Well, what can I say? Simplicity sells.
There's one favorite Gizmodo company whose motto is exactly that.
And you know, the vast majority of computer users don't know much about dealing with wi-fi and servers, so I guess a good number would really pay extra just for the plug and play ability.
I'm only wondering how the one to one connection works... does each USB key + drive pair have an unique identification? Because if so, the signal interception argument makes sense... and is also great for users who don't know their way around configuring wireless routers and stuff...
1) Put wireless USB fob on your key ring
2) Pair it with your desktop
3) Pair it with your laptop
When you're at home, work on items on the USB fob. Save your work, grab your laptop, and go out. Get to work, open your laptop, and start working again. No need to disconnect and reconnect makes your data appear to almost be in the Cloud but without all the privacy concerns and need for constant internet connection. Drivers can be equipped to encrypt the data for local transmission, pairing codes, etc. etc.
The price is rather irrelevant since this is a 1st-gen product, eventually the prices will fall to what they are for USB fobs today, and when they do I will buy one. I'm guessing the dongle is a WUSB dongle since the majority of computers don't have it built-in yet... give it time.
@blash: You only have a 30 foot range. Unless you work from home, you aren't going to be able to access the drive from work, in which case you might as well just transfer the files to your laptop.
@ceilingFANBOY: I said put the wireless USB fob on your key ring. Do you not take your keys with you when you leave the house? Ergo your data comes with you wherever you go without going through the time needed to plug in the USB fob and transfer the files, since you're just working off the fob all the time.
Dunno why my explanation doesn't make sense to you... put 2 and 2 together please.
@blash: But you would still need the hard drive. If you have room for the hard drive, then you probably have room for a cable connecting your hard drive to your computer. That's all I'm saying. Anyway, with the hard drive being wireless, wouldn't that also mean that you would either have to plug in the hard drive to a wall outlet anyway, or take the risk of using a battery operated hard drive that could die in the middle of a file write? How is that any better than just connecting directly to your computer?
@ceilingFANBOY: Who's talking about a hard drive? Take a USB 16 GB flash memory key fob, put a WUSB chip and a LiOn battery on it, and THAT'S IT! Recharging comes from the once-a-week plugging in, induction charging... remember when you didn't have to recharge your dumb cellphone every day because it had a standby time of a month? Oh, but you forgot because you got a smartphone that goes through the whole battery in a day.
This is junk, and whoever buys it is a sucker, when one could get either a good USB (cabled) drive or a network drive. I can't see any situation whatsoever where this would be remotely useful compared to the alternatives
i'm running (6) 7200rpm drives in my FreeNAS box. i guess i could have gone with 5400rpm, but i already had all the hardware so i didn't really buy new components when i put the unit together.
@waclark57 i think you missed the point. the post clearly says, "The main bottleneck in any NAS is the RAID engine. Since many NAS units don't include a dedicated controller, oftentimes the speed of the drive just doesn't matter. If you're using a blazing-fast hardware RAID card in your own custom built setup, then drive speed might make a difference. But for most consumer units, the controller is the bottleneck."
with that in mind, drive speed obviously isn't an issue in consumer based NAS systems. sure if you have maddd money to spend on high end hardware, and you have a beefy raid controller, 10k or 15k drives will make a difference. #diy
I read this article yesterday and there are a few points that need to be noted. First they used older 7200 RPM drives and current generation 5400 RPM drives. It would have been more meaningful if both sets of drives were current generation.
The other note is that if you are setting up RAID 1 the 7200 RPM drives may actually be faster. This is because in the article they rationalize that it is the lack of a hardware RAID controller that causes the bottle neck because the CPU is doing all the XOR calculations. However in RAID 1 no XOR's are calculated because the drives contents are identical.
Put half in RAID 0 and half as backup....(I forget which RAID number that makes it) and hook it up via Fibre channel to your Xserve that you're logged into via open directory (and that your home folder is hosted on) via gigabit ethernet.
What would LHer's recommend in terms of the best reliability 1TB drives for a NAS? Is that size in the sweet spot at this point? Am I going to significantly decrease reliability using 2TB drives? #diy
@AmphetamineCrown: The Western Digital Caviar Black drives are by far the most reliable. [www.newegg.com]
In fact, I just ordered two of these yesterday!
Judging from current trends, virtually all of the 2TB drives currently out have pretty bad reliability track records. I had considered them, too, but I don't want to waste money on them.
AmphetamineCrown promoted this comment
Edited by David Frederick Becker at 11/07/09 1:15 PM
David Frederick Becker was starred
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@AmphetamineCrown: If you're primary goal is the reliability of an individual drive and you're willing to pay the premium an "enterprise" drive like the Barracuda ES.2 or something from the newer Constellation line is going to give you the best reliability, especially if you plan on running 24/7.
