Network attached storage for the home is here and it's more affordable than you might think. Corporations have been capitalizing on the convenience and reliability of NAS systems for years, and they've recently found their way into our homes. One thing's for certain: Storage demands will continue to rise as more and more of our entertainment, information, and lifestyles converge on the PC as a hub of digital content management.

In this NAS roundup, we take a look at six NAS solutions targeting various needs and budgets. Continued...   ADS NAS Drive Kit Infrant ReadyNAS X6 Iomega NAS StorCenter Pro 200d Thecus N4100 Western Digital NetCenter Ximeta NetDisk 250 Street Price $107 $1299 $1299 $650 $305 $270 Included HDD Enclosure Only 4 x 250GB 2 x 160 GB Enclosure Only 1 x 320 GB 1 x 250 GB Max # of Drives (Type) 1 (Ultra ATA) 4 (SATA) 2 (SATA) 4 (SATA) 1 (SATA) 1 (SATA) RAID type N/A X-RAID JBOD, RAID 0, 1 JBOD, RAID 0, 1, or 5 N/A N/A Embedded OS Linux RAIDiator (Linux-based) Microsoft Windows Storage Server 2003 Linux Linux N/A Processor/Chipset 170MHz MIPS Processor Infrant IT1004 NSP 2.0 GHz Intel Celeron Intel 80219 I/O Processor Broadcom BRCM4785 N/A Memory 64 MB 256 MB 256 MB 256 MB Info Not Available N/A Interface 10/100Base-T Ethernet 10/100/1000Base-T Ethernet, USB 2.0 10/100/1000Base-T Ethernet, USB 2.0 10/100/1000Base-T Ethernet 10/100Base-T Ethernet, 10/100Base-T or USB 2.0 USB Printer Support? No Yes Yes No Yes No Supported OSes Windows 98/ME/XP/2000, 2000/2003 Server Windows, Mac, UNIX, Linux Windows 98/Me/NT/2000/XP/2003, MacOS 8.x, 9.x, 10.x, Novell NetWare 3.x, 4.x, 5.x, Red Hat Linux, SuSE, (most Linux derivatives), SunOS, Solaris, SCO Unix, (most Unix derivatives) Windows 98/ME/NT/2000/XP, UNIX/Linux/BSD (by CIFS), Apple OS X (by CIFS) Windows 98SE/Me/2000 Pro/2000 Server/2003 Server or Windows XP Home/Pro/Media Center Edition, Mac OS X 10.1.5 or later Windows 98SE/2000/XP/Linux Red Hat 9.0, Mac OS X Dimensions 5.2"x8.8"x2.4" 8”x8.5”x10.5” 12.9”x18.1”x12.9” 6.6”x7.8”x8.8” 5.9”x9.4”x2.1” 8.3”x1.5”x4.7” Weight 4 lbs. 9 lbs. 23.2 lbs. 8.8 lbs. <6 lbs. 3.1 lbs.

NAS systems typically come bundled with their own discovery software for locating a device on your network. After it's been located, the next step is logging in with an administrator account and password into an administration console usually accessed through your web browser, much like the configuration of your home network router. From here you can monitor device status, configure IP settings, share volumes, and perhaps access more advanced features like automated backup scheduling or RAID, disk quota, and group policy management options if they're available. Continued... Our benchmarks were performed on Iometer 2004.7.30 with the following specs:

256k transfer request size, 100% read, 100% sequential, 100% of access specification 256k transfer request size, 100% write, 100% sequential, 100% of access specification

A 30 second ramp-up preceded each test, and tests ran for 5 minutes. Every NAS was assigned a static IP address. Multiple runs were performed and their scores averaged. For the most part, the output scores were pretty consistent from run to run.

Data from the Iomega StorCenter Pro 200d was omitted due to inconsistent results caused by what we suspect is a faulty drive. Continued...

