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 |  | Ethernet Drives: $100-$300 |  | Larger Drives: $350-$800 |
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Network storage devices, also referred to as network attached storage (NAS) products, are disk drives that enable a group of people to share and store data on a home or business local network (LAN), which could include backups, shared files, MP3 files and digital photos. NAS drives typically connect to a hub or router through an Ethernet cable, but some can do so wirelessly. The operating system for a NAS handles volume and drive management, networking, security, and user access.
Typical costs: |
- NAS devices with approximately 300 gigabytes (GB) of storage are usually Windows- and Mac-compatible. They offer password protection that provides privacy levels on shared folders. By simply plugging into an Ethernet router, the drive appears as a local h
- NAS devices with 500GB of storage work much like 300MB versions but with even more storage and often more features. Many drives include print server and media server features that allow users to print across a network or stream media files that are stored centrally Two well-reviewed product choices include the Western Digital MyBook World Edition[1] ($170-$245), which is a single drive and the $340 HP Media Vault mv2020[2] .
- NAS devices with 1 terabyte of data storage offer support for media adapters, built-in print and media servers and fault-tolerant dual drive RAID 1 security features. They also often offer wireless access. Two well-reviewed products include the Iomega StorCenter Pro NAS 150d[3] ($650-$780) and the Maxtor Shared Storage II[4] ($700-$735).
Related articles: Flash Memory Drives, Online Data Backup, Wireless Network
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What should be included: |
- Ethernet cable to connect to your local area network.
Discounts: |
- If shopping online, factor shipping costs into the total price. If buying locally, it may be helpful to bring a printout of an advertised online price to see if the merchant can match it. In some cases, prices at a store can be higher than what is advertised on the store's website.
Shopping for a network storage device: |
- Check prices at online retailers such as Amazon[5] and JR.com[6] .
- If easier returns are a priority, consider buying a NAS device at electronics stores with physical retail storefronts such as CompUSA [7] or Best Buy[8] .
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What People Are Paying - Recent Comments |
| Posted by: PC Guy in San Jose, CA. | Posted: November 9th, 2007 05:11AM |
| Brand: HP | Model: Media Vault 2010 |
| Capacity (in GB): 300 |
I got the HP Media Vault because CNet recommended it and said it was the fastest drive by far. The drive has worked fine, but it doesn't seem so speedy -- backing up just 40GB took all night. I haven't tried the higher-end functionality like the media streaming. The basic file folder protection works fine. It came with backup software, but their software turns your drive into giant blob files, and it appears it's an all-or-nothing restore -- as far as I can tell, can't look at the backup and just take what files you need. |
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External Resources: |
- www.cnet.com/network-storage/western-digital-mybook-world/4505-3382_7-32401221.html
- www.amazon.com/HP-MV2020-Media-Vault-500/dp/B000IMYIA8/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/104-5291459...
- www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2128590,00.asp
- www.smallnetbuilder.com/content/view/28219/75/
- www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw/104-9699728-8750309?url=search-alias%3Delectronics&f...
- www.jr.com/category/computers/drives/hard-drives/
- www.tigerdirect.com/
- www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?_dyncharset=ISO-8859-1&id=pcat17071&type=page&st=...
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