dbarrow
04-02-2006, 03:49 PM
http://news.com.com/Backing+up+data+on+a+network+with+ease/2100-1015_3-6056271.html?tag=newsmap
Discussion of newer external "network" drives and housings that plug into your router.
Looking at the prices.....
A cheaper and more powerful solution may just be getting your hands on an older or cast off PC slated for the parts heap.
In most cases, the machine would be aged past the point where there isn't much point in upgrading anything in it and the parts are of no value anyway.
Most can handle a couple or more large capacity drives and many can handle a PCI controller card that can handle up to six or so additional drives.
Speed is not a requirement! Network transfer, even on an older machine, will still run 100mps or the speed of the network cards and router. Even a marginal P3 or old P4 can handle this.
Looking at some of the more expensive offerings, you can get something like the Mira that lets you access the drive off the web.
Well, an old machine with XP will do that and more!
Not only can you access it from anywhere off the web, with several applications including Remote Desktop, you can also set it up to fun an FTP server with the built-in IIS functon in XP.
You also gain access to "mapped network drives" which fully incorporate any drives in it into shared devices that perform as if they were in your main machine.
Rather than spend the money on these devices, consider "demoting" your old worn out machine to a network storage, FTP, and file server and do a lot more with it than these devices offer. The price is right ... after all, it was probably headed for the trash can anyway!
If you don't have an older machine ...
You may want to check with local businesses and offices or a local church group that accepts computer "donations".
Many are happy to either give you one or accept a few dollars for something they were going to throw out.
A Promise PCI controller is about $25 and large capacity drives can often be found on sale with rebates for a little over $50.
For half or less the price of these "network storage" devices, you can assemble something with many times more capacity and functionality.
It can come in handy to have a terraflop of storage and a ton of backup space!
Discussion of newer external "network" drives and housings that plug into your router.
Looking at the prices.....
A cheaper and more powerful solution may just be getting your hands on an older or cast off PC slated for the parts heap.
In most cases, the machine would be aged past the point where there isn't much point in upgrading anything in it and the parts are of no value anyway.
Most can handle a couple or more large capacity drives and many can handle a PCI controller card that can handle up to six or so additional drives.
Speed is not a requirement! Network transfer, even on an older machine, will still run 100mps or the speed of the network cards and router. Even a marginal P3 or old P4 can handle this.
Looking at some of the more expensive offerings, you can get something like the Mira that lets you access the drive off the web.
Well, an old machine with XP will do that and more!
Not only can you access it from anywhere off the web, with several applications including Remote Desktop, you can also set it up to fun an FTP server with the built-in IIS functon in XP.
You also gain access to "mapped network drives" which fully incorporate any drives in it into shared devices that perform as if they were in your main machine.
Rather than spend the money on these devices, consider "demoting" your old worn out machine to a network storage, FTP, and file server and do a lot more with it than these devices offer. The price is right ... after all, it was probably headed for the trash can anyway!
If you don't have an older machine ...
You may want to check with local businesses and offices or a local church group that accepts computer "donations".
Many are happy to either give you one or accept a few dollars for something they were going to throw out.
A Promise PCI controller is about $25 and large capacity drives can often be found on sale with rebates for a little over $50.
For half or less the price of these "network storage" devices, you can assemble something with many times more capacity and functionality.
It can come in handy to have a terraflop of storage and a ton of backup space!