Hardware

The Drobo lineage is clear in the Mini, though unlike its siblings it spreads its drives horizontally rather than vertically. At 7.3 x 7.1 x 1.8 inches it’s a squat square of matte and glossy black plastic, tipping the scales at 2.2 pounds without drives; that also doesn’t include the power brick, which is compact though still something to consider if you’re planning to make the Drobo Mini a mobile storage solution.

Up front there’s a magnetically-attached front cover, which hides four 2.5-inch drive bays. By switching from the more common 3.5-inch drives, as in the rest of the Drobo range, the company has been able to reduce size, noise, and power consumption (though since you provide the HDDs yourself, that will in part depend on which models you pick). However, it also places new limits on capacity, since 2.5-inch drives aren’t available in the same huge sizes as their bigger brethren.

In fact, 1TB is basically the maximum per drive, though since the Drobo Mini uses the company’s BeyondRAID data redundancy system, you won’t actually get 4TB of total storage even if you slot a full terabyte into each bay. Drobo has a useful calculator to figure out exactly what you’ll get, but if you stick to the 1TB maximum and expect complete data safety even if one of the drives dies, you’ll have 930GB to use with two HDDs installed, 1.81TB with three installed, and 2.72TB with all four occupied.

It’s worth noting that you needn’t install four drives of the same size: you can mix and match, then take advantage of Drobo’s auto-rebuilding of the array by swapping out a smaller drive for a larger version. Another option is dual disk redundancy – where the Drobo Mini can handle up to two drives failing simultaneously with no data loss – but then, with four 1TB HDDs installed, you’ll only have 1.8TB to use.

Fitting the drives themselves is incredibly straightforward: no caddies, rails, or other attachments, simply push the HDD in port-first and, like clicking a pen, it slots into place. No tools required, and swapping out a drive is as simple as clicking it in and pulling it free; you can even do it with the Drobo Mini running, and rebuilding the array begins automatically. Four green LED strips around the corners of the fascia correspond to the status of each drive, while status lights and a useful capacity gauge run along the bottom, showing you roughly how much space you have left.

However, there’s also a fifth bay, on the underside of the Drobo Mini, which takes an mSATA solid-state drive. These flash drives, having gained in popularity thanks to ultrabooks, basically offer a chunk of speedy storage in a small footprint, and work with what Drobo calls “data-aware tiering technology”; offered until now only on the company’s enterprise-spec B1200i, that uses an SSD cache to speed up file access by storing frequently accessed data (such as thumbnails) in a dedicated area of faster capacity. Drobo offers a $169 60GB mSATA, though you can shop around for a better deal, and using the bay is optional.

The Drobo Mini’s other surprise is a battery. Non-removable (but expected to last the lifetime of the unit, Drobo says) it works as an emergency power supply rather than as a true mobility provision: basically, if you lose AC power, the Drobo Mini is designed to have sufficient internal power to make sure all the data in use is stored safely before the drive switches off.

Ports are all on the back, sandwiched between two non-user-removable variable speed fans, which spin with a noticeable hum. As well as a single USB 3.0 port there are two Thunderbolt ports, the second Thunderbolt intended for daisy-chaining drives and other peripherals. The obvious omission – as with most of Drobo’s earlier products – is a network port, with the Mini really intended for use with a single machine at any one time.

Performance

We fitted the Drobo Mini with four 750GB Seagate Momentus drives, as well as a 32GB mSATA flash drive in the Drobo Accelerator Bay on the underside. Drobo’s Dashboard app – available for Windows and Mac – automatically builds the BeyondRAID array and uses the mSATA for caching.

Hooked up via Thunderbolt to a 2012 MacBook Pro with Retina display, itself with a 256GB Apple-fit flash drive, we saw transfer rates from the computer to the Drobo Mini of 98.12 MB/s when dealing with 5GB files. In the opposite direction, from Drobo Mini to Mac, that increases slightly to 101.1 MB/s.

Drobo includes USB 3.0, of course, for broader compatibility, though you’ll pay a penalty in speed: almost half of the rates, in fact. Transferring to the same MacBook Pro with Retina display over USB 3.0, we saw 62.71 MB/s, and then 53.1 MB/s sending 5GB files back from the Mini to the Mac.

Pricing and Value

Drobo has never been the cheap option for data storage, and the Drobo Mini doesn’t break with tradition. At $649 with no drives, it’s clearly on the expensive side for a portable storage caddy (though you do get both a USB 3.0 and a Thunderbolt cable included in the box). Factor in four 1TB HDDs at $80 apiece, and you’re looking at $969 and still having an empty accelerator bay. A quick look online turns up 64GB mSATA drives for around $70 (you can find slightly cheaper, lower capacity alternatives, as we did, but then you’ll see less benefit from the data-aware tiering technology), bringing the fully-loaded price to $1,039.

Count on another $49 if you want the official carrying case, and expect to spend a small fortune if you want to use SSDs rather than HDDs. With solid-state drives currently sitting at the $180 point for around 240GB, you’re looking at $1,679 for roughly 680GB of space, albeit blisteringly-fast space.

There are cheaper ways to use 2.5-inch drives. We’re fans of Synology’s DiskStation DS411slim, which is $300 empty. You don’t get an mSATA bay or the backup battery, and it uses gigabit ethernet rather than USB or Thunderbolt (there’s an eSATA port and two USB 2.0 ports, but they’re for adding extra capacity not directly hooking up to a computer), so data transfers are inevitably slower, and making it more suited to backup than for storing files you’re working on currently.

If Thunderbolt is a must-have, then there’s LaCie’s Little Big Disk, which uses the high-speed port and two preinstalled drives (either HDD or SSD depending on the model). The good-looking external drive isn’t inexpensive, however. The HDD-based model has a street price of roughly $319 for 1TB, though that’s combining two 500GB drives with no data redundancy; opt for single drive redundancy, and you’ll only have 500GB with no room for expansion. The SSD version comes in 512GB or 1TB capacities (street price from around $665), though again you’re looking at half that space if you want single-drive redundancy. There’s also no other connectivity, unlike the Drobo Mini’s USB 3.0, which makes accessing data tricky if you’re using one of the (many) computers that lacks Thunderbolt.

Wrap-Up

The Drobo Mini is wasted on backup. There are far cheaper ways to keep a safe copy of your digital life, and far more convenient methods than taking a single Drobo unit around every computer in your home or office and backing them up one at a time. If we’ve learned anything about backup, it’s that even the slightest hurdle to the process and users simply won’t do it; a set-and-forget NAS handles such duties far more readily.

Where the Drobo Mini succeeds, then, is in day-to-day use: solid data access rates, and the flexibility and convenience of the BeyondRAID system. As we’ve found with Thunderbolt drives before, the Drobo Mini is sufficiently swift that you can effectively treat it as another internal drive, keeping project files – whether photo, music, or video editing, or something else – stored externally, rather than having to copy them onto your main drive and then archive them again afterwards.

That makes particular sense when you consider the shifts we’re seeing in computing, particularly from Apple (though arguably where the Mac goes, the PC tends to follow), with traditional HDDs phased out in favor of faster solid-state memory with generally smaller capacities. A $1k loaded Drobo Mini starts to look far more flexible in comparison to a factory-fit storage upgrade for a new Mac, and the external drive is sufficiently portable that you could drop it into your laptop bag alongside your MacBook Pro and set up a powerful studio wherever there’s an AC socket spare. That balance of performance, flexibility, and data security puts the Drobo Mini into a category of its own, and while not the cheapest external storage, you do get plenty for your money.

The 5big Thunderbolt supports RAID 0, 1, and JBOD across its five hot-swappable bays; however, it’s also possible to mix and match those RAID setups, so for instance you could have a three-disk array in RAID 0 for performance, and then leave the remaining two disks in RAID 1 for backup redundancy.Two Thunderbolt ports are included, and up to six devices can be daisy-chained. LaCie reckons the 5big is good for up to 785MB/s when used with the five 7,200rpm/74MB cache drives in the standard RAID 0 configuration.

As for the 5big NAS Pro, that ditches Thunderbolt in favor of dual gigabit ethernet (with link aggregation support); LaCie also throws in a pair of USB 2.0 ports, a further pair of USB 3.0, and a VGA port for hooking up a display for management. Inside there’s a dualcore 2.13GHz Atom 64-bit processor and 4GB of RAM, plus a choice of RAID 5, 5+spare, 1, or 0 setup.

LaCie will offer the 5big NAS Pro in barebones, 10TB, and 20TB capacities, priced from $549. The 5big Thunderbolt is priced from $1,199 for 10TB, with a 20TB option.

Whichever mode you decide to use, Western Digital say that full Thunderbolt speeds of 10Gbit/s are supported. You’ll be limited to the speed of the hard drives inside the casing, of course, although there will still be a speed boost over the standard USB 2.0 models, especially if you’re using the RAID 0 mode.

Western Digital have also included two Thunderbolt ports on the Duo so that you can daisy chain up to six products together, handy if you’re amassing a large amount of storage for archival purposes. Good news for Mac users too: the Thunderbolt Duo is Time Machine compatible.

The Thunderbolt Duo will come in two flavours, 4TB and 6TB, although all that storage and speed comes at a price. The 4TB version will set you back $599.99, while the 6TB model will cost $699.99. Still interested? Head on over to the Western Digital online store to order them.

Hardware

The ToughTech Duo QR model that we got to test sports dual 750GB hard drives for a total capacity of 1.5TB if configured as RAID 0. The hard drives are speedy at 7200RPM and compact at 2.5-inches in size. They are also easily swappable from the front-loading trays without the need for screws, although the drives can be screwed down to the trays for environments where extra stability is required. To remove a tray, you simply slide the black latch to unlock, which will reveal a red circle, and then you press in on the lid of the tray to pop it out.

The compact aluminum chassis measures only 6.3-inches by 3.5-inches by 1.3-inches and weighs roughly 1.75lbs. It’s built tough to withstand vibration and shock and also uses a passive thermal design for optimal heat dissipation without an internal fan. The large LCD display on the side of the device offers temperature status, monitors drive health, and allows you to configure RAID mode. On one side of the LCD is a black rubberized circular navigation control with four buttons, while the other side has three LED indicators for Power, System, and RAID.

Ports are located on the back side of the ToughTech Duo QR and include two FireWire 800 ports with FireWire 400 backwards compatibility, one eSATA/USB 2.0 combo port, and a power jack just below the power on/off switch. There’s also a small slot designed to work with a Kensington security cable lock.

The device pretty much comes with all the cables and power adapters that you’ll need. Included in the box are two FireWire 800 cables, one USB 2.0 cable, one eSATA cable, and an AC adapter with swappable prongs for outlet compatibility all around the world, accepting 100-240VAC. There’s also an aluminum stand with rubberized grips that you can use to hold the ToughTech Duo in an upright orientation. The device can also just lie flat on its side, if you opt not to use the stand.

