which network storage device

[sarcasticone]

I'm thinking about purchasing a networkable storgae drive to backup my files and maybe use to share files as well so I don't need the destination computer to be on to access the files.

Here are a couple choices I was looking at.

Ximeta Netdisk
This would be one option. Buying a drive with everything all ready, just connect and install the software.

or..

Hawking Technologies HNAS1
I could buy something like this and then buy a hardrive to put inside.

Both drives would end up costing about the same for similar storage. I'm just not sure would be the better option for me. I've never dealt with an enclosure and harddrive. I have however dealt with Ximeta before.

At work, we have a Ximeta Netdisk Office. It's a 120gb harddrive with a built-in 8 port switch. We have the computers plugged into that and we use it as a file backup and to share files and internet. It is easy to setup, just connect the drive, install the software on the computers, type in the drive ID and key and your up and running. The only thing I dislike is that if someone shuts down their computer wrong or if the power goes out (which tends to be quite often during summer storms) the drive runs slower, sometimes really slow. I then have to unmount the drive from the computer through the software and then turn off and restart the drive. Sometimes I even have to connect the drive to one computer and run a checkdisk with fix in dos to get it running fine again. Tends to be a pain.

But at home I don't lose power really at all, and I don't shut my computers down wrong so I don't think I'll have those same issues at home as I do with the one at work.

Also, Ximeta's tech support has been great. I've needed to call them a couple times and they were very helpful. The only downfall to their support is it's not 24/7 and sometimes it takes a while to get ahold of someone.

I haven't dealt with Hawking, so I don't know how their tech support is or their products.

Also, I have a network that has a wired and wireless computer (both running XP Pro) so keeping the files secure is a must. I feel the fact that Ximeta has the drive ID and key needed to read/write the drive would be a good security measure, but I don't know which drive would provide the best security.

So my questions are...
1) Which device would best suit my needs?
2) Which device would be most secure?
3) Which device would be the most simple to setup?
4) Which device would be most reliable?
5) Which device would be faster, or would they be similar? Don't want to wait forever to transfer files.
6) Do you feel the ability to change the harddrive on the enclosure setup outways any advantage the other device may have?

Sorry for such a long post, but your insight would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

 

[nweaver]

look into the buffalo stuff, they just released a Terrabyte NAS appliance that looks nice.

 

[sarcasticone]

wow, thats a lot of storage. This is for a home network, I don't need that much. Nor am I looking to spend that much.

Is Buffalo products good? What about something like their LinkStation line of products? That would be probably more along the lines of what I'm looking for.

Thanks

 

[JackMDS]

The Buffalo products are very Good.

It is important to consider the nature of the Network.

None of these devices formats its hard drive with NTFS. Some allow interaction with NTFS some need Samba in order to Share and exchange files.

This link describes the inexpensive Entry Level NAS.

Link to: Network Attached Storage (NAS) for Home/SOHO Networks.

:sun:

 

[sarcasticone]

thanks for the link but I have already read that one. I think it may have been you who posted it in the other thread where I was trying to get my files to share on my network.

When you said it is important to consider the nature of the network, what do you mean? Could you elaborate a bit more?

Also, in the user manual for the Ximeta product it says it comes formatted with NTFS. The one we got at work came that way , then I had to format it to FAT32 because of mixed OS, then I reformatted it back to NTFS once we had all XP OS. So does this mean it is formatted to NTFS or does it do what you were describing?

As for the drives that don't format to NTFS, according to that article it doens't matter right? Since it says they format to Linux or FAT32 and they also said ethernet is universal so they will work well any networked Windows computer. Is this what you where talking about when you said "some allow interaction with NTFS"?

Thanks for the reply.

 

[cmetz]

sarcasticone, I would suggest a Wal-Mart PC and NAS Lite or some other Linux distribution specifically canned for being a quick and easy file server.

 

[sarcasticone]

cmetz,
Thanks for the sugestion. It does sound interesting but I'm currently living in an apartment and I don't have the room to put another PC somewhere. Thats why a small external harddrive connected to the network would best fit my space requirements. But thanks again for the sugestion.

 

[abc]

i've been keeping an eye on for over 14 months for a external cat5 based enclosure where I can decide the size of the HD, and format it in ntfs, and have it have its own IP so I can access it outside my house...

 

[JackMDS]

This type of devices need Embedded OS.

Currently most of them use propriety code or variation of Linux.

By next year you probably will start to see devices based on Embedded Windows, and then a lot of the restrictions (as far as Windows Networks are concerned) would be gone.

:sun:

 

[nweaver]

Why would file system of a NAS matter?

 

[skyking]

Originally posted by: nweaver
Why would file system of a NAS matter?

Can't think of one reason.

 

[cmetz]

nweaver, not all filesystems support files >2GB.

