The included and easy-to-use management console software comes in both Windows and Mac versions and lets you perform the setup—a simple process—from any PC on the network. The 150d fully supports Linux, Mac, and Windows file shares as well as Active Directory, so you can import users and groups from an Active Directory store. And I especially like the way you can make any share available in multiple protocols: By simply checking a box, you can open the NAS to AFP, FTP, and NFS in addition to CICS.

What you won’t find is the easy OS update capability or advanced reporting and logging that a Windows Storage Server system provides. And while the 150d proved very fast on write operations over a Gigabit network, managing 26-MBps and 17.2-MBps throughput with 32MB and 1GB files, respectively—read numbers were mixed (22.4 MBps and 13 MBps). Overall, though, the box performs more than acceptably. That, along with the huge capacity and very reasonable price, makes it a definite recommendation for SMBs needing a big storage resource for standard business duties.

Iomega StorCenter Pro NAS 150d Review
Price Range: $1,699, list
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Iomega eGo: Storage to Go

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You purchase the StoreVault through VARs—and take it from me, most SMBs will be better off having a VAR do the install, too. The NAS runs an OS you’re not likely to know—a slim version of NetApp’s Data ONTAP 7G enterprise storage OS—rather than embedded Linux, Windows Storage Server, or some other familiar product. NetApp has tried to make the admin front end easy to use, though. It still needs work, but the average SMB IT generalist should do fine with management tasks.

The S300 has an upper storage limit of 3TB and can live on a shelf or tabletop (the S500, a rack-mount unit, tops out at 6TB). Performance was outstanding: 64-plus MBps writes, 59-MBps reads using jumbo frames—and that was with RAID 5; without jumbo frames, 61 MBps and 54 MBps. StoreVault devices also build in tremendous flexibility. I tested with the internal iSCSI RAID array that shipped with the S300, but the box can connect to either an iSCSI or a Fibre Channel SAN, provided that you purchase the appropriate option license. That means you can start with the StoreVault as the hub of your small business storage and simply build a larger networked storage resource around it as your needs change; so if your business is growing by leaps and bounds this is an excellent solution.

If your business is expanding at a less frenetic pace, though, look for something more modest, like the Netgear ReadyNAS NV+.

NetApp StoreVault S300 Review
Price Range: $2,500, list; 500GB drives, $500 each; CIFS license, $249
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The Eco Drive (80GB) operates in three power-saving states—Power Down, Standby, and Idle—along with a full power Access mode. The hard drive’s internal circuitry monitors activity and automatically switches between modes accordingly. Each step down represents a 5 to 20 percent power savings over Access mode. The included power management utility lets you alter the power schemes, but the software does not work on Windows Vista or Mac OS X.

The remaining apps, including a format transfer utility (to change from the default FAT32 to NTFS), are Windows only. The backup software is user-friendly and allows you to select which files to copy, to which location, and how often (using the scheduling option). Transfer speeds were so-so, ranging from 1 minute 4 seconds using drag-and-drop to 7:37 with the included software.

Despite disappointing overall performance, the Kanguru Eco Drive (80 GB) deserves a look for its power-management abilities and design.

Kanguru Eco Drive (80GB) Review
Price Range: $94.95 direct
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Still, the slick HipServ software offers better sharing and media serving than Windows Home Server (the MediaSmart’s OS). The HipServ portal combines private and public features. You can publish content and restrict access to users with accounts on your NAS. Via a contact database, you can also assign shares to others and even send e-mails inviting people to see new content. Considering the unit’s low cost, performance is adequate, varying from an average write throughput of 14.1 Mbps with 32MB files to 10 Mbps with 1GB files. Read speed went from a little over 18 Mbps to 12.5.

LaCie’s offering costs far less than HP’s, but relying on just one drive limits expandability, and more important, redundancy. And while I like HipServ, it isn’t nearly as polished as Windows Home Server, has fewer backup features, doesn’t integrate as well with Windows PCs, and offers no remote-control capability. For folks who can’t spend more than $200 on home network storage and need only a single-disk storage bin, the LaCie might be the way to go. But if you need data redundancy, look elsewhere.