Performance

The ToughTech Duo performed well with fast read speeds thanks to the 7200RPM hard drives and a fast Oxford 936 chipset. We first tested the device with a USB 2.0 connection and a RAID 1 configuration, meaning that the device would be writing the same information to both drives in real-time. With this setup we were able to transfer a file that was 2.28GB in 1 minute and 10 seconds, which translates to about 32MBps. Transfetring the same file back to our computer took slightly less time.

Performance results were very similar in a RAID 0 configuration. With the FireWire 800 connection, speeds for the same 2.28GB file transferred in about 43 seconds, which translates to about 53MBps. The nice thing about the FireWire 800 is that the device can be bus-powered by this connection, but not so via USB 2.0 or eSATA connections. Hence, for either of those two setups, you will need to also hook up the AC power adapter.

Wrap-Up

The ToughTech Duo QR is a great high capacity portable external hard drive that’s rugged, compact, and offers a simple to use RAID 1 solution along with easy-to-swap hard drive trays. Its tough chassis and small size makes it very convenient for traveling, while its small footprint and sleek design make it a welcome and unobtrusive addition to the studio as well. It also comes with a slew of connector cables, power adapter heads, and optional small screws for clamping down the drives to the trays when extra stability is needed.

The only complaints might be its lack of a USB 3.0 port and USB bus-power support. The device is also a bit costly with prices starting at $499, although a look around shows that our model with the two 750GB drives lists for about $763. Although costly, the device can be a good choice for a media professional that demands portability, ruggedness, large capacity, and easy-to-use reliable data protection and redundancy.

The Pogoplug Video automatically transcodes video streaming on-the-fly so that no matter what device you’re using to remotely access the content, you should be able to play it. It’ll also support the usual multiple USB hard-drives – in Pogoplug’s unusually-shaped, but this time black chassis – for file and multimedia access.

As for the Buffalo CloudStor, that will be available as the 1TB CloudStor (CS-WX1.0TL) for $149.99, the 2TB CloudStor (CS-WX2.0TL) for $209.99 and the 2TB CloudStor Pro (CS-WV2.0TL) for $249.99. It pairs internal storage, a gigabit ethernet port, a USB port (for adding external storage) and a spare internal drive bay (for adding internal storage and optionally setting up a RAID array) with the same cloud-access as on the Pogoplug Video.

More details on Pogoplug in our review.

Press Release:

BUFFALO SHIPS THE REVOLUTIONARY CLOUDSTOR

Seamlessly Access and Share Content with Anyone, Anywhere with No Fees

AUSTIN, TX – April 4, 2011 – Buffalo Technology, a global leader in the design, development and manufacturing of wired and wireless networking and network and direct attached storage solutions, today announced the highly anticipated, revolutionary Buffalo CloudStor™ personal storage solution is now shipping. First revealed at the 2011 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, CloudStor goes beyond simple storage, creating a portal to freely access and share photos, videos, music and much more with anyone, anywhere through the cloud. Unlike online storage services, CloudStor has no capacity or service fees. Just plug it in, turn it on and create your free account at mycloudstor.com. CloudStor comes with everything you need to get started. You just have to be free to share.

“Digital content consumption has moved beyond traditional channels along with how it is stored and accessed,” said Ralph Spagnola, vice president of sales at Buffalo Technology. “Bringing CloudStor to market delivers on Buffalo’s promise of simplifying data mobility, allowing you to access and share your content freely, with anyone, anywhere.”

At the center of every CloudStor is the Pogoplug® cloud service. The popular service connects users to their storage and allows them to freely access and share their storage anywhere in the world. CloudStor is the first and only Pogoplug device with integrated storage. Files are securely shared between people and there is no need for user setup; just email a link to your family and friends. Consumers’ digital content always resides on CloudStor and the online service is only used to connect users and guests to specified files on the device.

In addition, CloudStor offers many traditional consumer network attached storage features including private share support for LAN based network sharing and pairing with the popular µTorrent™ client, allowing users to offload the task of downloading torrent files from computers to CloudStor. Buffalo CloudStor can also stream to popular media devices, including Sony PlayStation® 3 and Xbox 360®. Plus, CloudStor has an integrated Time Machine® backup system that allows Mac® users to use Time Machine to backup their systems to CloudStor when at home.

Pricing and Availability

The Buffalo CloudStor is backed by a limited one-year warranty that includes toll-free 24/7 US based technical support. CloudStor is now available at an estimated street price of $149.99 for the 1 TB CloudStor (CS-WX1.0TL), $209.99 for the 2 TB CloudStor (CS-WX2.0TL) and $249.99 for the 2 TB CloudStor Pro (CS-WV2.0TL). Buffalo products can be purchased through distribution, online resellers and Buffalo’s ecommerce website. For more information about Buffalo Technology and its products, please visit the company’s web site at www.buffalotech.com

The device claims to be the industry’s first business-class NAS deice with next generation tech inside like support for 6Gb/s SATA III ports. The enclosure supports up to five hot swap 3.5″ or 2.5″ SATA HDDs up to 3TB each for a total capacity of 15TB. The device has 1GB of DDR3 RAM inside and that RAM can be updated to 3GB.

The NAS enclosure supports both eSATA and USB 3.0 ports with dual gigabit Ethernet interfaces with load balancing and fail over. It will also support multiple RAID levels including RAID 0, 1, 10, 5, 6, 10+hot spare, 5+hot spare, or 6+hot spare. The device also supports virtualization with advanced iSCSI services.

The obvious omission is Intel Thunderbolt, with Western Digital missing the opportunity to get the first Thunderbolt-toting external drive on the market (and thus make some 2011 MacBook Pro owners very happy). Still, you do get Time Machine compatibility, and WD throw in some backup software in the box as well.

Interestingly, whereas opening up many external drives will instantly see your warranty evaporate, WD is happy for owners to swap out the internal storage on their own. The Western Digital My Book Studio Edition II 6TB is available now, priced at $549.99.

Press Release:

WD Introduces 6 TB External Hard Drive to Support Increased HD Content Creation by Creative Pros and Mac® Enthusiasts

New My Book® Studio Edition™ II Offers FireWire® Performance and Huge Storage Capacity for Today’s HD Content Productions

IRVINE, Calif., March 17, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Western Digital® (NYSE: WDC), the world’s leader in external storage solutions, today introduced its My Book® Studio Edition™ II dual-drive storage system with a massive 6 terabytes (TB) of storage to meet the capacity needs of today’s creative pros and Mac® enthusiasts who create, store, edit and archive large HD video and photo files. The new capacity provides users 33 percent more storage than the previous capacity, while maintaining the same footprint.
Combining its extended 6 TB storage capacity and compatibility with Apple® Time Machine®, the new My Book Studio Edition II drive becomes an instant storage solution for a variety of professions including art and design, photography, legal and medical, and a host of other small businesses.
The system offers a quad interface providing maximum performance and flexibility including eSATA and FireWire® 800 when maximum performance is essential, and FireWire 400 and USB 2.0 when system flexibility is most important.
“Thanks to advancements in HD video devices including digital SLR cameras and HD video cameras, the quality and quantity of video content being produced by professionals and enthusiasts alike has grown at an astounding pace,” said Dale Pistilli, vice president of marketing for WD’s branded products group. “The My Book Studio Edition II drive now available with 6 TB of storage provides creative individuals with the expanded storage and bandwidth they need to effectively shoot, edit, and safely store their video productions without the need to compress their videos or reduce the overall quality of them for the sake of available space.”
Extra-fast Performance and RAID Supported Configurations
Fast eSATA or FireWire 800 interfaces, combined with RAID-supported configurations, will yield the speed and responsiveness users need for a variety of tasks including fast, smooth video editing; rendering complex 3D objects or special effects, and saving/transferring enormous blocks of data in a fraction of the time it once took.
Formatted for Mac computers(1), these new storage systems feature:
Massive 6 TB capacity;
Extra-fast performance with four interfaces (FireWire 800/400, eSATA, USB 2.0);
Cool, eco-friendly operation with WD’s drives with WD GreenPower Technology that consume approximately one-third less power than standard dual-drive external storage systems and efficient convection cooling architecture and power-saving mode and designed without a fan to run quietly;
Automatic and continuous backup software;
User serviceability, enabling the user to open the enclosure and replace the drive inside;
Capacity gauge to see at a glance how much space is available on the system; and,
5-year limited warranty.

Pricing and Availability
My Book Studio Edition II dual-drive storage systems are available now at WD’s online store (www.wdstore.com). MSRP for the My Book Studio Edition II 6 TB drive is $549.99 USD.

There’s also a second Firewire 800 port, so that you can daisy-chain units together off of a single host port, and if you plump for Firewire then the DM2-PT can be bus-powered too. The box is made from aluminum for durability, and is compatible with Apple’s Time Machine backup as well.

No word on pricing or availability at this stage.

[via PhotographyBLOG]

Press Release:

NEW SABIO DRIVE BRINGS EXEPTIONAL PREFORMANCE AND AFFORDABILITY TO DIGITAL IMAGING STORAGE

With up to 2 TB dual-drive capacity, data transfer rates of more than 115 MBps and multiple RAID options (0,1, JBOD and span), the DM2-PT is an all-in-one, professional grade, high capacity storage, editing and protection solution, ideal for any field or office application.

SAN DIEGO – January 20, 2011 – Sabio Products, a leading provider of external storage solutions for digital imaging, creative professionals, offices and ‘prosumers’ who need large capacity, high speed, professional grade content protection, announced the availability of the DM2PT – an extremely small footprint, 2 drive, RAID enabled external storage solution with exceptional data transfer rates of more than a 115MBps. This all-in-one, high capacity, portable content backup and storage solution has been specifically designed for the studio, office, home or field environment and because of its built in RAID controller with RAID 0, 1, JBOD and span configurations is ideal for any data imaging, HD 1080 video editing, DSLR photography, JPEG/RAW imaging or straight forward media protection and back up application.

“Plug and play set-up and ease of configuration make this a natural fit for Photo and Design applications” says Steve King – Business Development for Sabio. “We’ve specifically designed this product to deliver world class performance at an enticingly affordable price in the world’s smallest footprint in its class.”

The DM2-PT is compatible with any Apple, Windows or Linux based computer or workstation and features built in eSATA, Firewire 800 and USB 2.0 connectivity for utility and convenience, and with its small footprint (6” x 6” x 0.8”), rugged aluminum design and protective slip cover, is an ideal travelling companion for the most demanding photography, video or content capture field project or event. The DM2-PT is also capable of receiving bus power via a Firewire 800 port and with two Firewire 800 ports, multiple units may be daisy chained to support even higher storage capacities.

“We are exceptionally pleased to bring this opportunity to our Photo Specialty Dealers”, notes Mark Gustavson – Executive Director, Marketing and Communication for WYNIT (the exclusive US Distributor for Sabio Products). “The high-capacity, high-speed performance in an compact and elegant form-factor makes the DM2-PT a natural fit for this marketplace.”

DM2-PT ships with all cables (USB 2.0, eSATA and FW800) and supports Apple Time Machine and Windows 7 and is compatible with popular editing software including Final Cut Pro, Xpress and Premier.

