Choose From Desktop Or Rackmount Network Storage Device Profiles
| Page Highlights: | |
|---|---|
| Product Lineup | |
| Uses For Network Storage Devices | |
| Desktop NAS Comparison | |
| Rackmount NAS Comparison |
Product Lineup
 Netgear ReadyNAS NVX |
 Iomega StorCenter ix4-200d |
 Netgear ReadyNAS Pro Business |
 Netgear ReadyNAS 2100 |
 Iomega StorCenter ix4-200r |
 Netgear ReadyNAS 3200 |
Small and Medium businesses have been clamoring for network storage products for a long time. It was only a couple of years ago when this market really started to deliver what business customers had long been wanting:
- Centralized network data storage protected with domain or share level security and redundant drives
- Affordable per gigabyte solutions
- Performance to enable data access without delays
- Simplified management
- Very large data access; video, multimedia
- A way to inexpensively get into virtual machine, iSCSI storage
- Cross platform access
Small business has been captive to companies like Novell and Microsoft for too long; with high licensing costs and expensive consultants to configure and manage. Network storage relied also on expensive hardware from vendors like Dell and HP. Network attached storage from vendors like Netgear, Iomega, and Seagate are quickly changing that with compact hardware designs running on open source Linux operating system platforms.
Web based management consoles have made it easy for employees of small businesses to setup and manage these storage devices without any knowledge of the Linux server software they are running on.
Many small businesses are replacing their large, expensive, high maintenance Windows Servers with small, eco-friendly, networks storage devices that provide all the performance and features at a fraction of the initial cost and with negligible on-going costs.
And where the smallest office before had trouble finding room for that barely affordable Windows Small Business Server, it is no trouble at all to find room for a quiet, toaster sized network attached storage device.
Now with the advent of reliable, affordable and easy to use in-the-cloud, online backup solutions (Netgear ReadyNAS has their own built-in), there is no need for that small business to spend the money, hassle or uncertainty of implementing a tape backup system.
For large, distributed storage needs, you can now build a SAN with your existing gigabit ethernet infrastructure.
In fact, if you are just getting started into storage area networks, you can actually build a SAN for under $2000!
What Can Network Attached Storage Do For Your Business?
Store Data:
Centralization of data onto a single device can reduce IT management headaches and allow you to pool budget resources to buy a higher level of data protection and reliability. You can increase storage capacity without costly, inconvenient down time (no all-nighters for IT staff!).
ReadyNAS network storage devices support not only file sharing but also server applications including MS Exchange, SQL Server and for virtualizatoin are not only VMware ready, but support Hyper-V and Citrix XenServer.
Share Data:
With ReadyNAS Remote you can drag and drop over a secure connection without worrying about firewall issues, VPN’s or needing an expensive web based remote access solution. Clients can be operating Windows, Mac or Linux, all are fully supported. Works great with remote offices as well.
Protect Data:
In today’s business world, lost information means lost revenue. Multiple layers of protection are built into every ReadyNAS, including drive fault tolerance, online backups (snapshots), and secure offsite replication to another ReadyNAS system (locally or remote).
With network attached storage of this caliber, you can replace tape completely, making offsite replication and backup a complete, affordable and timely reality.
The ReadyNAS Vault™ option, built into every ReadyNAS unit, allows your business to subscribe to a cloud based data storage service that automatically preserves multiple archive copies in a datacenter. What this means to you is no more dedicated servers, licenses or failed jobs. Backup as much or as little as you like. Data recovery can be done from any network location and can be accomplished using a simple web browser.
Compare Popular Network Storage Devices for Small/Medium Business
Desktop Model NAS Comparison:
| NAS Model | Netgear ReadyNAS NVX | Iomega StorCenter ix4-200d | Netgear ReadyNAS Pro Business Edition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Click Image For Larger View | |
|
|
| Profile Size (HxWxD) | 7.9″ x 5.2″ x 8.7″ | 7.9″ x 7.7″ x 6.6″ | 10.0″ x 6.7″ x 11.2 “ |
| Hot Swap Drive Bays (Max Capacity) | 4 (8 TB) | 4 (8 TB) | 6 (12 TB) |
| CPU | Intel embedded Tolapai @ 1.06GHz | Marvel 6281 @ 1.2Ghz | Intel multi-core Pentium Dual E2160 @ 1.8GHz |
| Memory | 1GB | 512MB | 1GB |
| Network Ports/Speed | 2 x 10/100/1000 | 2 x 10/100/1000 | 2 x 10/100/1000 |
| Snapshot Support | Yes | No | Yes |
| Power Supply | Internal | External inline brick | Internal |
| Warranty | 5 Years | 3 Years | 5 Years |
Netgear ReadyNAS NVX
- Compact Desktop design (functional equivalent to ReadyNAS 2100)
- 4 Enterprise-Class (TB drives only) hard drives (1T, 2T, 4T or 8T configurations)
- Intel embedded CPU
- Internal Power Supply (no brick!)
