Tech: Storage Solutions

Image: Barry Makariou

1 Verbatim Gigabit NAS External Hard Drive 1TB
Best For… VALUE
With 1TB of storage pre-installed, the Verbatim drive is spacious and, although not quite as simple as the Stora, easy to set up, offers speedy access to your files with a UPnP media server and an iTunes server. You can easily download BitTorrents and back-up all data using the included Nero’s BackItUp 4 Essentials software. There’s one Ethernet and two USB ports.
Rs. 8,500; verbatim-europe.co.uk

2 Seagate BlackArmor NAS 420
Best For… OFFICE USE
This four-bay drive can connect up to 50 workstations to the one drive. Set-up is reasonably easy, but networking knowledge is useful for advanced features. It is quickest on test for loading data and gives access to files over the Internet in the event of a digital disaster. DLNA, UPnP, iTunes and print servers are all catered for. Connectivity includes Ethernet and four USB ports. This model comes with two 1TB drives.
Rs. 29,000; www.seagate.com

3 NETGEAR Stora 1TB
Best For… MEDIA STREAMING
The easiest to set up, and working seamlessly with your home network, Netgear’s Stora offers media streaming to any UPnP or DLNA device, including the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. It boasts integration with Facebook, instantly uploading photos. The built-in 1TB of storage is enough for most home users, but if you’re a heavy downloader, add storage to the second bay or via a USB-attached hard drive.
Rs. 11,000; www.netgear.co.uk

4 Synology DiskStation DS210j
Best For… VERSATILITY
The Diskstation is a do-it-all solution with two bays for swapable hard disks, one Ethernet port, three USB sockets and the ability to control and store footage from five IP cameras. Data Replicator 3 lets you set up scheduled back-ups. Of the home-orientated drives, it’s the quickest to upload data, but unless you’re adept at networking, set-up isn’t as easy as on rival drives. Features include an iTunes server, Web streaming and support for BitTorrent, eMule and RapidShare, plus Web radio. Apps such as Wordpress for bloggers and SQL Buddy can be added.
Rs. 11,500; www.synology.com

5 Buffalo LinkStation Mini
Best For… COMPACT STORAGE
This 500GB palm-sized NAS drive is designed for home use. Buffalo’s 500 GB LinkStation Mini is easy to set up and run. It uses twin 2.5-inch HDDs, although the drives aren’t user accessible. So, if you fill one or it breaks, you can’t replace it. You can attach an external hard drive via USB. The Mini has a built-in BitTorrent client, iTunes and media servers, a print server and file access through a Web browser.
Rs. 10,000; www.buffalo-technology.com

6 QNAP TurboNAS TS-259 Pro
Best For… FEATURES
This turbo-powered NAS drive is ideal for office use as it can be used as a file transfer protocol (FTP) site or Web server, you can connect multiple IP cameras for remote recording and it has a print server which recognises up to three printers. There are five USB ports, two Ethernet and two eSATA and it’s also Apple Time Machine compatible. Its two hard drive bays arrive bare, so factor in the cost of the drives.
Rs. 31,000; www.qnap.com

Courtesy T3 (This material is reproduced from T3 magazine and is the copyright of or licensed to Future Publishing Limited, a Future plc group company, UK2010. Used under licence. All rights reserved.)