They include hard-drive hibernation and “Green Ethernet”, which intelligently controls networking power consumption based on the state of your cabling, together with a smart fan that automatically adjusts according to temperature. You can also schedule fixed downtime, turning the NAS off when you won’t be needing it, and use it with Apple’s Time Machine backup.

Despite the consumer focus, there’s FTP server support and user quotas, along with print server and USB backup (with a one-touch button) functionality; you do only get one gigabit ethernet and one USB 2.0 port, however. It’ll go on sale in the UK today, priced at £89.99 ($141) with no drives.

Press Release:

D-Link launches first new product from its ShareCenterTM storage range

ShareCenter Pulse let you easily share, stream and protect your digital content

London – 6th December 2010 –To help consumers access and secure their Digital Home content, D-Link today announces the launch of its ShareCenterTM Pulse (DNS-320) network storage solution, which is primed to capitalise on the increasing market demand for digital storage in the home. ShareCenter Pulse is the first product in D-Link’s new storage range, recognising how today’s consumers require reliable and easy-to-use storage as they are creating and purchasing more digital content (including photos, music, movies and work files) than ever before.

“The appetite for digital content today is already staggering and this will only grow as consumer behaviour continues to evolve,” said Chris Davies, general manager D-Link UK and Ireland. “Our new ShareCenter products will provide home users with easy-to-manage, plug & play storage capability that will enable them to share and back-up their personal digital content. With our Boxee Box now on the market, ShareCenter Pulse is an ideal complementary product for users looking to access and share content over the network or the Internet.”

Access, share, stream, protect

D-Link’s ShareCenter Pulse (DNS-320) allows consumers to centralise, secure and share all of their files in an easy and convenient way. ShareCenter effectively acts as a central digital hub users can treat as a bank for their digital content, which they can top up or withdraw from in any location. Every ShareCenter product connects directly to a home network by plugging into the router and allows files to be accessed from any networked device in a home, as well as offering remote access to friends and family.
Digital content, such as music or movies that have been downloaded or streamed from the Internet, can be saved directly onto ShareCenter before being shared, or watched from the comfort of the home. Important files, like photos, music, movies and documents, are automatically backed up and protected with built-in ShareCenter backup, while managing content stored on the device is simple through the user-friendly interface. As consumers begin to increasingly rely on digital content, the home storage experience must be optimised for all their needs while being easy to use. As such, D-Link is committed to making storage technology accessible for all consumers, irrespective of their technical expertise.

Product specification:

ShareCenter Pulse (DNS-320):
Two 3.5″ SATA HDD bays
Direct media streaming with UPnP Media Server
FTP server for remote access to files across the Internet
iTunes server
Built-in BitTorrent client to download without a PC
User quotas for security and confidentiality
ShareCenter Pulse is also an eco-friendly NAS appliance with the following energy saving features:
- Hard drive hibernation – which helps to reduce power consumption and noise, and also extends the life of the hard drives
- Low power consumption – the device is powered by low power consumption CPUs and therefore consumes less power
- Smart fan design – fan speed automatically adjusts based on the internal temperature to efficiently dissipate heat and conserve power
- D-Link Green Ethernet – the device supports D-Link Green Ethernet allowing the device to optimise power usage based on dynamic cable detection
- Schedule power off – the schedule power off feature offers the ability to power down the device when not in use
Pulse is available from the 6th December for a RRP of £89.99 including VAT, and can be purchased from D-Link’s network of partners, including Amazon, Dabs and ebuyer.
END OF ANNOUNCEMENT

About D-Link
D-Link is one of the world’s leading networking companies, delivering innovative, high-performing and intuitive products for consumers. D-Link’s consumer products sit at the heart of the Digital Home ranging from wireless routers, media players, storage devices, PowerLine and the award-winning Boxee Box (CES 2010 ‘Last Gadget Standing’), its entertainment gateway which brings the power of the Internet to the TV. D-Link is very committed to standards-based products and is DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance) certified. This gives consumers the confidence that their network will work with a multitude of devices now and in the future.

For more information, please visit www.dlink.co.uk

The Mac Array is an internal expansion card for the Pro that plugs into the internal PCI Express x4 slot and adds a four-disc RAID array. You can use the things in tandem as well for even more performance. The Mac Array is built using four 128GB SSDs and the Apricorn SATA PCIe host card. The card adds a total of 512GB of virtual memory to the machine.

Apricorn says that when a Mac Pro using the Mac Array was tested with Disktester the array increased read rates by 10x and write speed by 6.8x. Graphic artists can use the device as a scratch disc for a performance increase of up to 360%. You can get the Mac Array right now with four 126GB SSDs for 512GB total for $1499.

In fact, LaCie is quoting 306MB/s transfers for the 2big, making good use of that USB 3.0 connection.  Meanwhile, the single-drive d2 USB 3.0 also gets a speed increase – up to 156MB/s – along with a 3TB model.

Each is clad in LaCie’s usual, eye-catching aluminum housing.  No word on pricing at this stage, but LaCie tells us they should have official numbers in November; the current 4TB 2big USB 3.0 is $579.99, so we’re not expecting the 6TB version to be cheap.

Press Release:

LaCie 2Big USB 3.0 Breaks 300MB/s Barrier with 3TB Hard Drives

Today, LaCie demonstrates technology leadership with the availability of 3TB hard drives and the demonstration of record speeds in two of its professional storage solutions – LaCie d2 USB 3.0 and LaCie 2big USB 3.0.

Thanks to the inclusion of 3TB hard drives and the performance of USB 3.0, LaCie’s 2big USB 3.0, now available in 6TB, achieves a dramatic 20% speed boost by reaching 306MB/s–the fastest performance of any 2-bay RAID solution to-date. The d2 USB 3.0 also demonstrates a significant speed increase of 156MB/s with the inclusion of a 3TB hard drive.

“There is no question heavy data users continue to demand higher capacities, and in turn faster transfer speeds,” said Erwan Girard, Business Unit Manager for Professional Products. “Today, LaCie answered this challenge by introducing the largest available capacity and fastest transfer speeds in a single solution, providing users with increased backup efficiency and reduced risk for backup interruption.”

Availability
The LaCie 2big USB 3.0 6TB and LaCie d2 USB 3.0 3TB will be available worldwide, at the beginning of November. For more information, visit www.lacie.com.

The Convoy series includes the Patriot Convoy 425S and the Convoy 425XL. The devices can hold up to four 2.5-inch HDDs and offer RAID protection for data in the XL version. Both of the enclosures have an aluminum housing and a pair of 40mm fans to keep the drives cool. The drive trays are hot swappable as well.

The Convoy family can fit any 2.5-inch SSD or HDD that is up to 12.5mm in height. The difference in the two versions is that the 425XL supports RAID functionality with 0, 1, 3, 5, 10 JBOD support while the 425S has no RAID support.

Those four interfaces include FireWire 800/400, USB 2.0, and eSATA. The mini supports RAID 1 and RAID 0 and is designed for live activity backups and data redundancy on a Mac or PC. The mini can be fitted with up to 1.5TB of storage and has data transfer speeds of up to 300MB/s. The device can also be had in a version with SSDs inside rather than HDDs.

The small device measures 5.2″ x 3.5″ x 2.1″ making it very small and it only weighs 1.5 pounds. That small size makes this one of the only portable RAID solutions around. The mini with a pair of 500GB HDDs is $249.99, crank that up to a pair of 750GB solutions and the price goes to $399.99. Those wanting SSDs can get a pair of 200GB SSDs for $1349.99 or a pair of 400GB SSDs for $3299.99.

The RAID enclosure will work with Mac and Windows computers and supports hot swap without needing software. RAID modes supported include RAID 0/1/3/5/0+1, JBOD, and Clone functions. The hardware support for these RAID modes means that the CPU doesn’t have to be tied down running the RAID feature of the enclosure.

Habey says that the device supports full HD video streaming at 200+ MBps and can support as much as 8TB of storage. Other supported RAID features include Auto-Rebuild at 200GB/hour and the enclosure has a RAID 3/5 write-back cache for enhance performance. The enclosure can be purchased on Amazon for $199.99 drives are not included.

All three come with a copy of NovaBACKUP, and in various preconfigured sizes.  The The DriveStation Quad will arrive later this month, priced at $624.99 for the 4TB (HD-QL4TSU2R5) and $1134.99 for the 8TB (HD-QL8TSU2R5) models, while the DriveStation Duo will follow on in September priced at  $274.99 for the 2TB (HD-WL2TSU2R1) and $454.99 for the 4TB (HD-WL4TSU2R1).  Meanwhile the single-drive DriveStation Axis will also go on sale in September, at $104.99 for the 1TB (HD-LB1.0TU2), $124.99 for the 1.5TB (HD-LB1.5TU2) and $169.99 for the 4TB (HD-LB2.0TU2).

Press Release:

Buffalo Refreshes Its DriveStation Family

New External Hard Drive Solutions Offer High Capacity and High Performance
AUSTIN, Texas, Aug. 23 /PRNewswire/ — Buffalo Technology, a global leader in the design, development and manufacturing of wired and wireless networking and network and direct attached storage solutions, today announced a refresh of the highly popular DriveStation Duo™ and DriveStation Quad™, formerly DriveStation Quattro™, representing the latest generation of high-performance direct attached storage solutions. Combining performance and reliability, these new multi-drive external hard drives, equipped with NovaBACKUP® Business Essentials, are ideal for small servers, creative professionals, offices and consumers requiring redundant and high-performance external storage. Also announced today is the new DriveStation Axis™, a single drive storage solution combining unique features and simplicity with Buffalo’s distinguished reliability for an exceptional value.
“Consumers and businesses alike have become quite savvy when it comes to protecting mission-critical or personal data such as file backups, work documents, music, photos and videos,” said Ralph Spagnola, vice president of sales at Buffalo Technology. “Buffalo has always recognized this need and has once again put forth best-in-class storage solutions providing a perfect blend of reliability, performance and flexible features at affordable prices.”
The DriveStation Quad is a 4-drive, RAID enabled storage solution for small servers, creative professionals, offices and consumers requiring large, redundant and high-performance external storage. Equipped with four hard drives, DriveStation Quad supports RAID 0, 5, 10 and Normal modes, but ships configured in RAID 5, for a prime balance between data redundancy and available storage capacity. Additionally, DriveStation Quad supports USB 2.0 for compatibility with almost any computer and eSATA 3.0 for high-performance data transfer rates of up to 235 MB/s. A heavy-duty cooling system allows the unit to efficiently run cool and quiet while the snap-off front plate allows for quick and easy drive replacements with no tools required. Available in capacities up to 8 TB, the DriveStation Quad delivers unmatched performance at a great value.
The DriveStation Duo dual-drive storage solution features USB 2.0 support for universal compatibility and enhanced performance speeds up to 225 MB/s with eSATA 3.0, providing the necessary horsepower for even the most performance critical applications. Equipped with two quick swap hard drives, the DriveStation Duo supports RAID 0 and 1 offering data redundancy or the capacity required for demanding professional and server applications, along with simple user maintenance and tool-free drive replacements.
For value-minded consumers, Buffalo’s new single drive DriveStation Axis is an easy-to-use external hard drive for the simple addition of external storage to any device via a USB port. DriveStation Axis features a sleek, attractive chassis that can be positioned vertically or horizontally, adapting to the location it is used in for efficient use of space. Equipped with the Buffalo Backup Utility, a component of Buffalo Tools, a feature-rich software suite designed to enhance computer performance and the day-to-day digital life of Windows® PC consumers, the Buffalo DriveStation Axis is the perfect solution for expanding storage or backing up any home or home office computer.
Pricing and Availability
The Buffalo DriveStation family is backed by a limited one-year warranty that includes toll-free 24/7 technical support.
The DriveStation Quad is available in late August at estimated street prices of $624.99 for the 4 TB (HD-QL4TSU2R5) and $1134.99 for the 8 TB (HD-QL8TSU2R5)
The DriveStation Duo is available in September at estimated street prices of $274.99 for the 2 TB (HD-WL2TSU2R1) and $454.99 for the 4 TB (HD-WL4TSU2R1)
The DriveStation Axis is available in September at estimated street prices of $104.99 for the 1 TB (HD-LB1.0TU2), $124.99 for the 1.5 TB (HD-LB1.5TU2) and $169.99 for the 4 TB (HD-LB2.0TU2)

