LaCie debuts the Network Space MAX NAS/media server

Oregon-based LaCie has now introduced a sexy new storage solution which goes by the name Network Space MAX, features a Neil Poulton design and can play the role of both a NAS (network attached storage) device and a media server.

Coming in 2TB and 4TB flavors, the new hybrid drive measures 117 x 193 x 77 mm and weights 1.8kg, has a glossy black coating, boasts two HDDs that can be configured in RAID 0 or 1, provides Gigabit Ethernet and USB 2.0 connectivity and can backup data, handle torrent downloads, and stream media to PCs and/or consoles.

“Even for networking beginners, LaCie Network hard drives offer a simple way to share one’s media between multiple computers in the home,” said Patrick Salin, LaCie Digital Home Business Unit Manager. “The RAID 1 capability of LaCie’s Network Space MAX means users can be assured their valuable data is always safe and accessible.”

The 2TB and 4TB LaCie Network Space MAX drives are backed by a two-year warranty and cost $279.99 and $479.99, respectively.

Sarotech T2 offers NAS relief to media fanatics in a diminutive, HD-friendly package

Sarotech’s newest might not be the wildest media player in town, but if you’re looking to get down to business in a svelte (4.5 x 3.75 x 0.85-inch) package, the T2 should be more than up to the task. This bad boy sports a Sigma SMPS8653 CPU (500MHz), support for Full HD MKV, H.264 videos, DTS and Dolby sound, and 1080p HDMI 1.3 output. If that weren’t enough, this will also apparently function as a NAS functions (including FTP and Samba), 802.11n WiFi, and it has a USB port for external storage. Available now in South Korea for 160,000 won (about $143).

G-Technology to release the G-SPEED Q 4-bay storage device

Hitachi-owned G-Technology has decided to bring the G-SPEED eS to the mass market and so it designed a ‘new’ 4-bay storage solution targeting Mac users and creative professionals. Known as G-SPEED Q, the upcoming device features an internal RAID controller, four hot-swappable Hitachi 7200 RPM SATA hard drives that can be configured in RAID 0 or 5 for up to 8TB of storage space, and a quad interface – USB 2.0, FireWire 400, FireWire 800 and eSATA.
The 4TB and 8TB G-SPEED Q is expected to start selling in June for $899 and $1,499, respectively.

Plextor unveils the PX-NAS2 2-bay NAS

Plextor has just announced the PX-NAS2, a 2-bay network attached storage (NAS) device aimed for small office/home office (SoHo) and home users in need of backup or a place from which to stream their multimedia collection. The new NAS measures 135.4 x 120.3 (H) x 254.5 (D) mm, supports 3.5-inch hard drives with a capacity of up to 2TB, is compliant with the DLNA 1.5 for connection to CE products, can be used as an iTunes, HTTP / FTP server, boasts two USB 2.0 ports, Gigabit Ethernet, and is bundled with the Memeo software for backup, syncing, and sharing of content.

“Plextor is pleased to expand our storage category to meet today’s growing storage demand by providing another complete storage solution to our consumers,” says Takashi Adachi, General Manager of Plextor. “The PX-NAS2 is a complete and versatile NAS device that fulfills the growing demand for storage capacity, security and accessibility of personal data anywhere, anytime within a home.”

The Plextor PX-NAS2 will start selling in May in three versions:

– without hard drives for €179
– with two 500GB hard drives for €285
– with two 1TB hard drives for €389

QNAP unveils the TS-559 Pro 5-bay NAS server

Taiwanese company QNAP has today announced the TS-559 Pro, a new Turbo NAS series solution for file sharing, storage, and advanced server applications in the office environment. The fresh, 5-bay NAS server supports 2.5-inch or 3.5-inch drives (for up to 10TB of storage) which can be configured in RAID 0, 1, 5, 5+ hot spare, 6, 6+ hot spare and JBOD, and features a 1.66 GHz Atom D510 dual-core CPU, 1GB of RAM, 512MB DOM, two Gigabit Ethernet ports, two eSATA and five USB 2.0 connectors, and an LCD screen that displays status info.

“Businesses are looking to cut IT costs, be greener, and move more IT functions into the cloud,” said Laurent Cheng, Product Manager of QNAP Systems. “QNAP’s Business Series helps achieve these goals by delivering Turbo NAS servers that can fully take advantage of cloud computing environments while being very energy efficient.”

The Turbo NAS TS-559 Pro has started to be listed in Europe and can be found priced at 922.50 Euro – for the HDD-less version.

Thecus reveals the N7700+ 7-bay NAS server

Taiwan-based storage supplier Thecus has this week announced a new addition to its product offer, the N7700+ 7-bay NAS server. Seen below, the fresh NAS is obviously an updated version of the N7700, the main addition being a PCIe x8 slot that can be used for a 10Gb Ethernet card.

The N7700+ supports seven SATA hard drives that can be configured in RAID 0, 1, 5, 6, 10, or JBOD, and features a Celeron-M CPU, 2GB of RAM, a Dual DOM design for enhanced reliability, one eSATA and four USB 2.0 ports, dual Gigabit Ethernet, two cooling fans and a 300W power supply.

Thecus’s new NAS server should become available in various capacity flavors very soon.

Synology Launches DX510 5-bay NAS Server

Synology Inc. today launched the Synology DX510, an expansion unit to increase the capacity of Synology DS1010+ and DS710+ on the fly. When the Synology DS1010+ or DS710+ is running out of capacity, the Synology DX510 scales up its capacity by an additional 5 hard drives immediately. The RAID volume on the Synology DiskStation can be expanded directly without having to reformat the existing hard drives, ensuring the Synology DiskStation continues its service during the capacity expansion. When created as a separate volume, the Synology DX510 provides a great solution for backing up the Synology DiskStation.

The Synology DX510 is connected to the Synology DiskStation using an eSATA cable with custom-designed connectors on both ends, ensuring a reliable connection and maximum throughput. The eSATA 3.0 Gb/sec definition allows the hard drives in the connected Synology DX510 to operate as they are the internal ones of the Synology DiskStation.

Synology delivers the DiskStation DS410 NAS server

Synology has now expanded its storage offer with a new DiskStation-series NAS server that targets home to business workgroup users, the DS410. Seen below, the 4-bay solution supports 2.5-inch or 3.5-inch hard or solid state drives for up to 8TB of available space, and features a 1.06 GHz processor, 512MB of RAM, Gigabit Ethernet, one eSATA and two USB 2.0 ports, Synology Hybrid RAID for a simplified RAID setup, wake on LAN/WAN support, and a drive hibernation function for a lower power draw.

“Equipped with 256-bit AES hardware encryption engine that can offload the security encryption tasks from CPU cycles, the Synology DS410 will run at an increased performance level when compared to a pure software encryption implementation,” said Edward Lin, marketing director of Synology. “The Synology testing lab shows that the hardware encryption engine boasts read speed that is about 200% faster than a pure software encryption. The DS410 provides an optimal price/performance ratio at it price point.”

The DiskStation DS410’s price points were not actually revealed but the NAS servers are shipping.