LaCie Ethernet Disk mini–Home Edition Review
Price Range: $199 direct
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As with all WHS boxes, this one runs headless—without a display, keyboard, or mouse. You manage the NAS via a console app on any networked Windows machine or a browser using the Remote Access feature. The server’s four bays accept drives of any capacity (the EX470 I tested comes with one 500GB unit), but the capacities must match. External drives connect via USB ports (three on the front and one in back) or via an eSATA port in the back. They provide easy expandability and can vary in storage size.

Performance was fast on a home Gigabit network (123-MBps and 47.2-MBps write throughput with 32MB and 1GB files, respectively, and 56-MBps and 21.2-MBps read throughput). But a 100-Mbps network noticeably limits speed. I’d like to see wireless Ethernet and print- serving capability built in, but even without them the HP Media Smart Server’s ease of use, nice price, iTunes feature, and smart styling make it a good bet for most home networks that have at least one Windows PC.

HP MediaSmart Server Review
Price Range:
HP MediaSmart Server EX470: 599$
HP MediaSmart Server EX475: 749$

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Maxtor OneTouch 4 Plus Review: Digital Lifesaver

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Endowed with 500GB of drive space, the OneTouch 4 Plus can back up your system’s hard drive with lots of room to spare. The unit adds a FireWire connection to the mix as well.

SafetyDrill is the real draw, though. The program backs up all the information on your drive, including the OS, documents, applications, and invisible files like boot records that help the PC work. SafetyDrill’s main downside is that it works only with Windows XP and Vista, and then only on drives that are NTFS formatted. Mac users and those with older XP systems are out of luck.

The Maxtor OneTouch 4 Plus, a 7,200-rpm mechanism, is speedy, clocking in at 51 seconds to back up our standard test folder via USB using the included software and 48 seconds using Windows Explorer. FireWire times were a bit slower, at 1 minute 15 seconds, using the drive’s FireWire 400 interface.

If your PC runs XP or Vista, the OneTouch 4 Plus is an excellent backup drive option.

Maxtor OneTouch 4 Plus
Price range: $200 direct
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Out of the box, my system lacked the software update required to use the DVR Expander drive, so I downloaded version 9.2 from the TiVo Web site. I strongly suggest that you take the time to read your DVR’s instructions before connecting to the DVR Expander, because if you don’t follow the process step by step you may lose all your currently recorded programs. That said, connecting the two is simple enough, but unfortunately, removing the DVR Expander later will cause you to lose any saved programs. The unit reformats when paired with new device, meaning that you can’t use it to transfer video,

I hope that the DVR Expander will support more DVRs besides TiVo and Scientific Atlanta down the road. The unit is pricey, but if it’s nearly unlimited TV viewing you crave, then it doesn’t get any better than this

Western Digital My DVR Expander Review
Price: $199.99 list
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Ultra TravelDrive Review: Mini hard disk from Memorex

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Ultra TravelDrive is a storage device using harddisk drive 2,5 inchs technology, so that its form is compact and portable. Even small and easy to brought in hand, this storage device having capacities 120GB and 160GB.

That big data capacity is enough to accomodate around 53.000 photo files (JPEG), playable music file until 116 days nonstop, or 13 hours DV camera record (uncompress). Altogether is placed in mini box which few larger than eyeglasses boxes. Its weight is only 1/4 kilograms.

The display is so stylish and ergonomic. In a flash its form looking like agenda book. The corner made from jagged black colour rubber material, so will not be slippery when user bought it. It is present with metallic charcoal wrapper.

The covers can be changes with other colour, that is blue colour (ocean blue) and black (onyx black) for 120 GB storage and green (sagebrush green) and white (arctic white glossy) for 160 GB storage.

Its interface using USB port, so this equipment applicable to saving data from various desktop computer types and laptop, either having Mac and also personal computer platform. Electrical supply also conneted through USB cable, so don’t require any power supply again.

But, Ultra TravelDrive still be equiped with power cable, so when this device connected to old computer, it can still work. Ultra TravelDrive is also equiped with special button to do duplicate the data.

Quick Backup Button will facilitate user when start to saving data. With one touch, it directly installing backup software program (ArcSoft TotalMedia Backup) into computer which the data will be copied.

Then, this software offers some various back up data storages method. You can do it manually by choosing one by one files or folder which will be copied or do it automatically by chose specific file type to be kept, for example music file or video.