Buffalo products can be purchased through distributors, online resellers and Buffalo’s web site. For more information about Buffalo Technology and its products, please visit the company’s web site at www.buffalotech.com.
About Buffalo Technology
Buffalo Technology (USA), Inc., based in Austin, Texas, is a leading provider of award-winning networking, storage, and multimedia solutions for the home and small business environments as well as for system builders and integrators. With almost three decades of networking and computer peripheral experience, Buffalo has proven its commitment to delivering innovative, best-of-breed solutions that have put the company at the forefront of infrastructure technology. For more information about Buffalo Technology and its products, please visit www.buffalotech.com.

Two products are available in the MobilRAID line including the MobilRAID 6Te and the MobilRAID 2Te. Both of the devices have FireWire and USB 2.0 with USB 3.0 version coming soon. The 6Te also has eSATA and offers sustained data transfer rates of up to 240MB/s and integrated RAID 6 data protection.

Both of the units have an LCD screen and the 6Te is SSD ready, but ships with six 2.5-inch WD 500GB HDDs with 2TB of RAID 6 capacity. It sells for $2850 the 2Te supports RAID 0 and 1 with a pair of 3.5-inch WD 1TB HDDs and sells for $985.

All three models have four 3.5-inch drive bays and support various levels of RAID configuration.  The DS411+ runs an Intel Atom D510 processor and sucks up 60.5W during use, while the RS810+ uses 68W; both support wake-on-LAN, HDD hibernation and power scheduling.  Meanwhile the RackStation RS810RP+ gets a second, redundant power supply.  Both it and the RS810+ support hot-swapping of drives, can have their 1GB of standard RAM expanded to 3GB, and have modular motherboards for easier maintenance and repair.

Of course, as well as backup there’s web hosting functionality – each unit can host up to 30 different sites simultaneously – and IP camera control, Windows ADS compliance and more.  The diskless DS411+ will be priced at $650 and carry a 2 year warranty. The diskless RS810+ is $1399, RS810RP+ is $1899, and RX410 expansion system (which can boost storage to up to 16TB) is $550; all 3 rackmounts carry at 5 year warranty.

Press Release:

Synology® Unleashes Scalable RackStation RS810+ and DiskStation DS411+ High-performance NAS Servers with Extensive Functionality for SMB Users

Redmond, Washington—July 16, 2010— Synology® America Corp. today officially launched the RackStation RS810+ and DiskStation DS411+, 4-bay NAS servers with rich, business-oriented features, appealing to SMBs that demand flexibility and great performing network attached storage solutions.

Businesses need a strong foundation to face mission-critical tasks, and can rely on the Synology RS810+ and DS411+ to deliver high-performance. Tested in a RAID 5 configuration in a Windows® environment, the Synology RS810+ and DS411+ deliver an average of 112MB/sec reading speed while RS810+ writes at 107MB/sec and DS411+ writes at 106MB/sec. The web server responsiveness rates are remarkable; the Synology RS810+ and DS410+ take less than 32 seconds to handle 1,000 simultaneous requests.

For forward-thinking and continuously expanding SMBs, the Synology RS810+ offers scalable storage up to 16 TB with the RX410, and is expandable to up to 3 GB RAM. The Synology RS810+ was certified to be VMware® ready, delivering a reliable storage solution for virtualization deployment. The hard drives are hot-swappable to ensure continuous service uptime when a drive needs replacement. The modular design allows for rapid in situ replacement of the motherboard. For businesses that require uninterrupted data sharing and protection, the Synology RS810RP+ comes with a redundant power supply, which optimizes data availability and safety.

The Synology RS810+ operates at 68 watts while DS411+ draws at 60.5 watts. With energy conservation features such as Wake on LAN/WAN, scheduled power on/off, and hard drive hibernation, users are not only able to reduce monthly bills, but also reduce their carbon footprint.

“The Synology RS810+ and DS411+ run on the award-winning operating system, Synology DiskStation Manager 2.3 (DSM 2.3), and are specifically designed for businesses that want an affordable alternative to various network devices or costly PC servers,” said Rosiel Lee, product manager at Synology Inc. The Synology RS810+ and DS411+ will host up to 30 websites with Web Station, become affordable NVR solutions, supporting up to 20 IP cameras with Surveillance Station, and act as mail servers with Mail Station. In addition, comprehensive business- oriented features are provided, including cross-platform data sharing, encrypted data storage and transmission, all-round backup solution, iSCSI capability and Windows ADS integration.

Availability

The Synology RS810+, RS810RP+, RX410 and DS411+ are now shipping worldwide.

Connectivity includes twin gigabit ethernet and four USB 2.0 ports, which can be used to add extra external storage.  It’s also straightforward to backup external content to the BlackArmor array, or vice-versa, and you can use it to perform Bare Metal Restores across your home or office network.

DLNA, an iTunes server, remote access, various degrees of access control and quota settings, and ten user licenses of Windows-only backup software round out the deal.  The Seagate BlackArmor NAS 400 is available either as a barebones unit for $399.99, or in 4TB, 6TB or 8TB pre-configurations for $899.99, $1,199.99 or $1,499.99 respectively.

Press Release:

Seagate Unveils Customizable Small Business Network Storage Server
New BlackArmor® NAS 400 Server Delivers Protection, Performance and Flexibility

SCOTTS VALLEY, Calif. – July 13, 2010 – Seagate (NASDAQ: STX) today introduced the BlackArmor® NAS 400 network storage server, a secure, scalable and reliable 4-bay network storage enclosure designed for the growing storage needs of small businesses and households. This newest addition to the Seagate BlackArmor family of storage solutions allows customers to customize the box to meet their specific requirements and add more storage as needed. Available immediately through Seagate.com and CDW, the BlackArmor NAS 400 server can be purchased for a manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of $399.99.

The BlackArmor NAS 400 server gives customers the option to install the disk drives of their choice, selecting from an variety of Seagate-certified products¹ including Seagate Barracuda® low power drives, Barracuda 3.5-inch 7200 RPM drives or the new Barracuda® XT hybrid drive for maximum performance. A scalable solution, the BlackArmor NAS 400 server allows customers to start by inserting one drive and add up to three more as their business grows.

Similar to Seagate’s other two-and-four bay NAS solutions, the BlackArmor NAS 400 network storage server includes:

Backup and protection tools for up to 50² network-connected PCs with incremental and full-system, automatic backup.
User-configurable RAID 0/1/5/10 & JBOD capabilities, providing a variety of data protection options to help avoid data loss due to hard drive failure.
Hot-swappable drives — no tools required.
Microsoft® Active Directory 2003/2008 support.
Secure remote access with intuitive, web-based management interface, allowing customers to designate user access manually or integrate with Microsoft® Active Directory 2003/2008.
Windows 7 certification.
Ability to centralize, stream and share media files and documents from computers on a network, share them with other DLNA® compliant devices and computers on the network running iTunes® software.
Full system recovery of the operating system, programs and settings, in the event of a system crash or failure with SafetyDrill+™ software.
Event notification to help prevent and manage drive errors or disruption.
Four additional USB ports to connect extra USB storage, share a USB printer or connect an uninterrupted power supply (UPS) to safeguard from power failure.
A 3-year limited warranty.
The BlackArmor NAS 400 server completes Seagate’s full-line of small and home office business solutions, providing customers with an variety of either plug-and-play or customizable four-bay NAS products from which to choose. With products ranging from 1TB to 8TB, businesses and advanced consumers can buy what they need now and have the confidence that their storage capacity can scale as their business or storage needs grow.

Working together with Gigabyte, who’ve managed to get their name on several different USB 3.0 products out there, and Silicon Image (who are providing their SteelVine Series 3 Core storage tech), the hard drives inside the Orbit can be configured to run in either RAID 0 or RAID 1, depending on your preference. You can also choose JBOD, as well. If you’re worried about drive failures, then running the Orbit in a RAID 1 set-up may be the best option, as it’s perfectly set up for handling critical data. However, as with many RAID 1 situations, you’ll be gaining security, but losing speed. The Orbit duplicates data in real-time, which means that it takes about two times the length of time.

But, if you’re all about speed, then you’ll want the RAID 0 configuration, as this is where the USB 3.0 will really come in handy. You’ll have the full ability of dual-write and striping operations, which are permitted by RAID 0. We wish we could tell you when this bad boy of RAID tech was coming out, but there’s not enough information released quite yet, so it could still be a ways away. As soon as we hear something, we’ll be sure to pass it along.

[via Everything USB]

Each supports RAID for redundant storage of whatever media files you load, back-up or record, and there are various memory card slots for transferring footage off of your digital camera or camcorder.  Each unit has gigabit ethernet, optical audio outputs, Bluetooth 2.0 and HD 3D audio processing; the S2 is based on an Intel Atom 330 dual-core CPU with 2GB of RAM and NVIDIA Ion graphics, while the S4 uses an AMD Athlon 4200+ 2.2GHz dual-core CPU, 4GB of RAM and ATI Radeon 3200HD graphics.

Both come with a remote control, six USB 2.0 ports and an eSATA port.  The Mvix HDHome S2 is priced at $999 and the Mvix HDHome S4 is $1,599; both will arrive from June 1st 2010.

Press Release:

Mvix HDHome Converges Home Theater, Gaming and Home Computing Into a Single Device

Chantilly, VA. May 25, 2010: Mvix(USA), Inc., a market leader in high-definition entertainment, business signage solutions and networked-accessible storage (NAS) devices, announces the launch of their flagship product HDHome. The device delivers a convergence across high definition home entertainment, gaming and home computing into a single, compact unit along with massive storage space for hi def media files. “This high-end, comprehensive system fills a void in the market where users demand versatility and system flexibility. Our customers have been asking us for a device where they can store terabytes of their movie collection and have access to it from anyplace, anywhere. HDHome is a response to such a market feedback.” Said VP of Business Development, Mike Mallon.