 

[abc]

Originally posted by: cmetz
nweaver, not all filesystems support files >2GB.

also, you cannot use a existing hd w/ data on it for most these systems, you need a empty one or one which you don't need the data currently on them since you're going to format the drive to 'their' filesystem.


the dlink is very attractive in supporting fat32 at least.. but isn't fat32 less secure than ntfs, and if it gets corrupted, a fat32 drive is worse off than a NTFS drived.

 

[abc]

http://kbserver.netgear.com/pdf/sc101_manual_07SEP05.pdf

hopefully a indication of the next gen of ext. enclosures... offers 2 drives ans mirroring... but looks like they make you install their software to all machines u want to use to access this drive enclosure... and not sure what file system is used but looks like you cant remove it from the enclosure and pop it into a pc and look at the data.

 

[networkman]

http://www.netgear.com/products/details/SC101.php

Yes, I'm also looking at the Netgear SC101 for use at home.

I currently have a Linksys NSLU2 but it's rather limited in its capabilities and the management interface blows.

 

[abc]

i'm befuddled why linksys doesn't release something new...or should i say didnt for 2005 even.

 

[nweaver]

Originally posted by: abc

Originally posted by: cmetz
nweaver, not all filesystems support files >2GB.

also, you cannot use a existing hd w/ data on it for most these systems, you need a empty one or one which you don't need the data currently on them since you're going to format the drive to 'their' filesystem.


the dlink is very attractive in supporting fat32 at least.. but isn't fat32 less secure than ntfs, and if it gets corrupted, a fat32 drive is worse off than a NTFS drived.

Ok, I understand why the w/the file size restrictions, but other then that....fat32vsNTFSvsReiserfsvsEXT3 doesn't really matter. It's like picking fedex over UPS because one uses diseal and the other gasoline.

 

[abc]

the think large file write speed on fat32 is funky too...

 

[abc]

Originally posted by: networkman
http://www.netgear.com/products/details/SC101.php

Yes, I'm also looking at the Netgear SC101 for use at home.

I currently have a Linksys NSLU2 but it's rather limited in its capabilities and the management interface blows.

wow, this thing has ntfs support as of august:
http://www.linksysinfo.org/modules.php?name=News&new_topic=69

 

[abc]

Originally posted by: networkman
http://www.netgear.com/products/details/SC101.php

Yes, I'm also looking at the Netgear SC101 for use at home.

I currently have a Linksys NSLU2 but it's rather limited in its capabilities and the management interface blows.

looks like buy.com has this for 99.99 today.

 

[networkman]

Originally posted by: abc

Originally posted by: networkman
http://www.netgear.com/products/details/SC101.php

Yes, I'm also looking at the Netgear SC101 for use at home.

I currently have a Linksys NSLU2 but it's rather limited in its capabilities and the management interface blows.

wow, this thing has ntfs support as of august:
http://www.linksysinfo.org/modules.php?name=News&new_topic=69

Ahh! NTFS support would be a HUGE plus when I need to periodically move the drives, so I'll check that out. Thanks for the link.

 

[Goosemaster]

1. that ximeta disk appearantly requires a client to run on your machine IIRC. I had expressed an interest in it as well but to my dismay, it did not support regular SMB.

I may be wrong.

2. The Buffulo Terastation is appearantly quite awful. Tom's did a review on it and a no-name competitor whipped in handsomely achieving like 11MB/s on 100Mbit.

3. I would look into build ing a box with a stripped down linux/BSD derivative. It is cheaper, and offers even more options. I am sure if you look hard enough you can find one that can run off of a compact flash card or something euqally as simple.

 

[dmk11]

Yesterday I bought ADS Tech NAS for $90 (just a shell, need to buy your own PATA drive yourself).
The reason why I went with them is because:
1. it has a webserver (in addition to a managing the NAS through http too).
2. It support P2P bittorrent links
3. Does everything else that a cheap NAS do: FTP, SMB, no driver required, etc...

Linky

It's a fairly new product, so I'm hoping they upgrade the firmware. The bittorrent works but I noticed it's way slower than if I used BitComet.

 

[Goosemaster]

Originally posted by: dmk11
Yesterday I bought ADS Tech NAS for $90 (just a shell, need to buy your own PATA drive yourself).
The reason why I went with them is because:
1. it has a webserver (in addition to a managing the NAS through http too).
2. It support P2P bittorrent links
3. Does everything else that a cheap NAS do: FTP, SMB, no driver required, etc...

Linky

It's a fairly new product, so I'm hoping they upgrade the firmware. The bittorrent works but I noticed it's way slower than if I used BitComet.

link doesn't work


edit: I got it..you have to browse the site...

 

[Goosemaster]

dmk11,

do you mind psoting pics of the internals? This looks very interesting but what matters most to me is drive cooling. If I put a 500Gigger in there and it lets it toast, what's the point?

Thanks