Net Drives
Got multiple PCs and a network? New net-ready hard drives are a smart, affordable way to back up and share data.Freelance writer Becky Waring is a former editor of New Media magazine.
Network-attached storage (NAS) sounds very big and technical--the term refers to devices that were conceived as a tool for large organizations--but this is not a geeks-only article. These hard drives with brains are now compact, inexpensive, and easy to use, and they can provide automatic backup and storage for as few as two networked computers. The products reviewed here can be installed and maintained by anyone comfortable with setting up a home or small-office network--no IT training necessary. These ten products range from networked hard drives to more richly equipped NAS units, which in turn possess fewer capabilities than full-fledged servers. Typically each contains an embedded processor, an operating system, and one or more hard drives, often with room to add still more storage capacity. The result is a dedicated storage server that lets users back up and share files.
Because they attach directly to your network via an ethernet cable rather than via your PC, networked hard drives and NAS devices sidestep the limited, relatively insecure file- and printer-sharing features built into Windows. And since NAS devices don't require a host, no PC on your network has to be on all the time or suffer the processor slowdown that file and printer sharing can cause.
For Home and Business
Right now, small businesses are the main users of NAS products, since it's far easier and cheaper to add a NAS device to a network than to add a full server. According to IDC storage systems analyst Brad Nisbet, most small businesses are using NAS primarily for backup and for remote file access among workgroups--even though the products are also designed for file sharing.
NAS, however, has its limitations. The performance of networked drives will never equal that of local hard drives: Network transport speeds (in the range of 11 to 100 megabits per second) are much slower than internal and even external hard-drive transfer rates, which are about 480 mbps for USB 2.0 drives. (The exception would be a gigabit ethernet network, with speeds around 1000 mbps.) Nevertheless, the NAS products we tested are fast enough for backup and printer sharing by a small workgroup.
If you exceed about 25 simultaneous users, you start to tax the performance of even the most capable products in this review. Most of them are intended for smaller networks of 5 to 10 users.
Sharing Entertainment
Devices that fall into that 5-to-10-user sweet spot are perfect for home networks. In fact, half of the products reviewed here are designed for home users who want to share large collections of music, photo, and video files among their networked computers. Some of these devices even include wireless capabilities--a nice option if you don't already have a wireless access point. As in the business environment, NAS at home also functions as a backup device and removes the need to enable Windows file sharing on an always-on host computer.
In This Article
The Products
The Linksys EFG 250 supports gigabit ethernet.
The ten NAS devices and networked hard drives here range widely in features and capacity--from the $90 Linksys Network Storage Link, a bring-your-own-drive adapter that we tested with a $380, 300GB Maxtor drive, to the $749, 250GB Linksys EtherFast Network Attached Storage EFG 250, which has extensive security features, print serving, routing, and a second open drive bay for adding storage. All the devices we tested support PCs and Macs, and in most cases, Linux systems.
While most of the products are available in a range of prices and capacities, we found the sweet spot to be about 250GB with a street price around $399, as in the Buffalo LinkStation, our home-use pick (which we also found great for business use). Products vary in their footprint, as well, from book-size devices such as the Ximeta NetDisk to rack-mounted units such as the LaCie Ethernet Disk.
NAS devices for small businesses have one key feature that the home-oriented products do not: password protection of individual folders. The home-oriented networked storage units, such as the Iomega and Ximeta devices, allow anyone with access to the drive to read anything on that drive. In an office environment, private folders are a necessity, and six of the devices in our review are business class: the Buffalo LinkStation, the LaCie Ethernet Disk, the Linksys EtherFast NAS, the Linksys Network Storage Link, the Snap Appliance Snap Server 1100, and the Tritton Wireless NAS.
Business-class NAS devices we looked at tended to cost more and offer more capacity. Our favorite in this class was Snap Appliance's 250GB Snap Server 1100, which has the most sophisticated file-sharing features of the bunch. Next in line was the 250GB Buffalo LinkStation, a feature-packed unit whose cost per gigabyte compares with that of bare-bones models. It offers built-in backup software, print serving, password-protected user accounts for file sharing, and two USB 2.0 ports (one of them for adding an external hard drive). It is so easy to use that it's a good choice for home networks as well.