Built along the traditional HTPC architecture, Mvix HDHome is targeted toward movie aficionadas and multi-taskers, who value superior quality, style and multi-source entertainment. It leverages the latest, Windows 7 Media Center® platform to deliver a near-perfect user interface along with a host of networked sharing options. One can browse thousands of internet TV stations, watch Netflix® , Hulu® and easily share media across the home network. HDHome also works as the universal platform for PC-based gaming and multi-player online games.

The HDHome media center features an embedded slot-load, Bluray player with PowerDVD for a complete HD entertainment experience. Eliminating the need for an additional set-top BD box in the living room, HDHome aims to be the center for all things HD, and Digital Media. With an embedded TV tuner, users will be able to watch, pause, and record a live TV program. HDHome uses latest video and audio decoding technology, making it most versatile media (video and audio) playback system in the market. Apart from true 1080p HD movies and images, HDHome also allows rich, HD 3D digital music over HDMI and optical digital audio out.

Inspite of its small size, HDHome provides expandable storage capacity. It features RAID-enabled, hot-swappable HDD bays for reliable, secure storage for all digital media and documents. HDHome is being launched in two flavors: HDHome S2 (2-bay version, priced at $999)and HDHome S4 (4-bay version, priced at $1599). Both models will feature 10/100/1000 network, Embedded Wireless-N, BD Drive, Media Card Slots, HDMI out, Optical Audio Out, TV Tuner and a full, licensed version of Windows-7 Home Premium disk.

Announcing the launch, Mike commeneted: “HDHome is the ultimate dream box for today’s high definition homes. It is the result of our decade long experience in delivering superior home entertainment devices, home theater PCs and media storage technology. HDHome is for people who enjoy and share movies, listen music, tweet, and web-surf – all at the same time, sitting in their living rooms or home theaters.”

iStoragePro has announced its latest RAID storage array called the iT4UFER tower 4 bay RAID system. The device has lots of connectivity and can connect to a PC via USB, Firewire, or eSATA ports. It also supports Apple Final Cut Pro and Adobe Premiere Pro CS4 video editing software.

The RAID enclosure has four bays that support up to 8TB of storage and the drives in the array are hot swappable. The machine has cooling fans designed for low noise output and it can be used on Mac, Windows, and Linux systems.

The Best of R3 Media

Motorola Cliq Gets a Screenshot of Android 2.1: While other Sprint devices keep getting the update to Android 2.1, there’s a few other handsets out there that still haven’t been brought into the current age of Android. Namely, handsets running with MOTOBLUR. Just when we might have started thinking it wasn’t going to happen, we get a screenshot of a Motorola Cliq, somewhere out there in the United States, running the latest build of Android 2.1. It’s only a screen grab of the Settings menu, so we don’t have a lot to go on here, but at least it’s something. Or, it’s fake. [via Android Community]

The Motorola i1 Lands on SouthernLINC: Sure, we might have assumed that Motorola had bigger plans for the Motorola i1, but apparently its initial launch is destined for a regional carrier. And, sure enough, it’s expensive on that regional carrier, too. SouthernLINC have landed the launch of the Motorola i1, with its military-spec ruggedization, and Android-running goodness. It’ll cost you $200 on a new, two-year contract, so definitely weigh your options a bit, yeah? [via SlashPhone]

The Dredge Net

LaCie Shows Off New Net-Connected RAID: LaCie knows how to make expensive solutions to your storage needs. With this latest edition, there’s no exception made. These new drives are intended for maximum data storage, protection, and connectivity. There is a pair of hard drives inside the foreboding black box, which are set up in a typical RAID 1 fashion: you write to one, it gets reflected on the other. It features built-in server and torrent download functions, which should make a few people happy out there. The USB 2.0 interface should also do the trick, meaning you can use the RAID set-up like a standard hard drive as well. You can set it up in a 2GB or 4GB capacity, with the 2GB mark starting with a cost of $480. [via CrunchGear]

MSI Introduces X620 and CX420: MSI knows how to launch a notebook. They do it all the time, it seems, and they probably don’t plan on stopping any time soon. This time around, we’ve got the X620MX, which is a 15.6-inch, which features Intel’s new Core 2010 line-up of processors, and ATI’s Mobility Radeon HD 545v (512MB) GPU. Actually both notebooks rock the same features, including the DDR3 RAM, up to two slots, and the same 1366×768 resolution of the screens. Hard drives come in sizes from 250GB/320GB/500GB; HDMI/VGA outputs, 3 USB 2.0 ports, microphone and headphone audio jacks, and integrated WiFi 802.11b/g/n. No prices or release date yet. [via Hot Hardware]

Foxconn’s Tablet Features Tegra 2: NVIDIA showed off a new tablet, and we’ve got to admit: it’s impressive. Sure, it’s probably not coming out until way later this year, but at least we’ve got something to look forward to (among other things, of course). This prototype tablet features the dual-core Tegra 250 chipset, which is designed by Foxconn, is labeled as being “a generation ahead” of the iPad from Apple, because it may run the same 1GHz clock speed, but the ARM Cortex-A9 architecture means that it can actually pull 25 percent more power than Apple’s A4 processor. It also features 1GB of RAM, which is four times as much as Apple’s tablet. It’s only 8.9 inches, though, so it is a bit smaller than the revolutionary product from Cupertino. It does have a front-facing camera and 2 USB ports, though. [via Electronista]

Overview and Features

The original Drobo had four 3.5-inch drive bays and a single USB 2.0 port, and was subsequently updated to add a FireWire 800 port. In comparison, the Drobo S gets five 3.5-inch SATA I/II drive bays – which still don’t require any sort of drive caddy or rails – and throws in an eSATA port as well. Data Robotics have also changed the underlying ARM-based processor, to one reportedly 50-percent faster than in the first-gen Drobo.

In the box you get the Drobo S itself – a shiny black plastic box measuring 5.9 x 7.3 x 10.3 inches – together with an external PSU, all three connection cables (USB 2.0, FireWire 800 and eSATA), printed user guide and quick-start card, and a CD with the Drobo Dashboard application together with electronic versions of the documentation. In its standard form, Data Robotics supply the Drobo S drive-free, which means you’ll also need to factor in the cost of adding storage. Up to 10TB can be accommodated, made up of five 2TB drives.

The Drobo S enters a market filled with significantly more aware consumers than its predecessor did. The Network Attached Storage (NAS) segment has flourished, particularly with one- and two-drive devices that promise plug-and-play shared storage without the headaches of system maintenance a server might demand. While consumers may know them better as media servers, the end result is the same: the ability to share documents, iTunes and other music libraries, video and photo galleries from a central point to multiple PCs, netbooks, consoles and phones, locally or – with a little setup – remotely.

In comparison, the Drobo S lacks any sort of networking functionality out of the box. There’s no gigabit ethernet port for setting it up as a media server or checking on documents you left at the office while you’re at home. Instead, it’s intended to provide data security for a single connected machine (you can’t hook up all three of the ports to different computers simultaneously, only one at a time). Rather than RAID, the various levels of which provide different degrees of duplication across a number of identically-sized drives, Data Robotics use their own “BeyondRAID” technology which has a number of advantages.

The headline feature – and one which makes the Drobo range perhaps so appealing to overworked system admins or out-of-depth prosumer users – is the self-management. Slot in two or more drives of any capacity, speed or brand (you can run the Drobo S with a single drive, but of course you won’t see any data security) and BeyondRAID automatically formats them, works out the maximum amount of storage that can be protected (e.g. if a drive fails, you won’t lose any data) and does everything necessary so that you can merely plug in via USB, eSATA or FireWire and begin copying over files. Start with two 1TB drives, for instance, and the Drobo S will end up offering you around 2TB of potential storage (e.g. the data on one drive is mirrored on the second, so if one should fail you’ll still have a safe copy); add a third 1TB drive – which you could do six months down the line, with the Drobo S already part-full of files – and the available storage leaps to just over 1.8TB. BeyondRAID automatically works out the maximum potential safe capacity, can do so without entirely rebuilding the array, and does so faster than a regular RAID setup since the Drobo S only copies actual data rather than every drive block.

So far, so Drobo, but the Drobo S adds in protection from two potential drive failures. That means, even if two discs in your array decide to break down, the Drobo S has still secured copies of your files. It’s worth noting that there’s a capacity trade-off for this extra protection – you have to manually activate it, with single-drive protection being standard – but unlike traditional RAID if you later decide to go prioritise space over double disc security, you can flip between the two without having to completely rebuild the array. Drives, meanwhile, are hot-swappable, you can continue to access data while a new or replacement disc is being prepared and, even while it’s sitting idle, the Drobo S is checking disc blocks and sectors to pre-emptively spot potential bad areas.

Performance

Data Robotics sent our test Drobo S unit with five hard-drives: three 320GB Western Digital Green, a 1TB Western Digital RE3 and a 2TB Western Digital Caviar Black. Our test machine was a Windows 7 64-bit workstation with an eSATA port, and we used three sample files, sized at 10MB, 100MB and 1GB. The Drobo S managed a 67MB/s read rate and a 71MB/s write rate, while burst speeds came in at around 146MB/s.

In contrast, the first-generation Drobo – using a USB 2.0 port – managed 11MB/s read, 9MB/s write and 17MB/s burst. There’s obviously a significant difference there, primarily because of the connectivity type (our first-gen Drobo is USB 2.0 only, and lacks the FireWire 800 port of the second-gen update); FireWire will be around 25-percent faster than USB 2.0, while eSATA is around 50-percent faster than FireWire. In short, if you’re looking for pure speed – important if you’re hoping to back up large quantities of data, or use the array for regularly-accessed high-resolution media files – the Drobo S’ eSATA connection offers a tangible benefit over its predecessor. We wouldn’t recommend it for I/O intensive applications like writing SQL data, however.

Verdict

The question, then, is for whom the Drobo S is intended. Without ethernet connectivity – while the DroboShare NAS adapter will apparently work with the Drobo S, it’s not officially supported and user feedback since its launch has been patchy at best – this is storage predominantly for a single person or project, unless you’re willing to leave a computer permanently switched on which can share the array over your network. Alternatively there are devices like the Pogoplug and Iomega’s iConnect which can bridge a USB 2.0 drive to a network connection (and throw in simple remote internet access too), but then you’re limiting yourself to the slowest of the three ports on offer.

It’s also considerably more expensive than the standard Drobo, which remains on sale alongside the new S-variant. The 4-bay Drobo is $399 from Data Robotics’ own online store, while the 5-bay Drobo S is $799 (the company will also sell you various pre-configured systems, with drives already installed). While the Drobo Dashboard app allows for status monitoring, there’s no actual backup app provided with either model, which means you’ll need to either use whatever functionality is present in your OS of choice (Drobo is compatible with Apple’s OS X Time Machine, for instance) or factor in the added cost of dedicated backup software. [Update: Data Robotics have highlighted their DroboCopy app, which is part of the DroboDashboard app for Windows and OS X machines. It allows you to set up scheduled backups of particular folders.] Expect a louder, slightly more expensive box to run, too: where Data Robotics say the Drobo draws between 12W and 40W depending on system activity, with up to 24.4dB in normal operation, while the Drobo S pulls up to 56W and 31.8dB. Obviously those figures will depend on which drives (and how many of them) you’re using; an original Drobo stuffed full of performance drives will probably end up louder than a Drobo S with just two eco-friendly drives.

