Group test: Network-attached storage devices

If your hard disks are overflowing with digital video or music, try a network-attached storage device

Corporations and other large organisations have been using network-attached storage (Nas) devices for years to back up important data or simply provide staff with a bit of extra storage.

Now, of course, many of us have our own network setup at home, so family members can access the internet and share music, photos and other files. And, as the age of music and video downloads has arrived, Nas devices are coming in handy for home users too.

In their simplest form, Nas devices are simply hard disks with an Ethernet interface attached to them so the disk can be plugged into a router or network switch. However, configuring the drive so it can be used by everyone on the network can be tricky.

Home users and small businesses won’t have trained IT staff to help them out, so ease of use and well-designed software will be important factors when choosing a Nas product.

Other features can come in handy, too, such as wireless capabilities, or USB ports that allow everyone on the network to share a printer.

So, if your hard disk is bulging with digital videos and music downloads, take a look at these Nas drives to see if they can make life easier for everyone in your household or office.

This article is part of a group test of network-attached devices.
See also
Adaptec Snap Server 110
Buffalo Linkstation Multimedia Home Server
Buffalo Terastation Home Server
Freecom Storage Gateway WLAN
Iomega Storcenter Network Hard Drive
La Cie Ethernet Disk Mini
Linksys EFG120
Maxtor Shared Storage II
Plextor PX-EH25L
Western Digital Netcenter 500
Living with NAS
DIY NAS

The table of features can be read via our pdf download.
Editor's Choice is on the next page

Editor's Choice
There are two factors that people look for when considering a network-storage device – price and storage capacity.

In terms of cost per gigabyte, Western Digital's Netcenter 500 is the best bargain, providing 500GB of storage for just £269. Its poor cross-platform support isn’t a problem if everyone in your household or office uses a PC, but we also felt its security options weren’t as robust as they might have been.

For value for money, La Cie's Ethernet Disk Mini is our Recommended choice. At just under £150 for 250GB of storage, it’s a good option for home users or small businesses on a budget. It also works with Windows PCs, Linux and Macs, so it will be suitable for a range of users.

Aside from cost, additional features play an important part as well. One standout product here is Freecom's Storage Gateway WLAN. Its built-in wireless router and multiple USB ports make it a truly versatile network-storage device. However, its high price is a disadvantage – especially if you’ve already got a wireless network setup.

Many of the products we tested were marred by poor documentation and software that assumed far too much prior knowledge of networking technology. In this area, Iomega's Storcenter Network Hard Drive stood out from the crowd thanks to its Discovery Tool software.

The Discovery Tool automatically searches your network, locates the Storcenter and detects its IP address. It then assigns a drive letter and displays the Storcenter as another drive in the My Computer window. You are then free to configure individual user accounts and shared folders at your leisure.

The Storcenter scores well in other areas too. Its cross-platform support encompasses Windows PCs, Macs and several versions of Linux. It has two USB ports that allow you to share a printer on the network or add extra storage. It supports Raid and the UPnP standard for working with media players.

The Storcenter’s superior ease of use and wider range of features justifies its £365 price, and so the Storcenter earns our Editor’s Choice award.