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Windows Home Server and Central Axis, Look Out: Drobo Broadens Network Media Server Category

Mark Edward Soper — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 13:23:24 -0500

Drobo 101: Flexible BYOD ("Bring Your Own Disks") Storage

Drobo combines the data-protection features of a RAID array, the storage pooling of JBOD ("just a bunch of disks"), and the ability to mix or match one to four SATA drives into a compact, USB 2.0 storage device that works with PCs, Linux boxes, or MacOS computers. See the data sheet (PDF format) here. Our tests found that the Drobo was quite slow compared to a standalone SATA drive in an enclosure. However, network storage is a different ballgame.

Drobo 202: Adding DroboShare

The DroboShare add-on enables you to connect one or two Drobos to your network via Gigabit Ethernet, and unlike some network storage devices, you can freely switch between local and network storage uses any time.

DroboShare + SDK = Network Media Server and Much More

There's a lot of interest in easy-to-use network media servers these days, as demonstrated by our stories on Windows Home Server and Maxtor Central Axis. Thanks to the release of the Drobo SDK, developers can now develop servers and other network apps for Drobo.

To demonstrate what's possible, the SDK includes a sample UPnP/DNLA server to provide streaming media to PS3, Xbox 360, and other compatible devices, a Linux version of the Drobo Dashboard control utility, and a Windows apps that displays the actual size of storage available in your Drobo configuration.

Joining the DroboApps Family

Data Robotics will launch a DroboApps website in the near future to feature applications from developers. So, if you're a developed excited about Drobo, get started by joining the developer community, which will enable you to download the Drobo SDK and sample apps.

Deals on Drobo

To get you started with Drobo, Data Robotics is currently offering special bundle prices on Drobo + 1TB Western Digital Green Power drives through its own DroboStore as well as major online vendors. Don't forget to grab a DroboShare as well if you want to put Drobo on the network.

Drobo Good? Drobo Bad? Feedback Wanted!

The comments section of the Endgadget story on Drobo's SDK features a vigorous discussion (translation: a knock-down, drag-out fight) about networking Drobo and alternatives. What say you? If you use Drobo and DroboShare, use an alternative, or have other useful comments, celebrate Independence Day by telling us exactly what you think.

Drobo+DroboShare image courtesy of Data Robotics.

Not Just Another Big Network Drive: Maxtor Prepares to Put 1TB of Media-Savvy Storage on Your Home Network

Mark Edward Soper — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 16:35:09 -0500

Entering a Crowded Marketplace...

SlashGear reports that Seagate has announced a new 1TB network attached drive, the Maxtor Central Axis network drive. Network attached drives aren't exactly new, of course.

Maxtor and Seagate already offer a number of network drives with similar capacities. Other vendors offering 1TB-class network storage include:

Western Digital (read our review of the My Book World Edition II dual-drive edition here)
Iomega
Buffalo Technology
Netgear
LaCie

The market is crowded, all right. So, what makes Maxtor's new network box so special?

...With More-than-PC Features

So, what makes this new product special? Features that recognize that today's home networks are not just a collection of PCs running Windows, but also include console games, media devices, and systems running MacOS. Central Axis is designed to meet the following needs:

Backup; includes automatic backup software for both Windows and MacOS clients
Remote access; supports secure remote access via web browser
Streaming media support; enables game consoles that support the DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance) standard, such as the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, to display videos, pictures, and play music stored on the Central Axis; requires a UPnP AV 1.0 certified Digital Media Adapter for streaming media
Includes UPnP (universal Plug and Play) for easy configuration
Two additional USB ports (support print server and additional storage)
Password protected storage

Specifications

Hard disk

1TB, 7200RPM, 32MB cache

Network Connectivity

Gigabit Ethernet (10/100/1000)

Supports Web Interface for management

Firefox 2.x or later; IE 6.x or later

Operating systems

Windows XP, Vista - MacOS 10.4.11 or later

Warranty

5 years

The Target Is...

The Central Axis has more than just other network drives in its sights. With its support for automatic backup, it's a potential rival to Microsoft's Home Server, and with support for game consoles and MacOS as well as Windows clients, it's intending to sweep the 'best in show' for network drives.

Cha-ching!

The Central Axis will have a retail price at July introduction of $329.95, which is more than many of its competitors.