If, however, you’re responsible for backing up a local machine – your precious mail server, perhaps, or a workstation that handles important media – then the Drobo S comes into its own. Unlike a regular RAID array, the Drobo S has the ease of use of a preconfigured system; unlike most preconfigured arrays, however, there’s also the flexibility to upgrade in the future without the cost of overhauling every drive you’re currently using, or a significant time impact in doing so. Double drive redundancy, plus the ability to temporarily switch from it to single redundancy in a pinch (handy, say, if you desperately need the storage space while you wait for new, bigger drives to be delivered) both make for one of the most secure ways to protect your data. The original Drobo found favor with photographers and other digital media professionals, and the Drobo S certainly fits well into that sort of niche.

Compared to an enterprise-class RAID storage system, meanwhile, the Drobo S’ price starts to look all the more competitive. By keeping the Drobo on sale alongside, Data Robotics are sending out a clear message that the new ‘bot isn’t particularly intended for entry-level home users (though the eSATA port has certainly caught their eye). On an enterprise level, then, even factoring in drive costs this is an affordable option, and that’s before you add up the value of BeyondRAID’s extra usability.

Not for everyone, then, and if you’re mainly wanting to share media around the home then there are cheaper, out-of-the-box functional ways of doing so. If reliable local backup is your priority, however, and you’d rather spend your time working with files than wrangling the system that backs them up, then the Data Robotics Drobo S certainly should be high in your shortlist.

Gallery

While Atom chips generally balance performance with power savings, in this context – and with the I/O controller – they can fight above their weight.  Intel reckons the platform will allow up to 20 users to simultaneously stream high-definition-level (30Mbps) data within a local network; it also supports six PCI Express lanes, twelve USB 2.0 ports, a port multiplier function and eSATA, along with an integrated gigabit ethernet controller and hot-swap drive capabilities.  Compatible OSes include various Linux builds and Microsoft Home Server, and one of the first devices to use the platform will be LG’s N4B2.

Press Release:

Intel Expands Intel® Atom™ Processor-Based Platform to Home, Small Office Storage Devices

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS

Intel releases its first storage-optimized Intel® Atom™ processor-based platform for the growing home and small office/home office storage markets.
New single- and dual-core chip options provide performance scalability and flexibility and run on Microsoft Windows Home Server* and Linux operating systems.
Leading storage vendors LaCie*, LG Electronics*, QNAP*, Synology* and Thecus* plan products based on the new Intel Atom processor-based platform.
Intel Atom processors also introduced for embedded applications are ideal for multiple market segments including print imaging, digital security surveillance and industrial.

CEBIT, HANNOVER, Germany, March 4, 2010 – Intel Corporation today launched its first Intel® Atom™ processor-based platform optimized for networked home and small office/home office (SOHO) storage devices.

The energy-efficient platform consists of the Intel® Atom™ processor D410 single-core or D510 dual-core and the Intel® 82801IR I/O Controller and delivers the processing performance and input/output (I/O) connectivity required to meet the throughput demands of leading storage vendors such as LaCie*, LG Electronics*, QNAP*, Synology* and Thecus*.

Home server and SOHO network-attached storage (NAS) devices based on the new Intel Atom processor- based platform act as centralized hubs that organize, manage, protect and share documents, photos, videos and music throughout the home and small office. This makes it possible to keep digital content safe and available anytime, anywhere. “NAS systems have traditionally been found in businesses to manage, store and access data,” said Seth Bobroff, general manager, Intel Data Center Group, Storage. “Today, households and small offices have an ever-increasing number of computers, laptops, netbooks and mobile phones that create and consume digital content. This advancement in mobility coupled with the explosive growth of data and media are creating the need for centralized, easy-to-use network storage solutions for the home and small office.”

With an up to 50 percent power reduction and improved performance1 compared to Intel’s previous generation of Intel Atom processors, the new Intel Atom processors paired with the Intel 82801IR I/O Controller enable vendors to deliver cost-effective, feature-rich and reliable systems that scale to support the demands of the evolving home and small office storage market.

“The introduction of Intel’s Atom processor is a critical advancement that will dramatically change the scale of storage solutions across LaCie’s target markets,” said Erwan Girard, professional business unit manager, LaCie. “We are excited to work with Intel and leverage this game-changing technology to offer a new level of powerful and robust features to our customers.”

Powered by the Intel Atom processor D510, LG’s N4B2 NAS device performs fast “reads” and “writes” of large data files and allows up to 20 users to simultaneously stream high-definition-level (30Mbps) data within a local network. “As multimedia libraries grow, so does the need for secure, redundant storage,” said Dong-Keun Lee, vice president, DS Division, LG Electronics. “Network-attached storage has become more than just a fancy disk drive. It is now a secure, redundant vault for your irreplaceable photos, songs and documents. With the innovative, fast data processing features of N4B2, we are emerging as a leader in this segment.”

The new platform features six PCI Express* lanes, 12 USB 2.0 ports, a port multiplier function and eSATA ports that give OEMs the ability to add peripheral devices and expand storage capacity outside of the box. It also features hot plug capabilities for easy capacity upgrades and an integrated gigabit Ethernet MAC controller for improved data transfers to and from the home server or small office NAS device. The storage platform also offers the flexibility to support Microsoft Windows Home Server* and open source Linux operating systems. Additional information is available at intel.com/go/storage.

Intel Atom Processors in Embedded
In addition to the introduction of the storage platform, Intel also announced two single-core Intel Atom processors, the N450 and D410, and the first dual-core Intel Atom processor, the D510, for embedded devices. With 7-year lifecycle support to meet the performance-per-watt requirements of embedded devices, the Intel Atom processor-based embedded platform is ideal for small, energy-efficient designs for print imaging, digital security surveillance and industrial market segments.

The three processors are paired with an I/O controller designed for the embedded market – the Intel® 82801HM I/O Controller – for a 2-chip solution that provides rich I/O capabilities and adds flexibility via high-bandwidth interfaces, including PCI Express*, PCI*, SATA and USB 2.0 connectivity.

In the box there’s the DS710+ itself, along with the AC adapter, screws to fix your hard-drives into the caddies, a Quick Start manual and warranty guide, installation CD and an ethernet cable. Accessories are packaged in a separate box to the NAS itself, and everything arrived scratch-free. The front of the DS710+ has a column of LEDs – for status, LAN, HDD1, HDD2 and eSATA activity – together with a power button (and LED); there’s also a USB 2.0 port, for plugging in a memory stick or memory card reader, complete with a “copy” button that automatically grabs the contents to a preset directory.

The back panel is dominated by the two HDD caddies, which are made of reasonably sturdy plastic and held in by simple clips; it’s an easy matter to disengage them and slide them out, though of course you’ll need a screwdriver to actually add/remove the drives themselves. As for ports, there are two USB 2.0, a gigabit ethernet, power and an eSATA connection, along with a Kensington lock hole, reset button and a blanked-off VGA port. The latter appears to be a legacy of the mainboard Synology have used, which is based on a 1.67GHz Intel Atom processor paired with 1GB of memory. Only one fan is fitted, a standard 80mm unit at the front, though while the textured front panel looks like it could be a fan grill it’s actually solid plastic; instead the DS710+ sucks in air through an array of holes at the bottom front edge.

Setup is straightforward; Synology provided us with a pair of 750GB Samsung HD753LJ hard-drives, which quickly screwed into the plastic caddies and slotted into place. While the temptation is to ignore the installation CD, it’s actually pretty important; it downloads the latest version of the DiskStation Manager firmware (DSM) and installs it, a process which takes a few minutes. The advanced setup allows you to specify a fixed IP address and rename the NAS, but once that’s all done the rest of the setup is completed via the web interface.

First stop is the Storage section, where you can choose from the various RAID setups on offer: Basic, JBOD, RAID 0 or RAID 1. With only two internal drive bays there’s obviously nothing more complex than simple mirroring, but you can add extra external RAID 1 drives using the ports on the rear. We picked RAID 1 and then had to wait a few hours while the array was established; of course, after you’ve done that you can subsequently replace one of the drives with the DS710+ still running and have it automatically repair the array. That’s made a little trickier by the rear-access to the dual caddies, but it’s unlikely to be something you’ll be attempting often.

Synology’s current DSM release is version 2.2, and there’s a long list of potential functionality depending on how much or how little you expect from your NAS. Obviously there’s basic network-access and backup, and you can create various partitions and directories, user and group accounts and the typical access restrictions (read, read/write, etc). Given the small office focus of the DS710+ you can set the NAS to automatically email new users with access instructions, together with sending out status messages to whoever is logged as administrator.

From there, though, the sky is the limit. The DS710+ can act as a UPnP/DLNA or iTunes media server, squirting out audio, video and image content across your network, and as a standalone BitTorrent download station. You can use it to host a website (with MySQL and PHP support) or merely as an FTP site, with an optional AJAX-based file and photo browser and support for smartphone access (iPhone OS 2.2.1 or later; WM 6.0 or later, Symbian OS 9.1 or S60 3rd Ed or later). You can plug a printer into one of the USB 2.0 ports and share that over the network, or use the DS710+ to store recorded video from up to sixteen IP cameras. There’s even a standalone media player app, which lets you plug in a set of USB speakers and control audio playback directly from an app in the web interface. Best of all, the vast majority of the interface is clear and straightforward, with little in the way of hurdles to get things up and running, and if you disable certain functionality then the menu generally is hidden so as to avoid confusing matters.

Just around the corner, however, is DSM 2.3 – currently in beta – and that adds even more flexibility. Recognizing that many users want offsite backup along with local storage, DSM 2.3 introduces support for Amazon S3, the company’s subscription-based cloud storage service. There’s also a new iPhone app called DS Cam, with the ability to remotely watch live IP CCTV footage managed by the DS710+, and Synology have made improvements to the onboard media player and AJAX photo browser too. Of course, if you’re relying on the DS710+ for your sole backup you might not want to put all your faith in the DSM 2.3 beta, but it’s an interesting taste of what’s to come.

A NAS with poor performance is of no use to anybody, and so we’re pleased to report that the DS710+ suffers no such shortcomings there, either. We used our gigabit ethernet network to transfer a 1.4GB file from a Mac Pro workstation to the DS710+, a process which took around 115 seconds (just under two minutes) in RAID 1 configuration and 102 seconds in RAID 0 configuration. Copying back that same file from the DS710+ to our Mac Pro took longer, however, at around 205 seconds (just under three and a half minutes) for RAID 1 configuration and 182 seconds in RAID 0 configuration.

