(Credit: Western Digital)This is really good news if the new WD ShareSpace offers the same speed as the recently reviewed My Book World Edition; it would be a huge improvement from the predecessor.
The new WD ShareSpace NAS server is now capable of streaming photos, music, and videos to popular DLNA-certified devices including Windows Vista PCs, PlayStation3, and Xbox 360.
Other than that, the new WD ShareSpace shares the same design and feature set with the previous model. It has a rather small footprint for a NAS server that has four bays and supports 3.5-inch hard drives.
The new NAS also includes WD Anywhere Backup software that provides automatic and continuous protection for valuable data from every PC and Mac on the network. In my experience, however, the software, though it works as intended, tends to bog down the computer's performance when a backup is being made.
The new 8TB capacity WD ShareSpace NAS server will be available later this week and costs $1,700. It will also be available in 2TB and 4TB versions, which cost less accordingly.
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