In the middle of the pack, the 250GB Linksys EtherFast NAS EFG 250 has a second internal drive bay, a print server, and gigabit ethernet. This unit was a top performer when we used it with a gigabit network. LaCie's rack-mountable 160GB Ethernet Disk has USB 1.1 (not USB 2.0) and FireWire ports for adding more storage in the form of external drives.
Linksys's Network Storage Link, a bring-your-own-storage adapter that we tested with Maxtor's 300GB OneTouch II external USB 2.0 hard drive, is a great value. It comes with two USB 2.0 ports so you can add a second drive to expand capacity or to back up the first drive.
Bringing up the rear was the 200GB Tritton Wireless NAS. It's limited to six shared folders that you can't delete, although you can assign individual passwords to them. It has no print serving or expandability, and it comes with confusing documentation. It includes Genie Soft backup software and serves as a Wi-Fi access point, both of which don't make up for its poor usability and performance.
Home Storage
Snap Appliance's Snap Server 1100 is our small-business pick.
For home use, we looked at five small or medium-size networkable hard drives and NAS units with simple setup, good backup features, reasonable performance, and low cost: the 250GB Buffalo LinkStation (we rated it for small business also); the Iomega Network Hard Drive and Iomega NAS 100d (both 160GB); and the Ximeta NetDisk and Ximeta NetDisk Office (both 120GB). Entry-level NAS devices start at $200 for 120GB. The clear winner was the Buffalo LinkStation, thanks to its low price and ease of use.
The inexpensive and easy-to-use Ximeta NetDisk and Ximeta NetDisk Office were top performers, but they lack the print serving, expansion ports, and password protection that the Buffalo LinkStation offers. With the Ximeta products, all users get access to all files on the disk, although you can write-protect certain folders. The products share the same software and have similar features, except that the NetDisk Office adds an eight-port ethernet switch and a security lock slot; it is also slightly larger than the NetDisk.
Unlike other products here, the Ximeta devices use a proprietary file-transport technology that requires installing a utility on each PC with access to the drive. You can't add standard hard drives to these Ximeta units, but you can put multiple Ximeta disks on a network, and they will appear as one large drive to the user. You can also attach them directly to a PC via USB 2.0. The principal strike against both products is that they allow only one user at a time to have write access to a drive in its Multi-OS mode; this may be fine in a two-computer household, but it is an unacceptable limitation in most other situations. Multi-Write mode requires all users to have either Windows XP or Windows 2000 with Service Pack 4, and the same version of the Ximeta driver.
Iomega has offerings on both ends of the networked-storage spectrum, the Network Hard Drive and the NAS 100d. The NAS 100d comes in a bigger box than the Network Hard Drive and includes a Wi-Fi access point and two USB 2.0 ports for adding extra hard drives. The relatively inexpensive Network Hard Drive provides two modes of operation: You can attach the device directly to a computer via ethernet or to a network router.
TIP
Use a Fixed IP Address: Even if your router automatically assigns IP addresses to the computers on your network (this is called DHCP addressing), use a fixed IP address instead for the NAS device. Go to the NAS configuration utility and choose a number within the range of your router's DHCP server. Now, any client machine equipped with a Web browser can find your NAS device.What We Found
Though these storage products have plenty in common, some were easier to use than others. Plus, some features proved very useful, while others didn't.
Installation
LaCie's Ethernet Disk has FireWire but lacks client backup software.
Our overall experience with installation went better when devices came with Windows-based installation utilities that helped with initial recognition and connection. Most of the products we tested--the Buffalo, Iomega, LaCie, Linksys, and Snap Appliance models--did. To customize options like shared folders, users, groups, and passwords, however, you must use a browser-based configuration utility that's embedded in the unit, just as you would with a router. In fact, if you have ever set up a network router, installing a networked hard drive or a NAS device will feel familiar.
Without an installation utility, that initial connection can be painful, particularly if your network does not use a DHCP server or uses Internet Protocol addressing other than 192.168.1.x, the usual address standard for private networks. Although that standard is the most common, some routers and some business networks will have a number other than 1 before the last number. Once connected, however, things get easier. You can set up most of the NAS devices from any PC or Mac by way of your browser. The Ximeta NetDisk and NetDisk Office, which do not employ TCP/IP, are the exceptions. Instead, they require all network users to install special Windows and Mac utilities in order to use the devices.