If cost is more of a factor, you might consider 1.5TB drives. Seagate (Barracuda LP), WD (Caviar Green), and Samsung (Eco Green F2) all have low-spindle-speed 1.5TB drives. Put them in a RAID 5 or RAID 6 configuration for reliability, utilize the 3-year warranty if needed, and you'll be fine.
I personally just put together a NAS with 6 1.5 TB Barracuda LPs in a RAID 6 running the Openfiler NAS software and its been running like a champ. 70MB/s over gigabit ethernet without jumbo frames enabled. #diy
@brisketboy: @David Frederick Becker: I've actually been using the Barracuda ES.2s in my 6 drive ReadyNAS. It is about a year old, and I replaced one a couple months ago when the monitoring software started detecting errors. Now I'm starting to see errors on two other drives. As easy as they are to replace, I'm not really liking the concept of running through 3 drives a year.
Maybe I'll try the Caviar black drives and see how they do. Seems like I'm going to develop quite the history with replacing drives. #diy
I know there'll be lots of senseless bashing on the comments, so I'm just here to say that in Brazil, of all the brands I tested, Dell had the BEST costumer support ever.
With basic plans I got domiciliar repair 3 times during a couple of years for my Dell XPS 1330.
Some will argue that the laptop is crap, but all three times the problem was on the faulty nVidia 8400M chipset that overheated and burned. Other than that it's also the best laptop I ever dealt with.
Cases like these really makes a company look very bad, but it's no way representative to the majority of cases.
I also decided to get the laptop from them because I only heard of good cases in Brazil regarding their costumer support.
No questions asked, they make some simple tests, and in my case made a full motherboard replacement and one LCD screen.
And opposite to most other brands, the people who work for the tech support actually knew a lot about their products. So if I made questions about battery life, optional bluetooth chip and stuff like that they actually knew the answer... #laptops
Somewhere, a guy who sent in a hard drive to get repaired is very pleased to receive a whole new laptop. He is not furiously calling Dell Technical Support back. #laptops
@doofusgumby: I would have to say... yep. I don't know, I don't have control of the banhammer, but seriously, talking like a /b/tard anywhere other then /b/ is just asking for trouble. #laptops
Having read this story and the comments, there is nothing here to dissuade me from buying a Dell. A single one sided complaint about service followed by a number of unsubstantiated slams against a major company don't convince me of anything. Pick a company and you could make up this same kind of "story" about it. #laptops
@PaddyDugan: Actually, I've had far worse experience with HP than Dell when it comes to support. I wouldn't rate either top-notch, but I hold nothing against Dell Tech Support either.
However I to have done the Dell Two-Step when it comes to getting a laptop they manufactured repaired.
Inluding: New hard drives, keyboards, mice, motherboards, power supplies, and even whole laptops.
It used to be (early 2000's) that the mice would start drifting randomly up and to the right after a while. And, they never managed to fix it short of replacing the whole machine. #laptops
@PaddyDugan: I think it has more to do with them having been much better in the past. They really only suck now in comparison to how awesome they used to be in the "Dude! You're getting a Dell!" days.
(disclosure: I've never owned a Dell and the only ones I've used have been at work checking work e-mail so I've not had a good or bad experience with them. This entire comment is also conjecture and should not be taken as fact or even opinion as my mind might have changed after posting. That being said it is entirely accurate to the best of my knowledge up to the moment that I hit share) #laptops
Heh, I have an application that allows me to control multiple putty screens at once. Whatever it is using to navigate between screens to relay commands brings out very odd behavior in the Dell Laptop I'm using.
CD's eject. Screens dim. With the right command I'll put the entire damn laptop to sleep... #laptops
11/19/09
There's one favorite Gizmodo company whose motto is exactly that.
And you know, the vast majority of computer users don't know much about dealing with wi-fi and servers, so I guess a good number would really pay extra just for the plug and play ability.
I'm only wondering how the one to one connection works... does each USB key + drive pair have an unique identification? Because if so, the signal interception argument makes sense... and is also great for users who don't know their way around configuring wireless routers and stuff...
11/19/09
1) Put wireless USB fob on your key ring
2) Pair it with your desktop
3) Pair it with your laptop
When you're at home, work on items on the USB fob. Save your work, grab your laptop, and go out. Get to work, open your laptop, and start working again. No need to disconnect and reconnect makes your data appear to almost be in the Cloud but without all the privacy concerns and need for constant internet connection. Drivers can be equipped to encrypt the data for local transmission, pairing codes, etc. etc.