Component Brand Processor AMD Athlon 64 3500+ Motherboard ASUS A8N-SLI Deluxe (Socket 939 chipset) Memory 2 x 512GB Dual-Channel DDR PC3200 OCZ Platinum RAM (2-2-2-5 Timings) Graphics Nvidia 6800 Ultra HDD 36 GB Western Digital Raptor Ethernet Marvell Yukon PCI Gigabit Ethernet Controller Audio Nvidia nForce Audio Operating System Windows XP Pro Service Pack 2 Power Supply Antec 550W Network Switch Netgear GS105 5-port Gigabit Switch The scores looked pretty consistent with our expectations of the kind of throughput achieved with sustained transfers over either 10/100 and gigabit Ethernet. These scores certainly don't tell the whole story, but they do provide a somewhat accurate gauge for the read and write performance of the NAS devices in our roundup. Video streaming performance, for example, is one usage model we tried to represent with our test. Another interesting point to note about the throughput scores has to do with the fact that some benchmark write scores came out faster than read scores. We suspect write caching may have been a factor.

CPU Utilization CPU utilization averaged between 55%-65%. The processor is obviously still doing a significant amount of work to facilitate these transfers, which is likely to hurt slower machines and even fast PCs performing CPU-intensive tasks during large transfers. Video transcoding performance, for instance, will probably take a big hit if the files are simultaneously writing to the NAS. TCP offload engines may be part of the solution for the future, but for now heavy TCP/IP traffic is a resource hog we'll have to find a way to work around. Continued... The NAS Drive Kit is ADS's affordable solution for entry-level backup and data sharing over the network. It's the least expensive product in our roundup, but packs a lot of essential features into a very reasonably priced package. Many of us have a spare IDE hard disk or two lying around the house probably just taking up space. ADS thinks it makes good sense to recycle these forsaken drives for the sake of budget NAS and we agree. The ADS Kit only accepts Ultra ATA drives, but I'm sure you can find something constructive to do with your extra SATA disks. Removing the sturdy aluminum chassis cover is accomplished with two thumbscrews on the back of the unit. We put to work a spare 40 GB Western Digital Caviar that was previously sitting idly in a drawer. Installation was simply a matter of plugging in the ribbon and power cables and screwing the disk in place. Keep in mind the drive you'll be using will be formatted into Linux Ext3 file format so it can be used by the NAS. Any data stored on the disk in FAT or NTFS will be erased. During our testing, we found the noise to be somewhat loud for desktop placement. Relocating it beneath and away resolved the issue, but unfortunately hid what we felt was a nicely designed enclosure.

ADS NAS Drive Kits come equipped with 10/100Base-T Ethernet, web access options, and configurable user, guest, and power accounts. It even supports BitTorrent protocol, but we didn't have a chance to test it out. Retail price is $119, but we've seen it going for as low as $107 online. We think that's pretty cheap insurance in case your local hard drive decides to unexpectedly go kaput. Continued...

Product: ADS NAS Drive Kit Company: ADS Tech Price: $107 (street price) Pros: Inexpensive; nice enclosure design; easy setup, and configuration Cons: Loud; unspectacular throughput performance Summary: Summary: Affordable NAS for the masses. Rating: If you're looking for network storage with a bit more flexibility that's still easy to use, the Ximeta NetDisk is an attractive option that won't dent the wallet like a pricey RAID setup. What differentiates the NetDisk from most other NAS devices is its Network Direct Attached Storage (NDAS) technology; the remote hard drive connects directly to a network without using a server or TCP/IP. Once the NDAS driver is installed, the NetDisk appears as another local drive and functions as if it were another local hard disk on your PC. You also have the option of connecting the NetDisk over either USB 2.0 or Ethernet. This comes in handy when your girlfriend brings her laptop over to your house and wants to steal all your music, movies, and vacation photos, but you've used up all the open ports on your network. Or you might just want the faster throughput of a USB interface without the hassle of installing a driver. That's right, any time you want to use the NetDisk on a machine over the network for the first time, you'll need to install the driver and type in the product ID and write key printed on the bottom of the drive. But make sure you don't connect both Ethernet and USB at once, because the NetDisk will get confused and discouraged.

