Network storage

Network-attached storage (NAS) devices are becoming more feature-rich with every new release. The first thing to look at, of course, is the number of bays — how many hard disks can be installed in the NAS box. More bays means more potential storage but, if the device supports RAID, it also allows for advanced features such as data redundancy (RAID1). However, there are many more advanced features such as UPnP media streaming. Here we review two new dual-bay units that are packed with features.

While it’s ever-so-slightly slower than the Qnap TS-219P II (which still makes it very fast), the Synology DiskStation DS212 packs a few more media-friendly features, with SD card input and backup (this should please photographers looking to quickly duplicate files) and a pair of USB 3.0 ports. Given that this dual-bay NAS is otherwise just as full-featured as Qnap’s effort, we think that makes it a stronger package overall.

Netgear's ReadyNAS Pro 2 doesn’t come cheap at around $520 (without drives), but nor does the NAS box lack features, with two drive bays, a dual-core Atom processor, 1GB of DDR3 RAMand dual teamable Gigabit Ethernet ports. The comprehensive software on offer spans the majority of consumer and business network storage needs. For home users, iTunes, Squeezebox and DLNA media serving as well as network printer sharing tick the obvious boxes, while business users will appreciate support for iSCSI targeting and FTP/HTTP server functionality.

Compared to other two-bay NAS units, the Thecus N2200XXX won’t look as good for value, given its A$399 street price and that’s before you add your own drives. However, it’s tough and well-featured, and effectively the two-bay version of the N5200XXX minus the alphanumeric display. Both units feature Intel’s 1.8GHz dual-core Atom D525 and 1GB of RAM. As such, the N2200XXX is pretty quick, transferring 1GB of mixed files in 31.7 seconds for a write rate of 31.5MB/s.

Why would you consider this 5-bay NAS at nearly $800, when there are similar models at half the price? Apart from its extra features, the Thecus N5200XXX has one key advantage: speed. A 1.8GHz dual-core Intel Atom D525 CPU and 1GB of DDR3 RAM means it transfers data fast. In our testing, 5GB of files went through our purpose-built Gigabit Ethernet network to the N520XXX in 2 minutes 7 seconds — that’s the fastest we’ve seen by a good margin.

The wave of new home and small business network-attached storage (NAS) devices continues and, not surprisingly, there's plenty of variety in pricing, size and features to choose from. Probably the first thing to look at is the number of bays — how many hard disks can be installed in the NAS box. Obviously, more bays means more potential storage but, if the device supports RAID, it also allows for advanced features such as data redundancy (RAID1). Last month we compared three dual-bay NAS devices; here we're looking at two alternatives:

Entry-level network attached storage (NAS) devices are becoming more numerous, slick and easy to use, with snappy, professional-looking interfaces and one-touch backup options being de rigueur among the bigger brands. WD’s My Book Live is no exception. This single-bay model comes preinstalled with a 2TB drive and takes all of a couple of minutes to set up, including automatic network drive mapping and the initialisation of a fairly comprehensive yet simple-to-use backup suite.

For a home storage device that’s meant to be left on constantly, the Netgear ReadyNAS Ultra 4 is seriously loud. The good news is that with four hot-swappable drives, RAID 0, 1 and 5 options, dual (but not teamable) Gigabit Ethernet and a decent array of media server features (iTunes, DLNA, Squeezebox), plus print serving and remote access, the Netgear does cover most of the higher-end home storage features. Similarly, backup options are numerous, including compatibility for Apple’s Time Machine software, while two preinstalled 2TB drives offset the price a little, too.

With the growth in home and small business networks, network-attached storage (NAS) devices are becoming increasingly popular, offering a convenient way to share storage with and back up from PCs, notebooks and other devices connected to the network. NAS devices vary enormously in price and size, ranging from single to multi-drive units. Here we review three of the latest dual-bay NAS devices.

This Qnap Turbo NAS TS-239 PRO II+ straddles the line between pure network storage and a PC in its own right, with a long and impressive list of specs, leading with two hot-swappable SATA drive bays, a single-core 1.8GHz Atom processor, dual teamable Gigabit Ethernet ports and a generous allotment of five USB 2.0 and two eSATA ports. With 1GB of RAM and VGA out, the TS-239 would probably even boot a copy of Windows 7 from an external drive if you felt like using it as an expensive nettop.