A decent back-up solution for my computer has been on my mind for a while. I had in place a simple back-up of email and web-site files to the other hard drive, and uni files to a 250Mb zip drive (yes, people still use zip drives!). Well, the zip drive disk failed, showing that it was not a good medium for back-up, and Windows Backup cannot save to a CD-RW.
So, some sort of stand-alone storage device sounds like a good idea. Up until now, all the external storage devices in my price range have been Firewire or USB 2.0 connected. But I would prefer a network-attached device (as mentioned previously) making it computer independant.
Being ethernet based would allow multiple computers on the local network access to the drive (without a certain machine being on). It would also be ready for network-aware home entertainment device (although, that’s a little way off). I don’t expect to have a future need for carrying around 300Gb of data on an external drive, so the portability of USB/Firewire is not required.
One solution is to invest in a new router that provides a USB connection for a storage device, thereby connecting it to the network. Netgear make one, the WGT634U. But that then closely ties the functionality to your router.
One device that looks good is the Maxtor Share Storage Device (found in APC August 2005). One nice feature is the inclusion of two USB 2.0 ports, not for connecting to your computer, but for integration of a USB printer or second storage device onto the network.
However, there are some features which are disappointing:
- the Ethernet connection is only 100Mbit/s – why not be forward compatible and provide 1Gbit/s?
- no backup software. Maxtor bundle Retrospect Express with their USB and Firewire drives. Obviously they see this device as simply for file sharing and not backup.
Oh, and the ethernet device is $100 dearer than the USB/Firewire device of the same capacity – what’s with that?
Buffalo and LaCie offer similar devices.
So, I will keep looking, but maybe a USB thumb drive is the easiest solution to keep those uni assignments safe for the time being (although I might have to upgrade from my 8Mb one!).