The biggest problem we have with the Synology DS710+ is the price. Diskless, you can pick up the NAS for around $560, while a pre-configured DS710+ 2100 with twin 1TB drives will set you back around $860. That’s a serious step up from other dual-drive models in Synology’s own range, which actually run the same software (and so have the same feature list). Yes, the DS710+ is a speedy performer, but you really have to need that extra speed advantage in order to pick it. Still, make the investment and you’ll have a strong performer with bags of flexibility.

Quick Look Video

The DiskStation DS1010+ is based on Intel’s latest Atom dual-core D510 1.66GHz processor (in effect the nettop version of the N450), complete with up to 3GB of RAM (1GB standard), and Synology reckon it has 250-percent faster performance than its DS509+ predecessor.  As well as the five onboard bays – each happy with a 3.5-inch 2TB HDD – you can pair it with the DX510 five-bay external enclosure; RAID 1, 5 or 6 setups are supported, and there are dual gigabit ethernet ports, four USB 2.0 ports and an eSATA port.

As for the DiskStation DS110j, that’s a little more homely with just a single ethernet port and three USB 2.0 ports, an 800MHz processor and 128MB of RAM.  However it has similar media sharing and backup functionality to the DS1010+ (albeit with no RAID support, obviously).

Both are available in the US and Canada now, in both diskless and HDD-pre-installed forms.  No word on how much the Synology DiskStation DS1010+ comes in at, but the DiskStation DS110j is $150 with no included storage.

[via Linux for Devices]

Round the back there are two gigabit ethernet ports, along with serial, VGA, PS/2, four USB 2.0 and a mini-USB.  There are also two PCIe x8 slots, two PCIe x4 slots and two PCI-X slots, while boot files are kept on two 2.5-inch HDDs and ten hot-swappable fans keep everything cool.

A 2.33GHz Intel quad-core Xeon with 2GB of RAM keeps things churning, and the whole thing will work as a NAS or as an iSCSI appliance.  As we said, overkill for most homes and the price will likely put you off too: $7,999 for the 6TB model, rising to $9,999 for the 12TB and $13,999 for the 24TB.

Press Release:

LaCie 12big Rack Network: A Rock-Solid Enterprise Class NAS and iSCSI Appliance

• 19″ 2U rack-mounted NAS and iSCSI for SMB and branch offices
• Powered by Microsoft® Windows Storage Server 2008
• Server-class motherboard, Enterprise Class drives, and hardware RAID controller
• Data deduplication, file replication, data encryption, and built-in back up

Today LaCie has announced the release of its new network-attached Storage (NAS) and iSCSI solution for SMBs and corporate satellite offices, the LaCie 12big Rack Network.

To assure rock-solid reliability in demanding 24/7 corporate operating conditions, the 12big Rack Network is built on an Intel® server class motherboard that features two 1GB Ethernet links and a quad-core Xeon® processor. To assure superior performance over its lifetime, the 12big Rack Network is reinforced with a hardware RAID controller (RAIDs 0, 1, 10, 5, 50, and 6), redundant power supplies, and multiple hot-swappable cooling fans. In addition, the 12big Rack Network uses Enterprise Class hard disks, which means superior sustained performance and compliance with the highest quality standards.

Outfitting the Lacie 12big Rack Network with a hardware RAID engine means greater efficiencies in data management, bolstering its high reliability and profound scalability. While the quad-core Xeon processor is designed to successfully serve 500+ users’ requests all the time, the hardware RAID controller XOR engine calculates the massive RAID parities protecting all critical data. With the XOR engine, you can scale the disk capacity upward by connecting an extra 12big Rack Serial through its expansion port without any impact on performance. Even more, the XOR engine strengthens the global system stability by reducing the rebuild time of RAID protected data disk arrays in the unlikely event of a disk failure.

“Clearly, performance, reliability, and flexibility are of utmost importance for any business when choosing a NAS solution,” noted Erwan Girard, LaCie’s Solution Business Unit Manager. “This is exactly what you’ll find with the 12big Rack Network. From 6TB to 48TB, addressable as files or blocks, the solution can scale up without any tradeoff in speed or reliability. Essential features such as an internal backup engine, file deduplication, remote file replication, and global name spaces demonstrate that LaCie wants to make certain that IT professionals have the necessary tools to efficiently manage their data.”

Out of the box, the 12big Rack Network is pre-installed with Microsoft’s ready-to-configure Windows Storage Server 2008 Standard Edition. LaCie demonstrates its commitment to high-end server solutions by running Windows Storage Server from two RAID 1-protected internal 2.5″ disks.

“Windows Storage Server 2008 breaks new barriers in management efficiency and data
protection,” said Eric Jewett, Director, Windows Server Marketing, “Single Instance Storage [SIS] will save data disk space, Active Directory integration will ensure that the 12big Rack Network will seamlessly integrate into the IT ecosystem, DFS- Replication will provide file replication services that can be used in high availability infrastructures, and Bitlocker drive encryption makes certain that confidential data is inaccessible when disks are moved to unauthorized locations. With Microsoft’s server-based solutions, the LaCie 12big Rack Network will actively protect data through local or remote copies thanks to its built-in back up engine running Windows Server Backup.”

Constructed with best-of-breed components, the LaCie 12big Rack Network will store your critical data while offering hassle-free maintenance and scalability without sacrificing performance. Further, LaCie knows that IT professionals demand straightforward solutions, which is why there is no need for additional software licenses, cables, or rack mounting kits as all pieces and features are shipped in the 12big Rack Network box.

Availability
The LaCie 12big Rack Network is available in various capacities through the LaCie Online Store, LaCie Reseller+, and LaCie Storage Partner starting at the suggested retail price of $7999.00 (excluding VAT).

Meanwhile connectivity includes WiFi (up to a/g/n) and Bluetooth 2.1, together with optional UWB and WWAN (HSPA/EVDO Rev.A).  There’s also a 6-pin powered FireWire, four USB 2.0, both VGA and DisplayPort, ethernet, audio in/out and eSATA, along with an ExpressCard 54 slot and 8-in-1 card reader.  Either DVD or Blu-ray drives can be specified.

As you might imagine, the end result isn’t a small (or slow) system: the Dell Precision M6500 comes in at 15.4 x 11 x 1.35 inches and 8.5lbs.  A 9-cell battery is available, though Dell don’t exactly make clear how long you can expect it to last.  Pricing is also unknown; the Precision M6500 isn’t yet available to order online.

While Corsair’s brand may be writ-large across the brushed aluminum of the SSDs themselves, inside it’s Samsung providing most of the magic. The P64 uses a Samsung S3C29RBB01-YK40 controller, together with eight Samsung K9HCGZ8U5M SCK0 DRAM flash chips, for the total 64GB of storage. The new Samsung controller provides garbage collection to maintain the SSD’s performance. As a 2.5-inch SATA 3.0Gb/s drive the P64 will fit into most laptops and desktops (though you may need a buy adapter for the latter).

As you’d expect, installation is just as straightforward as any other hard-drive. Corsair expect buyers of the RAID kit to set up the pair in some form of array, in which case you’ll either need a hardware or software controller, but you can obviously leave them as two separate drives if you prefer. With no moving parts there’s no noise or vibration when the P64 is in action.

To test out the P64′s performance, we set up pair of drives in a RAID 0 array in our test machine and compared it to the same machine using a pair of Intel X25-M 80GB SSDs. Our test machine has dual 2.93GHz quad-core Intel Xeon CPUs, with 6GB of DDR3 memory, NVIDIA Quadro FX1800 graphics and an Areca 1680ix-12 PCI-e RAID controller; it’s running Windows Vista 64-bit, and we used HDTune Pro to measure read and write speeds.

As you can see from the HDTune Pro results, the Intel SSD outperformed the Corsair SSD in every category. Read rates for the P64 ranged from 354.2 MB/sec to 439.5 MB/sec, with an average of 427.7 MB/sec, while write rates ranged from 98.7 MB/sec to 229.8 MB/sec, with an average of 142.4 MB/sec. Meanwhile the X25-M showed 440.8 MB/sec average read rates and 168.5 MB/sec average write rates.

However, the Corsair drive is also significantly cheaper than Intel’s impressive SSD. Right now, you can find a single P64 64GB for $199.99, whereas a single X25-M 80GB comes in at around $329.99. Although the Intel drive gets you more capacity you’re still paying an extra dollar per gigabyte; for many users the more affordable Corsair will hit a price/performance sweet spot. 64GB may not be sufficient to store all of your data, especially if you’ve a heavy collection of media files, but as a primary drive for your OS and applications it could deliver a decent speed boost for running software.

What we’re seeing, then, is the next phase in SSD adoption: the so-called mainstreaming of solid-state drives as they move out of the expensive peripheries of use and into the grasp of general users. $200 is still a significant amount to spend on storage, especially when the same amount will get you a 2TB traditional HDD, and we would still point system admins toward the Intel drive if they’ve heavy-duty real-time backup to be done, but balance price and performance and you’ve got an excellent consumer-centric drive.

Unlike the ix2, the ix2-200 has twin user-accessible drive bays, and they’re filled with low-power drives that are automatically spun-down when not in use.  The StorCenter also has DLNA media streaming, RAID 1 drive spanning for improved data security, three USB ports for plugging in external drives or webcams, and optional Bluetooth for wirelessly transferring files from mobile devices.

It’s worth noting that those two bays aren’t hot-swappable, so you’ll need to power-down and whip out your screwdriver to switch them out.  Still, most of Iomega’s target audience are unlikely to be looking for that sort of capability anyway; they’ll be more pleased with the straightforward remote access, Apple Time Machine compatibility and one-touch photo transfers.

All three versions are available in the US and Europe now, priced at $269.99 for the 1TB, $369.99 for the 2TB, and $699.99 for the 4TB.  They’ll drop in Asia come November.

Press Release:

Iomega Announces Next Generation “Green” Desktop Network Storage Appliance With Powerful Enterprise and Consumer Features

Compact StorCenter ix2-200 Features:
Easy Push Button Appliance-to-Appliance Copy and Backup
Disk Spin Down for Energy Efficiency
User Replaceable Disk Drives and More

San Diego, October 8, 2009 – Iomega, an EMC company (NYSE: EMC) and a global leader in data protection, today announced the next generation of its popular double-drive desktop NAS appliance with the worldwide launch of the new Iomega® StorCenter™ ix2-200. Based on industry-leading enterprise-class EMC® storage technologies, the versatile yet affordable StorCenter ix2-200 wraps ease-of-use around big business data management functionality and advanced media serving and other consumer features that make it the ideal NAS appliance for small business users and home users.