During our test, we found the NetDisk to be a civilized and unobtrusive piece of desktop furniture. Its sleek and virtually silent chassis fits almost anywhere. Plus it's small enough to take with you to a friend's house for data-swapping fiestas. While it did generate a significant amount of heat in our "back of the hand" test, it didn't have any noticeable negative effects on performance. Continued... Product: XIMETA NetDisk (250GB) Company: XIMETA Price: $270 (street price) Pros: Simple setup and configuration; connects via USB or Ethernet; quiet. Cons: Price; can’t connect other USB devices such as printers or flash drives; no simultaneous read/write access from multiple PCs unless they’re running Windows XP/2000. Summary: Fast and simple network storage and backup solution that’s small enough to take with you. Rating: The majority of ET readers can probably set up a new device in Windows or configure a home network without the help of a Bangladeshi call center walking us through the process step by step. But those of us that didn't grow up with household names like Apple, IBM, Microsoft, and Nintendo might not fare as well. And regardless of your background, we pretty much all would prefer our gadgets to "just work" without the hours of hair-pulling investigation and troubleshooting. Western Digital has done a fine job placating both digital natives and technophobes alike with their NetCenter NAS solution. The setup process is streamlined with user-friendly "wizard"-type configuration, making it easy for anyone to get it up and running quickly. If your family is anything like mine, the NetCenter would be a great gift for Mom and Dad—plus you might end up talking about something other than home IT troubles for a change. But just because the NetCenter is easy to use doesn't mean it's just for newbies. The browser-based NetCenter Manager has more fine-tuned user controls for general setup, file and printer sharing, and drive management options. Beneath the lists of customizable choices, Western Digital has provided an explanation of what each setting means so you don't have to go searching through the user manual or reaching for the phone to call your tech-savvy kid away at college.

The NetCenter employs a Broadcom chip running Linux to handle storage and network processing. There are two USB 2.0 inputs on the back that can be used to connect a printer to share on the network. During normal operation, the NetCenter emits a faint fan whine that we found very tolerable with the NAS placed on the desk next to the monitor.

Western Digital sells the NetCenter on their website for $329 with free shipping. We've also seen it on other online retailers going for around $305. Continued... Product: Western Digital NetCenter 320 GB Company: Western Digital Price: $305 (street price) Pros: User-friendly; slick case; network printing support. Cons: Mediocre transfer speeds; no RAID. Summary: WD makes NAS a no-brainer. Rating: Our take on the Thecus N4100 is that it's a departmental drive that could work well for SoHo applications, but isn't quite ready for the home market. Based on Intel XScale technology, this Linux-based NAS is like the new puppy you want to let inside but isn't housebroken just yet.

One of the reasons for this judgement has to do with chassis design. The exposed front is convenient for hot swapping drives and providing a path for airflow. We managed to break one of the plastic tabs that secure the drives in place, a part that should've been made a bit more durable. And the noise—oh, the noise. Much of it is coming from the power supply fan, and it's simply unacceptable for a device whose intended purpose is nearly constant uptime in a home environment. A noisy whirring aluminum box in your house is a nuisance, even if it does support JBOD and RAID 0, 1, and 5.

In the right setting, like a data center or sealed closet, the N4100 does a fine job as a NAS. Front LED status indicators glow blue for a healthy system and red when there's a problem. On the back, there are two Gigabit LAN ports and three thumbscrews securing the covering to the chassis. The browser-based administrative console has convenient monitors for statistics like total up time, current CPU loading %, and remaining time left on a RAID configuration process. The N4100 is sold as a bare enclosure for around $650. Continued... Product: Thecus N4100 Company: Thecus Price: $650 Pros: Stylish chassis; hot-swappability. Cons: Noisy; flimsy drive locking mechanism. Summary: Some nice features, but the overall package leaves something to be desired. Rating: For achieving data redundancy, fault-tolerance, and disk performance in network storage systems, RAID is a must. And implementing a dependable array requires some kind of hardware or software management to keep the disks functioning as a logical unit. To this end, Infrant has implemented a 32-bit RISC CPU (Sparc Instruction Set), accelerated XOR and encryption engines, a four-channel SATA controller, and gigabit MAC onto a single chip to manage their ReadyNAS X6. It runs Infrant's RAIDiator operating system based on Linux and Samba file sharing protocols. Back in May, Loyd reviewed the X6's alter-ego, the ReadyNAS 600. You might be wondering how the X6 differs, aside from the fact that it's silver and the 600 is black. Well, the X6 also has a few less obvious advantages over the 600 such as faster streaming, automatic volume management, and simplified single volume technology. X-RAID (expandable RAID) automatically incorporates newly added drives into the existing array. During this process, drives are still accessible but with slightly degraded performance. So if you start out with a single drive and add another, the X6 will automatically set up the new drive to mirror your existing one. Adding a third drive doubles your storage capacity and a fourth triples it. Like the 600, adding or removing drives requires the removal of four screws on the front cover and two more screws that secure each disk in place. Inside, the area behind the drives where the cables attach is a bit cramped. This makes the SATA and power cables a bit difficult to plug and unplug, especially if they're still hot from recent use. If you order the X6 with drives preinstalled, the setup procedure only involves connecting the power and network cables. After you've located your NAS on the network with Infrant's RAIDar software, a configuration page for the X6 will launch through your default internet browser. From here, you'll be able to log into the X6 and access typical administrative options such as changing the administrator password, IP settings, user accounts, and volume management.