TIP
Map Your NAS Device: For the quickest, most reliable NAS connections from your Windows PC, be sure to map your NAS device to a drive letter. Go to the Tools menu in My Network Places and check the Reconnect at Logon box so your NAS device will automatically connect upon startup. Using the same name and password for NAS access as you use for your Windows network log-in will avert many potential connection issues.Ease of Use
It goes without saying that the more complex the features a device offers, the more work is required to use and maintain it. Setting up the user and group accounts and permissions, scheduling and checking backups, and setting up FTP and HTTP servers (for remote access to files through a Web browser)--all require users to be comfortable with the concepts of Windows networking. That said, some devices we tested are much easier to work with than others.
For home users who need file sharing and backup but not password-protected accounts, the Iomega NAS 100d and Iomega Network Hard Drive are the simplest products to maintain. Anyone who's skilled enough to set up a home router or a wireless network can also set up these Iomega devices. Their crystal-clear and mercifully brief manuals explain their streamlined features very well.
We found the two Ximeta NetDisk devices a bit harder to work with, mainly due to their proprietary software drivers. The clear loser in the ease-of-use category was the Tritton Wireless NAS. We tested it because we were intrigued by its wireless capabilities, but its difficult-to-follow instructions required hours to figure out how to get properly connected.
Among the small-business devices, the Buffalo LinkStation was the simplest to use and came with excellent documentation and carefully selected capabilities that even novices can operate. The LaCie Ethernet Disk, Linksys EtherFast NAS, Linksys Network Storage Link, and Snap Appliance Snap Server 1100 all had very deep feature sets and thorough and well-written manuals, but they would be best maintained by power users who are comfortable with networking utilities.
TIP
Change the Default Password: Be sure to change your administrator password during setup. All the NAS devices here come either with no administrator password or with an easy-to-guess one like "admin," and few units will remind you to change it. Similarly, there is often a default guest or anonymous user account, which you should delete or restrict to a public folder.File Sharing and Security
Assuming your NAS device or networked hard drive supports it, you should set up shared, password-protected folders, which you can assign to users and groups of users. For example, a typical small-business NAS setup might include a public folder, a private password-protected folder for each employee, and password-protected workgroup folders for shared projects. You may also configure a backup that archives documents from employees' hard disks onto their private folders on the NAS device.
The Buffalo LinkStation, LaCie Ethernet Disk, Linksys EtherFast NAS, Linksys Network Storage Link, and Snap Appliance Snap Server 1100 offer varying degrees of user and group management capabilities. The Snap Server 1100, however, really stood out for its secure file sharing and its illustrated guides for setting up highly secure user and group folders.
Keeping your data secure, especially in an office, also means protecting the drive from theft or removal. Several of the products--the Buffalo LinkStation, the Iomega Network Hard Drive, the Linksys EtherFast NAS, and the Ximeta NetDisk Office--have Kensington-type lock slots. The Linksys EtherFast NAS also has key locks for its two drive bays.
Home users, particularly those who want to keep some folders away from children, may also need private folders. The Buffalo LinkStation and the Linksys Network Storage Link, which are both easy to use, offer good security features.
If you're on a home network and don't need strict password management or lock slots, consider a lower-priced entry-level unit--such as the Iomega Network Hard Drive and the two Ximeta drives--that lacks user or group features. Just remember that anyone with access to such a drive can read anything on it, although you can write-protect certain folders.
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Drill Down With Permissions: When setting up shared folders for users and groups, keep in mind that subfolders inherit all the rights of their parent folders. So start with more restrictive permissions at higher folder levels and add rights as you drill down.What We Found (continued)
Wireless Access
LaCie's network configuration utility can be easy to use, provided you are familiar with Windows networking.
Wireless connectivity on a NAS device can be a bonus if you don't already have a wireless access point, but if you do, it's superfluous. If you plug any NAS device into your Wi-Fi router, you can access it via your Wi-Fi network. The Iomega NAS 100d and the Tritton Wireless NAS offer integrated 802.11g wireless networking but lack WPA encryption and enhanced-G speeds, so they would be slower than a wired ethernet network.