- Simultaneously supports NAS and iSCSI SAN for database and server virtualization applications
- Cross-platform support for Windows®, Macintosh® and UNIX®/Linux systems
Read Full Netgear ReadyNAS NVX Review
Iomega StorCenter ix4-200d
- Compact Desktop design
- External, brick style inline power supply
- 2T, 4T, 8T configurations (“green” hard drives in 2T, 4T configuration)
- Simultaneously supports NAS and iSCSI SAN for database and server virtualization applications
- Cross-platform support for Windows®, Macintosh® and UNIX®/Linux systems
Read Full Iomega StorCenter ix4-200d Review
Netgear ReadyNAS Pro Business
- Compact Desktop design
- 6 Enterprise-Class (TB drives only) hard drives (1.5T, 3T, 6T or 12T configurations)
- Intel multi-core CPU for FAST! performance, expandable RAM
- Internal Power Supply (no brick!)
- Simultaneously supports NAS and iSCSI SAN for database and server virtualization applications
- Cross-platform support for Windows®, Macintosh® and UNIX®/Linux systems
Read Full Netgear ReadyNAS Pro Business Edition Review
Rackmount Model NAS Comparison:
| NAS Model | Netgear ReadyNAS 2100 | Iomega StorCenter ix4-200r | Netgear ReadyNAS 3200 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Click Image For Larger View | |
|
|
| Rack Profile Size | 1U | 1U | 2U |
| Hot Swap Drive Bays (Max Capacity) | 4 (8T) | 4 (4T) | 12 (24T) |
| CPU | Intel Tolapai SoC @ 1.06 GHz | Intel Celeron D 352 @ 3.2GHz | Intel Xeon multi-core |
| Memory | 2GB ECC | 1GB DDR2 | 8GB ECC |
| Network Speed | 2 x 10/100/1000 (Teaming) | 1 x 10/100/1000 | 10 Gigabit w/ option |
| Network IP Support | IPv4 | IPv4 | IPv4, IPv6 |
| Redundant Power Supplies | No | No | Yes |
| Warranty | 5 Years | 3 Years | 5 Years |
The comparison here may not be ideal between brands. I feel the Iomega unit is more equivalent to the near-end-of-life ReadyNAS 1100 (which was a great unit in its day but I would recommend the 2100 instead) and not really ready to compete with the ReadyNAS 2100, but I do feel it important to show the very popular Iomega model.
Netgear ReadyNAS 2100
- 1U Rackmount design (functional equivalent to ReadyNAS NVX)
- 4 Enterprise-Class hard drives (2T, 4T or 8T configurations)
- Intel embedded CPU
- Simultaneously supports NAS and iSCSI SAN for database and server virtualization applications
- Cross-platform support for Windows®, Macintosh® and UNIX®/Linux systems
- Affordable entry level enterprise unit for special projects, proof of concept, even mission critical data
- Build an iSCSI solution for less than $2000!
- Network recycle bin
Read Full Netgear ReadyNAS 2100 Review
Iomega StorCenter ix4-200r
- 1U Rackmount design
- 4 SATA II hard drives (2T – 4x500GB or 4T – 4x1TB configuration)
- Intel Celeron D CPU
- Simultaneously supports NAS and iSCSI SAN for database and server virtualization applications
- Cross-platform support for Windows®, Macintosh® and UNIX®/Linux systems
Read Full Iomega StorCenter ix4-200r Review
Netgear ReadyNAS 3200
- 2U Rackmount design
- 12 Enterprise-Class hard drives (6T, 12T or 24T configurations)
- Intel Dual Core CPU
- Simultaneously supports NAS and iSCSI SAN for database and server virtualization applications
- Cross-platform support for Windows®, Macintosh® and UNIX®/Linux systems
- Affordable entry level enterprise unit for special projects, proof of concept, even mission critical data
- Build an iSCSI solution for less than $2000!
- Network recycle bin
Read Full Netgear ReadyNAS 3200 Review
Related Products
