Sans Digital MobileSTOR MS2UTN+

Now the results of the file copy test.

Regardless of which disk configuration you choose, eSATA has a clear performance advantage over USB 2.0. If your motherboard doesn’t have eSATA support, you can put one of your PCIe slots to work with any of the eSATA PCIe adaptor card available through Sans Digital's Accessories Page for the MS2UTN+, or online. Avoid any eSATA cards you might encounter with the older PCI bus, and stick with the better-performing PCI Express cards. Prices may be about the same, but you’ll get more bang for your buck with PCIe.

NTI Shadow

NTI’s (NewTech Infosystems) Shadow takes a somewhat different approach to backups compared to other backup utilities bundled with external storage and NAS units. Shadow, in NTI’s own words from the Introduction in the online help:

"…allows users to schedule continuous backup jobs that copy the contents of one or more folders (the "backup source") to another location (the "backup destination"). The backup jobs are continuous because they are scheduled to regularly update the data in the backup folder either continuously or in user-defined intervals. You can schedule a job to run every certain number of minutes, on certain days at a specified time, or whenever any data in the backup source are modified.

Shadow can also be configured to archive file versions. If this option is enabled, then any file that is saved or overwritten will trigger Shadow to archive the previous version of the file. The file versions are stored in a Revisions folder in the backup destination. Users can configure how many versions of a file to maintain."


NTI Shadow for Windows and Mac installs in less than a minute.


NTI Shadow has a simple, clean interface that makes it easy to use.	All backup and restore tasks are wizard-driven.	You can choose which files to include or exclude in your backups.	Here, I've selected folders to back-up.	Shadow allows you to schedule three different types of backup jobs based on folder and file changes.


*Here, I've selected a folder on the Sans Digital MobileSTOR MS2UTN+* as the destination for the backup.**	NTI Shadow also allows you to save a user-definable number of previous version backups for selected folders and files. The concept is similar to Microsoft's Previous Version and Shadow Copy backups in Windows Vista and Windows Server 2003.	Your backup options.	Shadow allows you to review all of your backup options so that you may make any changes before committing.	*Click Yes* to launch the backup.**

Shadow installs in seconds and is very easy to use. Anyone who has used NTI products before will immediately recognize NTI’s signature Mac-inspired GUI when Shadow launches to the desktop. If not, you’ll find the interface very intuitive to navigate, with select wizards stepping you through the process of creating backups. Shadow performs folder and file-level backups in their native, uncompressed format, making drag-and-drop restores through Windows Explorer quick and effortless, particularly on PCs that do not have Shadow installed. Once you schedule a backup, you’ll find a little “Shadow Folder” icon in your system tray that allows you to open the main program window or close the utility entirely.


The first time you run your backup, all of your selected files and folders will be copied to the selected backup source. After that, only the files that have change will be copied, based on the backup options you have selected.	NTI Shadow does not compress or store your data in a proprietary format when backing up, making it easier to access or retrieve in the event NTI Shadow is not installed on the host PC.	All done!	The backup log.


Here, you can see the folder structure that NTI Shadow created under the target E:\BACKUPS folder on the MS2UTN+. This is the first folder set that was backed up...	...and the second. Notice that in both examples, NTI Shadow not only retained the original folder structure, but all the files in their native formats—all easily accessed through Windows Explorer.	NTI Shadow's online help.

Although surprisingly robust and effective, Shadow can’t perform disaster recovery-level backups and restores. If you want to back up to an optical drive, you’ll need to purchase the Dragon Disc enabled version of Shadow, which includes support for all CD and DVD media types including DVD-RAM and Blu-Ray.

Final Impressions and Conclusion

The Sans Digital MobileSTOR MS2UTN+ does its job with a minimal amount of fuss, and setting it up requires a less effort than a NAS.

I was able to configure and manage the drives installed in the MobileSTOR MS2UTN+ with JMicron’s JMB36X Raid Configurer Utility bundled with the Abit IP35 PRO motherboard, by setting the Storage Controller Mode in the BIOS to RAID, and setting the MS2UTN+ to JBOD. As a result, not only did I have the advantage of viewing the progress array’s build process, but initializing and building the RAID 1 array through the JMB36X utility took only five hours rather than the eight it took via the MS2UTN+’s storage controller. If your eSATA-equipped mobo or host adaptor card comes with a similar utility, you might find it worth your while using it to configure your RAID 1 array for the MS2UTN+, instead of its storage processor. Your eSATA utility will also give you the option of tweaking the block size of the array, allowing you to further fine-tune disk performance with the MS2UTN+ for specific applications like video editing and Photoshop, or if you’re planning to store a lot of large files on it. For the record, there was virtually no difference in RAID 0 or 1 read and write performance between configuring the array with the MS2UTN+’s storage processor, or the JMB36X utility.