The price is rather irrelevant since this is a 1st-gen product, eventually the prices will fall to what they are for USB fobs today, and when they do I will buy one. I'm guessing the dongle is a WUSB dongle since the majority of computers don't have it built-in yet... give it time.
11/19/09
11/19/09
Dunno why my explanation doesn't make sense to you... put 2 and 2 together please.
11/20/09
11/20/09
11/19/09
11/19/09
11/07/09
@waclark57 i think you missed the point. the post clearly says, "The main bottleneck in any NAS is the RAID engine. Since many NAS units don't include a dedicated controller, oftentimes the speed of the drive just doesn't matter. If you're using a blazing-fast hardware RAID card in your own custom built setup, then drive speed might make a difference. But for most consumer units, the controller is the bottleneck."
with that in mind, drive speed obviously isn't an issue in consumer based NAS systems. sure if you have maddd money to spend on high end hardware, and you have a beefy raid controller, 10k or 15k drives will make a difference. #diy
11/07/09
Currently at 2TB + parity and expandable up to 6 drives before I have to upgrade the software license to the next tier (16 drives). #diy
11/09/09
11/07/09
The other note is that if you are setting up RAID 1 the 7200 RPM drives may actually be faster. This is because in the article they rationalize that it is the lack of a hardware RAID controller that causes the bottle neck because the CPU is doing all the XOR calculations. However in RAID 1 no XOR's are calculated because the drives contents are identical.
just my 2 cents #diy
11/07/09
[www.promise.com]
Put half in RAID 0 and half as backup....(I forget which RAID number that makes it) and hook it up via Fibre channel to your Xserve that you're logged into via open directory (and that your home folder is hosted on) via gigabit ethernet.
:D #diy
11/07/09
11/07/09
11/07/09
In fact, I just ordered two of these yesterday!
Judging from current trends, virtually all of the 2TB drives currently out have pretty bad reliability track records. I had considered them, too, but I don't want to waste money on them.
11/07/09
If cost is more of a factor, you might consider 1.5TB drives. Seagate (Barracuda LP), WD (Caviar Green), and Samsung (Eco Green F2) all have low-spindle-speed 1.5TB drives. Put them in a RAID 5 or RAID 6 configuration for reliability, utilize the 3-year warranty if needed, and you'll be fine.
I personally just put together a NAS with 6 1.5 TB Barracuda LPs in a RAID 6 running the Openfiler NAS software and its been running like a champ. 70MB/s over gigabit ethernet without jumbo frames enabled. #diy
11/07/09
Maybe I'll try the Caviar black drives and see how they do. Seems like I'm going to develop quite the history with replacing drives. #diy
11/02/09
With basic plans I got domiciliar repair 3 times during a couple of years for my Dell XPS 1330.
Some will argue that the laptop is crap, but all three times the problem was on the faulty nVidia 8400M chipset that overheated and burned. Other than that it's also the best laptop I ever dealt with.
Cases like these really makes a company look very bad, but it's no way representative to the majority of cases.
I also decided to get the laptop from them because I only heard of good cases in Brazil regarding their costumer support.
No questions asked, they make some simple tests, and in my case made a full motherboard replacement and one LCD screen.
And opposite to most other brands, the people who work for the tech support actually knew a lot about their products. So if I made questions about battery life, optional bluetooth chip and stuff like that they actually knew the answer... #laptops
11/02/09
11/02/09
11/02/09
11/02/09
11/02/09
@Shadowfury: So much of this. #laptops
11/02/09
11/02/09
11/02/09
11/02/09
11/02/09
11/02/09
11/02/09
Pathetic. #laptops
11/02/09
@Duckspwn: Loves Approving Reds: That word... I don't think it means what you think it means. #laptops
11/02/09
11/02/09
11/02/09
11/02/09
However I to have done the Dell Two-Step when it comes to getting a laptop they manufactured repaired.
Inluding: New hard drives, keyboards, mice, motherboards, power supplies, and even whole laptops.
It used to be (early 2000's) that the mice would start drifting randomly up and to the right after a while. And, they never managed to fix it short of replacing the whole machine. #laptops
11/02/09
(disclosure: I've never owned a Dell and the only ones I've used have been at work checking work e-mail so I've not had a good or bad experience with them. This entire comment is also conjecture and should not be taken as fact or even opinion as my mind might have changed after posting. That being said it is entirely accurate to the best of my knowledge up to the moment that I hit share) #laptops
11/02/09
CD's eject. Screens dim. With the right command I'll put the entire damn laptop to sleep... #laptops
11/02/09
also: love the second half of your name there. #laptops
11/02/09