Available in 1TB*, 2TB and 4TB capacities, the new ix2-200 utilizes a very simple four-step setup to be operational in a matter of minutes – be it in a business setting or in the digital home. Starting at less than $270.00, the ix2-200 employs an easy-to-understand interface to provide robust data management and protection for the serious business user, as well as the latest in multimedia serving and remote access features that makes it a breeze to access your own data, whether in the office, the home, or anywhere else in the world.**

Among the standout business features of the new StorCenter ix2-200:

Device-to-device replication for business continuity and file recovery
iSCSI block-level access for efficient storage utilization
RAID 1 configurations for optimized data protection
Windows® Active Directory support
A new front panel QuikTransfer button for easy copying of selected files
User replaceable hard drives
Multiple IP security camera support
And for the forward-thinking small business, VMware® certification for virtualization installations.
The new StorCenter ix2-200 also has a treasure trove of features for the digital home, including:

A DLNA® certified UPnP® AV Media Server that makes the ix2-200 the central repository for serving up all your movies, pictures, music and other files to any compatible device on your network
Serves as a Time Machine® target for Apple® computer backups
Built-in torrent support for file-sharing without the need for a dedicated PC
Bluetooth® capability for uploading all kinds of digital content from a smart phone
Cooliris™ slide show plug-in allows for easy photo viewing
And remote access to the ix2-200 from anywhere in the world
“The new StorCenter ix2-200 is definitely the easiest to use small office and consumer network storage appliance in the marketplace today,” said Jonathan Huberman, president of Iomega and the Consumer and Small Business Products Division of EMC. “Combining EMC’s world class enterprise storage and security technologies with advanced media serving features makes the ix2-200 a versatile and affordable NAS appliance that gives smaller organizations, work groups and home users not only cost-effective and robust network storage but some of the same sophisticated data management capabilities as a Fortune 100 corporation – but without any need for IT experience.”

The new Iomega StorCenter ix2-200 NAS appliance is now available in the Americas and Europe from retailers, VARs and IT resellers, including valued Iomega partner CDW.

“When it comes to managing and protecting digital content, small businesses today face many of the same challenges as much larger organizations,” said Matt Troka, vice president, Product & Partner Management, CDW Corporation. “Iomega’s new StorCenter ix2-200 delivers cost-effective network storage with advanced enterprise features at extremely affordable prices. For the budget conscious small business with a need for dependable network storage that is easy to setup and maintain without any internal IT expertise, the compact StorCenter ix2-200 offers a great value proposition, which makes it a viable data storage and back-up solution for our customers.”

The Little Compact Desktop NAS Appliance with Lots of Capabilities
The new StorCenter ix2-200 NAS desktop appliance utilizes the acclaimed EMC LifeLine™ software, a fully-developed Linux operating environment and suite of applications that is designed for cross-platform support with Windows®, Mac® and Linux computers. The LifeLine operating system presents a simple-to-use graphical interface that makes it easy to perform valuable business tasks while remaining confident that your data is securely stored, protected, and accessible whenever and wherever you need it.

Small office users will enjoy the ix2-200′s fast Gigabit Ethernet connectivity and high-performance embedded architecture, which boosts productivity by making data readily accessible and secure over a local network at the office or in the home. The ix2-200 also boasts the versatility of three USB 2.0 ports for adding printers or additional storage capacity with external USB drives.

Key Features of the StorCenter ix2-200 NAS Appliance
The new ix2-200 NAS appliance’s many features make it one of the most advanced, innovative and easy-to-use double-drive network storage devices available today. Among the features:

Device-to-Device Replication (copy jobs): Copy or backup files to and from the ix2-200 to any other NAS or USB-attached storage device without the need for a client computer. Jobs can be set to run at pre-determined schedule or at the touch of the ix2-200′s new QuikTransfer button. The ix2-200 uses either the rsync or Windows File Sharing protocol to transfer data between itself and another network storage device.
iSCSI Support: Provides block-level access for the most efficient storage utilization, especially for database, email and backup application performance. This feature also allows host-based operating systems and virtualization software to use the full capabilities of their native file systems, such as enabling VMFS for VMware utilization.
VMware® Ready Certification: The ix2-200 is certified as both NAS (NFS) and iSCSI storage for VMware ESX Server 3.5 and 4.0 vSphere. The ix2-200 is listed on the VMware hardware compatibility list, enabling small offices and work groups to affordably take advantage of the benefits and advanced features offered by shared storage in a VMware environment. The ix2-200 is the ideal storage match for smaller virtualization deployments that use the new VMware vSphere Essentials and vSphere Essentials Plus software packages.
Remote Access: Set up remote access and remotely manage and access pictures, videos, work files and other digital data on the ix2-200 from anywhere in the world. Just enter a personalized web address into any browser for easy downloading and uploading of files securely.
RAID Support: RAID 1 with automatic RAID rebuild for data redundancy and protection. Single volume (JBOD) mode also available.
Multiple Network Protocols: Works in Windows, Linux and Mac environments with network protocol support including CIFS/SMB/Rally, NFS, and AFP/Bonjour. The ix2-200 also supports advanced protocols such as HTTP, FTP and SNMP.
Time Machine® Support: Lets Apple® users easily backup to the ix2-200 with Mac computers running OS X (10.5 or later) using Time Machine.
Windows® Active Directory Support: Allows the ix2-200 to function as a client member in an Active Directory domain, giving users and groups access to the ix2-200.
Uninterruptible Power Supply Support: Enables unattended system shutdown without data loss in the case of power failure.
Gigabit Ethernet: high speed connectivity with jumbo frame support
Video Surveillance: Connect up to five Axis® Network video cameras for real-time monitoring and video capture, without the need of a dedicated computer (dependent upon system workload and network conditions). The ix2-200 can be used as a storage target for other network surveillance cameras as well.
Print Server: Supports intelligent print sharing capability for up to three USB printers directly connected to the ix2-200.
UPnP AV/DLNA Certified Media Server: Compatible with UPnP and DLNA certified media players, the ix2-200 streams photos, audio content and videos to not only laptops and computers but a variety of media devices, including game consoles (Xbox® 360, Sony PlayStation® 3), audio bridges, iTunes™ players, networked digital picture frames and other compatible devices.
Bluetooth capability: Allows users to upload contacts, photos and more from a cell phone, pocket PC or Blackberry® phone (Bluetooth USB adapter required, sold separately).
Photo Slideshow: Integrated utility based on Cooliris™ technology for quick browsing and sharing of pictures stored on the ix2-200 to both local and remote users.
Picture Transfer Protocol (PTP): Supports no touch, automatic transfer of photos from digital cameras via one of the three USB 2.0 ports on the ix2-200.
Versatility: Supports read and write on various formats, including Fat32, NTFS or ext2/ext3 formatted hard disks; also supports HFS+ (ready only).
Backup and Security Software for a Complete Solution
The StorCenter ix2-200 provides data backup and protection for any number of desktops and laptops with integrated EMC Retrospect® Express backup software. During the set-up process, users choose files and folders for scheduled automatic backups. After that, any changes or additions are updated and saved automatically.

For data security, the ix2-200 also includes RSA® BSAFE® encryption security technology for protecting installs and upgrades from viruses or malware. RSA is the security division of EMC that protects digital data at many of the world’s largest banks.

A Power Saving “Green” NAS Appliance
The StorCenter ix2-200 utilizes such power saving features as automatic hard drive spin down when the ix2-200 isn’t copying or serving up data, power consumption “green” hard disk drives, and an Energy Star® certified power supply. All of these features ensure the most efficient or minimal power consumption.

Compatibility
The StorCenter ix2-200 is compatible with Windows®, Mac OS®, and Linux® PCs. The interface is localized in 11 supported languages (English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Traditional and Simplified Chinese, German, and Russian).

Price, Availability and Warranty
The new 1TB StorCenter ix2-200 NAS appliance is now available in the Americas and Europe for $269.99, the 2TB model is now available for $369.99, and the 4TB model, which will be available later this month, is $699.99. (All prices are U.S. suggested retail.) All three capacities of the new StorCenter ix2-200 will be available in Asia in November. The StorCenter ix2-200 is backed by a three-year warranty (with product registration).

About EMC
EMC Corporation (NYSE: EMC) is the world’s leading developer and provider of information infrastructure technology and solutions that enable organizations of all sizes to transform the way they compete and create value from their information. Information about EMC’s products and services can be found at www.EMC.com.

About Iomega
Iomega Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of EMC Corporation headquartered in San Diego, is a worldwide leader in innovative storage and network security solutions for small businesses, home offices, consumers and others. The Company has sold more than 410 million digital storage drives and disks since its inception in 1980. Today, Iomega’s product portfolio includes one of the industry’s broadest selection of direct-attached external hard drives; industry leading network attached storage products for the home and small business; and the ScreenPlay family of multimedia drives that makes it easy to move video, pictures and other digital files from the computer room to the livingroom. To learn about all of Iomega’s digital storage products and managed services solutions, please go to the Web at www.iomega.com. Resellers can visit Iomega at www.iomega.com/ipartner.

NOTE: This release contains “forward-looking statements” as defined under the Federal Securities Laws. Actual results could differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of certain risk factors, including but not limited to: (i) adverse changes in general economic or market conditions; (ii) delays or reductions in information technology spending; (iii) our ability to protect our proprietary technology; (iv) risks associated with managing the growth of our business, including risks associated with acquisitions and investments and the challenges and costs of integration, restructuring and achieving anticipated synergies; (v) fluctuations in VMware, Inc.’s operating results and risks associated with trading of VMware stock; (vi) competitive factors, including but not limited to pricing pressures and new product introductions; (vii) the relative and varying rates of product price and component cost declines and the volume and mixture of product and services revenues; (viii) component and product quality and availability; (ix) the transition to new products, the uncertainty of customer acceptance of new product offerings and rapid technological and market change; (x) insufficient, excess or obsolete inventory; (xi) war or acts of terrorism; (xii) the ability to attract and retain highly qualified employees; (xiii) fluctuating currency exchange rates; and (xiv) other one-time events and other important factors disclosed previously and from time to time in EMC’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. EMC disclaims any obligation to update any such forward-looking statements after the date of this release.

###

* 1 TB = 1,000,000,000,000 bytes.

** Requires an Internet connection.

The TS-410 has four hot-swappable drive bays with up to 8TB of total capacity and supports 2.5-inch or 3.5-inch HDDs. Inside the slick case of the storage device is a Marvell 800Mhz CPU and 256MB of DDRII RAM. The device can be configured for RAID 0/1/5/6/5+ spare and JBOD.

The TS-410 also supports iSCSI Target service with Thin Provisioning and dual Gigabit LAN ports. Four USB ports are included with one on the front panel and three on the back along with two e-SATA ports for expanding the storage capacity via external drives. The storage solution works with Windows Mac, and Linux and supports DLNA media players like the PS3 and Xbox 360. The TS-410 will ship in October at an undisclosed price.

Marvell has announced its new 88SE9128 6Gb/s RAID controller for the new SATA interface. A RAID controller is needed to allow users to run storage arrays with things like mirroring of the data for redundancy. The new RAID controller doubles the bandwidth previously available.

Marvell reports that it is working closely with mainboard makers like ASRock, Asus, Gigabyte, and MSI to bring mainboards to market with the 6Gb/s RAID controller. Seagate, Samsung, and Micron will be producing drives that take advantage of the new SATA speeds soon. Marvell is sampling the new RAID controller to tier-one OEMs now and the controller is set for mass production in Q4 2009.