The X6 offers three different schemes for access control based on the needs of your working environment. The "share" option is intended for homes or small offices, where users share a common guest login and password with the same read/write privileges. The "user" scheme, designed for medium-sized offices and workgroups creates individual user or group account policies on networks without domain controller authentication. The third option, "domain," is for departmental use with a centralized domain controller or active director service for login authentication. Our X6 shipped with four 250 GB drives. After subtracting the space reserved for mirroring, snapshots, and file system and RAID configuration overhead, we're left with around 646 GB of free space. Two USB 2.0 ports let the X6 function as a network printer server. There's also an option to automatically copy the contents of a USB flash device to a user-determined drive and path on the NAS. A ReadyNAS X6 with the 4 x 250 GB drive configuration will run you $1299. Continued...

Product: Infrant ReadyNAS X6 Company: Infrant Technologies Price: $1299 Pros: Performance; quiet; expandability options; excellent website forum and technical support resources . Cons: Awkward internal cable routing complicates drive installation; swapping drives requires cover removal. Summary: RAID storage doesn’t come cheap, but the X6 is a great combination of performance and dependability. Rating: The Iomega NAS StorCenter Pro 200d feels somewhat out of place at home, like a caged lion capable of tearing the crap out of some unlucky zebra left to languish in a suburban prison. Instead, its days are filled with long naps and an occasional chance to stretch of the legs if only to gobble up the lifeless carrion thrown in its general direction. Essentially a departmental drive that's aimed at the prosumer home, the 200d is best suited to advanced office backup and storage tasks for complex group settings. A lot of us at home probably won't use the storage report generator for "best practices" disk management, but niche users like videographers may warm up to the 35 GB REV removable storage drive. Intended as a replacement for tape archiving, Iomega claims the REV is eight times faster than tape and capable of up to 25 MBps throughput speed.

Unlike the other Linux-based NAS systems in our roundup, the 200d runs on Windows Storage Server 2003, Standard Edition through a 2.0 GHz Intel Celeron processor. There are rear VGA and dual USB ports to hook up a monitor, mouse, and keyboard if you want to boot directly into the device as a standalone server. Otherwise, a remote desktop utility in the web administration interface gives you access to those fine Microsoft management and diagnostic utilities. The 200d also comes bundled with a stack of software including Iomega Automatic Backup Pro, NAS Discovery, NAS Recovery, Computer Associates eTrust Antivirus 7.0, and BrightStor ARCserve backup utility. All this and more can be yours for $1299. Continued... Product: Iomega NAS StorCenter Pro 200d Company: Iomega Price: $1299 Pros: Powerful processor; REV drive archive option, Gigabit Ethernet. Cons: Limited to only two disks; Expensive; Cold-swap drives. Summary: High-end performance and advanced management options that may be overkill for some. Rating:

Backup is a crucial consideration that many people ignore until it's too late. With the number of affordable NAS solutions available now, there isn't much excuse to put it off any longer.

The ADS NAS Drive Kit is an inexpensive way to safely back up and share crucial data over a network, especially if you have a spare drive. Western Digital's NetCenter is a good solution for neophytes. Ximeta's NetDisk offer convenient network storage with even better performance, and gets our nod as the most flexible and usable single drive NAS system. Note, though, that it does require a proprietary driver be installed on client systems.

Check out more storage reviews here.

RAID-capable NAS options like the Infrant ReadyNAS X6, Iomega StorCenter Pro 200d, and Thecus N4100 offer solutions that are space-efficient, customizable, and reasonably priced. The Thecus is an interesting option, but too noisy for most homes and small offices. The Infrant ReadyNAS X6 provides the most flexible solution, including offering RAID 5-like support for a great combination of performance and data security.

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Copyright © 2005 Ziff Davis Media Inc. All Rights Reserved. Originally appearing in ExtremeTech.