There is one major drawback to this approach: If you switch from an eSATA RAID configuration created with the motherboard's software utility to USB, you will lose the RAID array under USB. If the flexibility of being able to move the MobileSTOR MS2UTN+ from one system to the next with the ability to use both eSATA and USB while keeping your RAID configuration intact is more important to you—then do not use the eSATA RAID utility that is bundled with your motherboard. Also keep in mind that a RAID array created under the utility for the eSATA chipset of your particular motherboard, might not play nice when connecting the MS2UTN+ to another system with a motherboard that has an eSATA chipset from a different manufacturer. As a result your RAID array and any data on it might be lost.

While SAFE33 and SAFE50 provides some interesting options for data storage, they seem more like kludges akin to spanning (which is old school tech). With 500GB, 750GB and 1TB hard drives available at almost fire-sale prices, you’re better off getting the full capacity of the drives you paid for using the MS2UTN+’s SAFE (RAID 1) setting for maximum data security, or the FAST (RAID 0) setting for creating one large, fast Photoshop or video editing “temp” drive.

Although it doesn’t really need one, the Sans Digital MobileSTOR MS2UTN+ could benefit from a utility that at the very least, gives the user some ideal of the status of a RAID rebuilt, rather than relying on blinking LEDs. Speaking of LEDs, I found that if you aren’t viewing the MS2UTN+ at the proper angle, rather than seeing the LEDs illuminated in purple to indicate disk activity, you see the separate blue and red LEDs instead. I would use an LED design that would eliminate this minor annoyance. The only other thing I would change on the MS2UTN+ would be the RAID setup dial to something a bit more accessible. Like an actual dial. Or a push-button with a guard around it requiring the tip of a pen or something more readily available around the house (or office), to use, with a rotating windowed indicator of the selected mode each time the button was pushed (an arrangement used with external SCSI devices).


Our two 500GB hard drives configured as JBOD in the MS2UTN+.	*JMicron’s JMB36X Raid Configurer Utility* bundled with the Abit IP35 PRO.**	*The Create Raid Wizard* steps you through the process of creating a RAID array.**	There are two RAID configurations available, plus JBOD.	*You also have the option of selecting Block Size* for optimizing file system performance.**


I'm going to use the JMB36X utility to create a RAID 1 array on the MS2UTN+.	Select the disks...	...and click Finish to complete the RAID set.	Here it is.	Our new RAID 1 volume under Disk Manager. Partition and format it, and you're good to go.


Another advantage to using a utility like this, is that you get more visual feedback on rebuilding an array due to a failed hard drive on the status of the rebuild, than you would by relying solely on the storage processor of the MS2UTN+ and monitoring the hard drive tray LEDs. Also, the RAID rebuild went faster than it did via the MS2UTN+'s onboard storage controller. What you gain in convenience and rebuild speed, however, you may lose in compatibility with systems that have different eSATA controllers or if you need to use the USB connection—there's a good chance that your RAID array will be lost in the shuffle so think carefully before deciding to go this route.

Throughout my evaluation, the MS2UTN+ remained cool and quiet. The only time I heard it over my PC was during heavy disk seeks during the benchmarking session. Even then, it wasn't that noticeable. In spite of not having any vents in the case to aid cooling, the fan inside the MS2UTN+ appears to do more than an adequate job of keeping the hard drives at safe operational temperatures. However, I'm not sure that I'd personally feel comfortable sticking a pair of 10,000 RPM Western Digital Raptors inside the Sans Digital MobileSTOR MS2UTN+...

Although NTI Shadow isn’t disaster-recovery capable, it does an excellent job for its intended purpose. If you want to add CD and DVD media to Shadow’s repertoire, you’ll have to pony-up for the Dragon Disk Edition of the software. If bare-metal disaster recovery is part of your plans for the MS2UTN+, you’ll also need to invest in a utility like Acronis True Image for creating disk image backups of your PC—a task to which the MS2UTN+ is well suited.

Compact, easy to set up and use with a data backup utility better than those bundled with most units, the Sans Digital MobileSTOR MS2UTN+ is a good choice for anyone looking to add direct-line storage to their rig at a reasonable price.

Barry’s Rigs ‘n Reviews would like to thank Katy Sun at Sans Digital for providing the unit for this review!

Summary:

Highs: Compact, easy to install and use, the Sans Digital MobileSTOR MS2UTN+ can provide up to 2TB of in-line storage with six different storage modes via 480Mbps USB 2.0, or 3.0 Gbps eSATA at an affordable price. Rugged construction and cool, quiet operation. Included NTI Shadow software provides automatic, real-time backups of all your important data with flexible scheduling and file-versioning options.

Lows: Quick Installation guide is a bit light on technical details. Couple that with a lack of configuration and monitoring software, and some new users might find setting up the MS2UTN+ a somewhat daunting trial-and-error task. Size and location of the RAID Setting Dial is a bit awkward, requiring a small screwdriver to set (fortunately/hopefully you will only have to do it once). HD Tray LEDs could be redesigned for more accurate viewing at any angle.