The Iomega NAS 100d does have a potentially useful wireless feature: It can act as a Wi-Fi client as well as an access point--place it within range of your Wi-Fi router, and it will connect to your network wirelessly. But again, we don't recommend doing that, since plain 802.11g has much lower throughput than wired ethernet and would slow down everybody's access to the device. Plus, connections can drop unexpectedly due to interference--not something you want happening in the middle of a backup.
TIP
Monitor Your Storage Capacity: Keep an eye on how full your drives are. If there isn't enough room on them, your backup will fail. Some models have warning lights that let you know when the disks are full.Backup Software
NAS devices and networked hard drives show up as mapped drive volumes.
Backing up networked PCs is the most compelling reason to invest in networked storage, and all the models we tested had either integrated backup utilities or backup software to install on your PC. A secondary concern is backing up the NAS device itself to another storage unit--if it holds data not stored on any local PC or if you work in an office environment where data backups are critical. The Buffalo LinkStation, the Linksys Network Storage Link with the Maxtor OneTouch II Drive, the Snap Server 1100, and the two Ximeta NetDisk units come with software to perform both types of backup.
The best way to back up a NAS or networked drive is to do so directly to another hard drive. The Linksys EtherFast NAS, with its second drive bay, as well as the Linksys Network Storage Link, the Buffalo LinkStation, and the LaCie Ethernet Disk, with their extra USB ports, make this process easy, since you can attach the second drive directly to the first. With these products, the software for backing up the NAS or networked drive is integrated right into the browser-based configuration tools, so you can set up scheduled backups at the same time you set up user accounts and passwords.
The other way to back up a NAS device is over the network to another drive. The Snap Server 1100 and the two Ximeta NetDisk products can sync their entire drives to other Snap Servers and NetDisks, respectively, over a network.
For backing up your computer's files onto the NAS device, the Snap Server 1100 and the two Ximeta devices ship with Symantec's V2i Protector software, while the two Iomega devices ship with the simple, easy-to-use Iomega Automatic Backup software. The Tritton NAS includes Genie Soft Backup Manager, the Linksys-Maxtor combination uses Retrospect Express, and the Buffalo LinkStation comes with a simple proprietary client backup utility. Curiously, the LaCie Ethernet Disk and the Linksys EtherFast NAS were the only two devices to come without full versions of client backup software; however, LaCie and Linksys say these products work with most major third-party backup utilities.
If you're setting up network backups for all client machines to the NAS, make sure to schedule each machine's backup at different times and at times when the NAS isn't being heavily used (as at night).
Print Serving
Finally, print serving is a great benefit for both small workgroups and home networks, and we wish that all of these products included it. Just two of them do: the Buffalo LinkStation and the Linksys EtherFast NAS. They're helpful if you're trying to build a full-featured network on the cheap. However, stand-alone print servers are plentiful and relatively inexpensive, so you do have other options.
Using the print-serving features on the Buffalo and Linksys devices was straightforward, although setup was somewhat complex (as it is with most stand-alone print servers). First you'll need to attach your printer to the NAS device and set up the NAS to serve it, and then you must install the printer on each machine on the network. But once everything is set up, using a print server is almost like having a local printer at hand.
Other Options: Networked Storage Devices With Bells and Whistles
Mirra's Personal Server backs up automatically.
These products aren't traditional NAS devices, and we did not test them for this roundup, but their specialized functions will suit some home and small-business users better.
Mirra Personal Server: Intended for the backup and sharing of photos and other media on a home network, the Mirra Personal Server doesn't look or work like a standard hard drive. As long as it's turned on, its proprietary backup and synchronization software continuously backs up your files. Even laptops, when reconnected to the network, will start backing up where they left off. You can also share and access files remotely from Mirra's Web site. The Personal Server is pricier per gigabyte of capacity compared with the NAS devices we tested, but some home users may find the added features worth the cost. $399 (80GB), $499 (120GB), $749 (250GB)
U.S. Robotics 8200 Firewall/VPN/NAS: This bring-your-own-drive device for small businesses is like a network in a box, combining NAS capabilities with a router, a firewall, a print server, and VPN support. It has a four-port ethernet switch, two USB 2.0 ports, and one FireWire port. File-sharing capabilities include FTP access, and the 8200 supports major operating systems for cross-platform networks. $350