When it is in process of transferring data from computer, light emitting diode (LED) lamp located near by electrical contact would be flip-flop. Yellows LED would be flip-flop when Ultra TravelDrive removing the data with USB 1.1 speeds. Meanwhile, if green LED is flip-flop, it means this equipment is removing data from computer with USB 2.0 speed.

Ultra TravelDrive Review
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First method of course is still usually done by many people. But now you can remove your photo collection into digital photo album which available in the market. One of the photo albums is HDMS-S1D made in Sony, electronic factory of Japan.

HDMS-S1D is having 80GB storage capacities. For your info, with those capacities it can save 50.000 high resolution photos.

The digital album is not only functioning as a deposit device. A number of interesting features is also planted in its body.

This album equipped by x-Application feature, what makes user can display photo, edits, rotates, deletes, and compiles the photo in slide show. For all job not required computer application like Photoshop.

To make slide show special, Sony provides x-Pict Story HD feature. Slide show can be displayed by background music from 30 tracks which provided (can also adds 5 track personal collection from compact disk or DVD). Photo transition is able to design with your personal style.
HDMS-S1D can connect directly to printer device. User can print photo or scrapbook page directly from album.

HDMS-S1D digital album is also equipped by x-ScrapBook feature and face recognition technology to detect face at photo collection. Slide show transition even can be done based on the face location.

With that entire feature, photos can be grouped based on special categorys, for example children photo or special event photo, like party and vacation.

User may directly import the photo from flash memory card, compact disk, DVD, USB network, or ethernet network.

After saved, the photo controlled and managed through remote control or device interface. You can sort it based on date, event, or classify into around 3000 album models provided. When other family member wish to copy the photo which they see in television display, user may directly choose and copy it directly to CD, DVD, or flash memory card.

Gina Hughes from Yahoo! Tech said the digital album made in Sony basically is a server but in mini size. But, according to her, will be better if Sony adds its internal memory capacity to 300 GB or more, though have been also provided slot for external memory card.

The photo collection can be displayed to High Definition Television or HDTV through High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) port, audio/video connector which transmitting uncompressed digital enskripsi stream.

Because the dimension is big enough and cannot be grabbed with one hand, HDMS-S1D cannot be brought easily. Moreover this digital album do not have display screen as other portable digital photo storage.

HDMS-S1D has been available in www.sonystyle.com/retail or in other shop and Sony official distributor.

Sony HDMS-S1D Reviews
Price range: $ 400

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NAS name called by NetDisk is reasonable, this peripheral offers lot of network data store feature through ethernet port with 10/100 Mbps speed. One of the interesting feature is NetDisk NDAS Bind Management. Herewith you enabled to make a big data “bank” in network with aggregation technique, RAID 0 (stripping), and RAID 1 (mirroring). Aggregated meaned merges all NetDisk capacities become a big capacities drive. So, for example there are 4 NetDisk with 120 GB harddisk in it, with aggregation you has a NAS drive with 480GB capacities. Similar thing is also able to be done with RAID 0 technique, but with 2, 4 or 8 harddisk only. While RAID 1 technique is useful for you which requiring NAS with data backup.

Besides NAS, this peripheral can be used as additional harddisk via USB port, of course with simpler configuration process compared to NAS mode. To get maximum performance, make sure USB port used has USB 2.0 standard.

As external peripheral, NetDisk provides connection flexibility which is flexible and has rich feature. Acronis True Image 9 in its sale package functioned as application backs up.

NetDisk Network Direct Attached Storage Short Review

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The NAS200 has room for two drives, configurable separately or together, the last in shared or mirrored mode. You’ll also find all the usual NAS features, including backup (via third-party software), access accounts, a UPnP-compatible media server and even an FIT server that you can use to get to your shared files across the Web. Unfortunately, accessing the more advanced features isn’t particularly intuitive.

Performance was noticeably slow, averaging 4.7 MBps on our tests. This isn’t poor enough to be a deal breaker for standard data operations, but if you plan to view video from the NAS200, the slow throughput means you’ll probably experience some frame loss.

Performance troubles aside, however, the NAS200 has all the features you’d expect in a home NAS device, and at a good price. So unless you’re looking to use it primarily as a video server, this is a workable storage solution.

