Reviewed by Barry Little - March 30, 2007

Manufacturer: Infrant Technologies

Model: RNV2-S4-0000 (Diskless, 1GB RAM & X-RAID)

Price: $799 at Amazon.com

Not only are downloads, digital photography, movies, music collections, and personal data growing in Gigabytes; but the need to share that data between multiple computers and devices—such as networked media players and entertainment center PCs—is growing as well. Even more important, is the need to back up all of that valuable data quickly, safely, and easily.

With its beginnings in enterprise networks as a cheap, quick and easy way to add storage, the Network Attached Storage Device—or NAS—has become increasingly affordable and popular for small offices and the connected, digital lifestyle home. Today we’ll be looking at such a device—the Infrant Technologies ReadyNAS NV+.

About Infrant Technologies

Infrant Technologies (www.infrant.com) is dedicated to bringing enterprise-level storage technology to the masses at affordable prices. The company offers a host of network attached storage (NAS) products and technologies for small businesses, consumers and makers of storage appliances. Infrant’s offerings range from the world’s first network storage processor (NSP) to a family of ReadyNAS™ appliances ideal for small business and home use.

Infrant was founded in March 2001 by a team of highly regarded specialists in the field of microprocessor and storage technologies. Their first goals were to create the most advanced NSP on the market and make it affordable for small businesses. Today, the company continues to drive innovation in the storage microprocessor arena as well as in the exciting and emerging market for NAS appliances.

Product Features

Packaging

The ReadyNAS ships in a blue and white box with a convenient carrying handle and simple, yet effective and attractive hi-tech motif. The unit’s primary selling points—Gigabit Ethernet, Serial ATA Drives, Hardware RAID and the most intriguing, out-of-the ordinary feature, Automatic Capacity Expansion—leaves no doubt that the ReadyNAS NV+ is truly an Advanced NAS for Home and Office. The inclusion of EMC Retrospect backup software is further proof that the ReadyNAS isn’t just another run-of-the-mill Home-Small Office NAS with lofty enterprise network aspirations. Read through the specifications on the side of the box and a more detailed summary of the unit’s capabilities and you realize that the ReadyNAS NV+ is one powerful and versatile piece of hardware.

Inside, the ReadyNAS is sealed in a heavy plastic bag and protected between two thick, Polyfoam shipping blocks rather than the ones made of cheap Styrofoam that’s easy to flake and break. A multilingual Getting Started Guide along with the Warranty and a notice from Infrant on using only qualified SATA hard drives from the official ReadyNAS Device Compatibility List; Installation CD, and small bag of hard drive screws, are sealed in one bag. A CAT5e Ethernet Cable, and the Power Cord, are in another.

The ReadyNAS NV+

The ReadyNAS NV+ comes in a wide range of disk, RAID configurations and prices. The unit in this review is the Model RNV2-S4-0000, which is the special Diskless Edition with 1GB of RAM with 2.5-3-3-7 timings, and X-RAID as the default RAID configuration. RAIDiator, Infrant’s Linux-based embedded operating system, is the brains behind the ReadyNAS. At 7.9” high, 5.2” wide and 8.7” deep, the ReadyNAS NV+ is one of the most compact NAS appliances on the market. Its steel chassis is painted with high-quality silver enamel and finished with a clear coat. A row of ventilation holes run along the top and sides at the front of the chassis. Two smaller sections of ventilation holes are located along the sides at the back of the chassis, at the top and bottom.

The front door is made of heavy plastic with a polished speaker-like grille, with a stamped ReadyNAS NV+ badge at the bottom. The door is secured by a single magnetic latch. At the top of the door, you’ll find a single USB 2.0 port that works in conjunction with the Programmable Backup Button next to it. Next to the button are four Disk Status LEDs—one for each installed hard drive. Barely visible behind the mirrored panel is the Activity LED that blinks whenever there’s disk activity. Finally, there’s the Power Button.

An LCD Display Panel is hidden behind the mirrored panel below the door that provides a wide range of status information on the ReadyNAS+ when active. The display turns itself off after a few minutes until another event on the ReadyNAS activates it again. You can “wake up” and view the display at any time by quickly pressing and releasing the Power Button. The LCD Display will remain illuminated for several minutes before “going to sleep” again. This behavior is by design, and cannot be changed. The reasoning behind it is twofold. First, it conservers the life of the display. Second, it prevents the display from becoming a distraction when used in alongside home entertainment components as a media server, making the ReadyNAS look more like a sleek accessory than “just another piece of computer equipment” slapped in place.

Around back, we find two more USB 2.0 ports and a 10/100/1000 Ethernet jack for network connectivity. Inside the small hole next to the top USB port is the System Reset Switch. The switch is activated by inserting a paper clip or push-pin into the hole and pushing it in. One thing you’ll notice on the ReadyNAS NV+ that you don’t see on other NAS units every day, is a steel Carrying Handle. If you plan on shuttling your ReadyNAS back and forth between the office at work and your home, you’ll certainly find it a welcome addition. Especially when you consider that a 10-pound ReadyNAS without drives becomes a 16-pound ReadyNAS with them.

Keeping the Infrant IT3107 Network Storage Processor, a fanless server-rated 180W AC power supply, and up to four high-performance SATA drives cool in a small form-factor chassis like the ReadyNAS, is no small feat. The 92x25mm Y.S. Tech FD129225HB-N fan, which is rated at 2800 RPM with a maximum airflow of 63.7 CFM and decibel rating of 37.5 dbA, handles the job quite well. A hole for a Kensington Security Lock is in the lower right hand corner, if you need to physically secure the ReadyNAS in a location to keep it from going on an unauthorized stroll.

The magnet on the drive bay door holds it shut firmly enough so it won’t fly open if you move the ReadyNAS NV+ around, but not so firmly that you’re tempted to grab a screwdriver to pry it loose. There’s a circular ventilation grill the size of a 92mm fan with a filter behind it, inside the door. The grill provides plenty of fresh air for any installed drives, and while the filter isn’t removable, it’s easily cleaned with a can of compressed air—certainly a better design than those NAS units that don’t use any type of filtration to help reduce harmful dust build-up.

The vertically-mounted drive trays are released with the touch of a button. The ventilated lever and bezel are made of thick, hi-impact plastic, with the lever attached to a metal frame and hinge assembly. One common problem with a number of NAS appliances on the market, is that the levers and hinges on the drive tray are made of plastic and are easier to break as a result. That shouldn’t be a problem with the more rugged ReadyNAS tray.

If security is a major selling point for you, at first glance you may be disappointed with the ReadyNAS. Most NAS units have locks—either on the drive bay door, or directly on the hot-swap drive trays—to prevent unauthorized removal of the hard drives. The ReadyNAS NV+ doesn’t appear to have either. Take a close look behind the front bezel, however, and you’ll notice a small button. Push the button down on each of the drive trays before you install the hard drives in them. When you insert the drives back into the drive bay on the ReadyNAS, they will be locked in place. To unlock the drives, you’ll need to insert a paper clip or push-pin into the hole in the center of the tray’s release button. While you could argue that this approach may not be as secure or convenient as a conventional lock and key, keep in mind that keys often get misplaced.