Linksys NAS200 Short Review
Price range: $135

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The OneTouch 4 Mini uses Maxtor’s OneTouch data backup program and its SafetyDrill utility, which copies an image of your C: drive onto the Mini. In case of computer catastrophe you can use the recovery boot CD to restore your PC (even if you need to replace your C: drive) - provided that your PC uses an NTFS- formatted drive. (Sorry, Mac users, you’re out of luck on this.) The Mini also has a 256-bit encryption utility to safeguard your data should the drive be lost or stolen.

The 5,400-rpm Mini is fast, taking 51seconds to back up my test folder using the One Touch utility and 49 seconds with Windows drag-and-drop. (Anything under a minute is quick.)

The list price of the OneTouch 4 Mini is lower on a GB- per-dollar basis that that of competing products from Toshiba and Western Digital. By adding in disaster recovery features and an ample five-year warranty, Maxtor has made the Mini an ideal travel companion.

Maxtor OneTouch 4 Mini Short Reviews
Price range: $149.99

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The ReadyNAS NV+ can certainly play in a home environment, too, but it’s specifically equipped with business muscle. For one, it’s consists of a four-disk enclosure that supports hot swapping- a must for businesses. Netgear’s patented X-RAID technology lets you upgrade not only without rebuilding the entire array, but with different hard-drive types -a bottom-line watcher’s boon.

You’ll find business smarts at the software level, too, where the ReadyNAS does everything from being a good network citizen to integrating its user list with Active Directory. It also supports multiple backup methods, Internet access to shared files, file and folder encryption, and more. Home users aren’t left out, with a media server and specific optimizations for iTunes and the SlimBox media server, as well other media products (via UPnP).

The ReadyNASNV+ is definitely not a lightweight. It’s priced on the high side, but it’s literally stuffed with features and blessed with lightning-fast throughput. For the more advanced home user, it’s a good machine. For a small business, it’s great.

Netgear ReadyNAS NV+ Short Reviews
Price range: Without storage ($899 list); 3TB ($2,199)

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Lock In and Lock Out: Bling Padlock USB drive

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Setup is simple: Just connect it to your computer to install the utility software automatically. Memeo’s Auto Backup software dynamically backs up the folders you select and monitors the FreeAgent drive and your PC. The FreeAgent Pro comes formatted for NTFS, meaning you’d have to reformat the drive to read it on a Mac. (A Mac can read an NTFS drive but can’t write to it.)

The modular external port connector holds the drive’s mini USB 2.0 Port and an eSATA port, and it’s easily removable using a coin. But reattaching that module or attaching the included FireWire 400 port module is a bit tricky.

The drive itself is speedy, however. It copied our 1.2GB test folder in just over a minute (1:03) with AutoBackup, exactly 1 minute via FireWire, about 50 seconds over USB 2.0, and 42 seconds with eSATA.

With speed like that, very good software, and its large capacity, the FreeAgent Pro is an easy way to back up your system quicikly.

Price range
Seagate FreeAgent Pro 750GB: $340

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Seagate FreeAgent Go: Spacious Mobile Storage

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To that end, the FreeAgent Go comes with two helpful utilities: Seagate’s FreeAgent Tools for document syncing, and Ceedo with Argo Application Installer 2.0 for application launching and portability. FreeAgent Tools can be set to back up your folders automatically. You can sync My Documents to your work computer, then bring the drive home and sync it with your home PC. Although the FreeAgent Go will work with Macs,you’ll have to reformat the drive. And the FreeAgent utilities and Ceedo aren’t Mac-compatible.

The FreeAgent Go is fairly fast, taking 5.3 seconds to transfer our l.2GB test folder and 54 seconds to back up the same folder with FreeAgent Sync. At $1 per GB, the FreeAgent Go’s cost is good, though not outstanding. When it comes to cost, speed, and convenience in syncing files, though, the FreeAgent Go is well worth the attention of Windows users.

Price range
Seagate FreeAgent Go: $160

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The drive’s speed is fitting, because its case is designed by Pininfarina, a firm that’s styled many Ferrari autos. Its curved design is attractive without being overstated, and the drive is compact enough to slip into a large coat pocket or a laptop bag,

On of its features is StorageSync, a program designed to back up your hard drive, including the OS, apps, and settings. StorageSync is distributed on a 3cm mini CD. Owners of laptops with slot-loading optical drives, beware- a CD that size my get stock, and you won’t be able to extract it. Instead of loading the disc, download the software from SimpleTech’s support Web site. Mac users are out of luck: The software is Windows- only.

The drive comes with a 2GB online storage account, which is good forever. This should be enough space to suite your important Office documents. All in all, anyone looking to back up a lot of files should put the SimpTech drive on the short list.

Price range
SimpleTech 250GB SimpleDrive portable hard drive: $199

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Iomega eGo: Storage to Go

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Designed to be economical, the eGo offers a better cost per gigabyte ($1) than many of its peers. Its hard drive yields decent performance, taking 54 seconds to copy our 1.2GB test folder, which is fast enough for backup or data transfer. The drive is rated to survive a fall of 51 inches—at least when it’s not plugged in and operating.

The eGo comes with a license for a good backup program, EMC’s Retrospect HD. Retrospect can protect both document folders and entire hard drives, including the operating system and applications. But the drawback is that you have to download the program from Iomega’s support site. Worse, it works only on Windows systems.

All in all, the eGo is a solid portable hard drive for storing and transporting your digital life. It should be on your short list if you’re looking for more storage for your laptop or home PC.

Price
Iomega eGo: $160 street

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“Lock In” and “Lock Out” is the new bling and shine USB flash drive that adopted padlock form, the collaboration product between Philips and famous fashion apparels producer “Swarovski”. Interesting, this peripheral wrapped with glamour “Active Crystals” material. This active crystal is the newest collection of Swarovski. This data storage gadget also functioned as cloth accessories or lock hanger.

As a storage media, Philips “Lock In” and “Lock Out” gives memory space choice until 1 GB capacities. With USB 2.0 version, this gadget can send and receive data via high-speed PC.

The unique again, both USB connector of this peripheral can be dimmed to its body. So really looks like a padlock. For securities problem, both inject protection feature via special code (password). Guaranteed, all data which you have saves to be safe from ignorant hands.

The plan this gadget will came in the market and available in Swarovski Stores this years quarter four. Unhappily there is no official release, how much price which gives to this glamorous USB Flash Drive.

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Drobo: Your Personal Data “Robot”

HP Pocket Media Drive PD0800: Cartridge-Style Portable Hard Drive

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The Drobo is a chassis with slots to hold up to four SATA hard drives. No need to worry about settings; just pop in two or more drives and the Drobo’s AI software takes care of the rest. It will even warn you, with colored light, when a drive is nearly full or about to fail. Should a drive be failing, or should you simply want to upgrade your capacity, you can just pop in a new d rive, cartridge-style. The Drobo will take any 3.5-inch drive with a standard SATA interface; SATA 150, SATA 300; 3-Gbps-compliant; 4,200-rpm, 5,400-rpm, 10,000-rpm; 8OGB, 12OGB, or ITB. Unlike competitors, such as the RDX cartridge system or anything removable you remember from Iomega, the Drobo uses bare, straight-out-of-the-box hard drives. You don't need carriages, sliding trays, or outer hulls. You don't even need to screw guide screws into the drives. The Drobo chassis has a neat retaining mechanism that doubles as an eject button.

There are a few caveats. For one, the actual hard drives are "extra," since the $500 covers only the chassis and the technology behind the Drobo. You have to pay for the drives separately when you buy the Drobo from drobo.com or from online retailers such as newegg.com. Also, compared with multidrive RAID units, you pay more per gigabyte for the Drobo after you’ve equipped the chassis with additional drives.

The Drobo isn't cheap, and you must add the cost of the drives. But if you work with a lot of data and need to keep it securely backed up, this “data robot" is worth the investment. It's ready to step in and take control of your data storage needs.

Drobo: $499 direct

The PD0800 comes with a nicely designed case and Sonic BackUp MyPC SE, a lightweight backup utility. HP sells only 80GB (which we tested) and 120GB versions of the hard drive. If you have a PC with a Pocket Media Drive bay, you just pop the drive in. You retrieve it by pressing the Eject button. PD0800 comes with a dual-headed USB cable for use with other computers. It's a little more work that way, but still very convenient.

Though it's pricier than its competition, if you have one of the supported HP Pavilion desktops, the Pocket Media Drive is worth the cost.
HP Pocket Media Drive PD0800: $130