News: Super Nas is coming to MPC!!

[Hi-Jack]

http://www.mpcclub.com/http://www.mpcclub.com/forum/images/newspic/readynasnv.gif

Covered by Hi-Jack
Thanks to Signo Systems, JHMS and Planet-Shop for providing a sample!

There are Nas servers and there are Nas servers, we all know that and the one who is coming to MPC now for review is a Nas server. Confusing to start a News article like this but so are we, if we read about the Infrant ReadyNas NV which has already blown away many sceptical reviewers. "This is the Nas people will want in their homes" is the first thing that comes to my mind when reading up on the specs after Signo Systems Europe contacted me about this device. Off course, I immediately offered my services for a review, poor me will have to work again!

Storage Technology is one of the very few technologies in the world where "boring" is actually "good". The Infrant ReadyNas NV will bore you extremely with it's flawless operations and that's just perfect for anyone who values it's data without the Einstein brain of configuring and implementing a Nas server. How does Plug and Play sound? Auto Expansion of Volume when new disk is inserted? The Infrant ReadyNas NV is not much bigger the a Toaster and can hold up to 4 SATA Hard Drives with support for Raid 0, 1, 5 and the excellent X-Raid Technology that allows you to start with 1 disk and add another one later without any configuration changes. Along with the Gbit Network connection and 2 additional USB connection in the back, you are in for one hell of a storage device.

Not only by the looks, which has improved drastically, also by it's internal design the ReadyNas NV exceeds any current Nas Server competition in this price range and beyound at the targetted price range of 749 Euro (possibly 699 Euro). This will offer fearce competition for the other brands and models in the same price range.

System Software and raid configuration is stored on seperate Memory so any failure of a hard drive will not influence the system at all, making it easy to analyse and Hot Swap a Hard drive if needed. The hard drives can be accessed by opening the front panel door, where in other systems you need engineering capabilities to even see the hard drives. The Software for administration is simple and straight forward so inexperienced administrators can find their way easily around setting the system up. Backups can be made to FTP, external USB drives which can be connected in addition to the internal Hard drives or even on the NAS itself.

The new Infrant ReadyNas NV will not be more expensive then the first Nas servers as we know them from Momitsu (R-5) and SnaZio* (TerraNas HD Pro) but it will feature a list of more sofisticated features like Hot Swapeable drives (rarely seen in this price range) and support for X-Raid which means, you can start of by only one disk and insert another one as soon as you are ready without reconfiguring the system. The ReadyNas NV is ready for your Home Entertainment Setup and will work fine with the leading Network DVD players and UPnP AV streaming devices.

One Kick Ass Nas is coming our way.
For visitors of MPC, MPC will arrange a partnership in Europe for the ReadyNas NV with Signo and Planet-Shop soon. Details on availability and correct pricing will be announced on MPC as soon as more info becomes available. In case you are interested in a ReadyNas NV prior to our review in professional or private context, please find contqct details at http://www.jhms.nl

Partners MPC for Momitsu R-5 and Infrant ReadyNas NV (Assured Service based on SLA):
http://www.jhms.nl (English) )Distribution)
http://www.planet-shop.nl (Dutch) (Retail Channel)
http://www.planet-shop.be (Dutch) (Retail Channel)

Produc Info: http://www.infrant.com
Product Brochure: http://www.infrant.com/download/ReadyNAS_NV.pdf
MPC Review: Expected end of July 2006

Stay Tuned!
Enjoy
Hi-Jack

[Viking]

Sounds cool!

Can't wait for the review!!!

-Rune

[Hi-Jack]

I think i'm gonna love making it :-)
I still need to get 4 SATA drives though, preferably big size...

Who has the lowest prices these days fellas?
Any reseller wants a banner for 1 day in exchange for 4 * 400GB Sata drives :-)
lol

[Yump67]

I'm impressed!
BTW, "Compatible with leading network DVD players", can you give us some more details?
I Was looking for a "compatibility list" but could not find.
Supports both Kiss and Trans-technology?

Many thanks.

^_^

[Hi-Jack]

All players that support uPnP should work with this Nas.

During our review we will test the NAS with the following players:
KiSS DP-600
Snazio* netDVD Cinema HD
Trans-Gear DVX-700
TViX M-5000U HD
Zensonic Z500

We will keep a blog during the 2 weeks we will need to fully review this NAS
server in all it's glory.

regards
Hi-Jack

[Yump67]

May I ask to please add DP558 and Trans-Gear DVX-500 to the list?

Many thanks

^_^

[Hi-Jack]

I will see what i can do :-)
no promises...

[Yump67]

Can't wait for the review!!!

Thanks a lot.
Good work!

^_^

[PatPowerMan]

Sounds very interesting! Please include some words about the noisiness (92mm cooling Fan...) and the biggest possible SATA (II)-Drive-sizes. Can they even be mixed in size and SATA/SATAII?

[Hi-Jack]

They can be mixed in size but a X-Raid or Raid5 will then only be build
using the same size of each disk based on the smalles one. (This is
normal case scenario, X-Raid is practically Raid5 automated as far as I
understand).

Mixing disks Sata and SataII is bad idea probably, since the performance of SataII will vanish and adapt to the SataI (same thing as with 5400/7200RPM stuff)

It's a wild guess, i haven't seen the detailed specs yet, i still need to buy
drives for it. Will be kind of hard getting a mix of Sata and SataII at the
same time as if it doesn't function as it should, I would only pay a lot more
money...

I do my best figuring something out to test the NAS as full as possible but
eventually with the questions about mixing sizes and mixing Sata types, I
probably will ask Infrant. (and test afterwards if they say it works)

Lol
Enjoy
Hi-Jack

[PatPowerMan]

Maybe you can look for some specific (german) details here (http://netzwerk.thgweb.de/2006/03/30/infrant_readynas_nv_speicher_im_netzwerk/index.html).

[Hi-Jack]

We can confirm that different sizes of disk, when used, the total size of the
volume will be the size of the smalles drive. You can however use SATA and
SATAII drives mixed without any issues as long as the drives are compatible.

List available at www.infrant.com

We also had information new FW is being developed which has a Sleep on
Idle function and an add-on which makes the NV ultra silent... We'll be
having more to say about the Infrant NV soon, as we expect it during this
week for review.

Regards
Hi-Jack

[netrom]

...just as i'm in the market for a NAS ;-)

...could you please include a comparison with the (quite cheap) Buffalo TeraStation in your review - this is first on my list (primarily due to price and noise/sleep modes and seemingly good configuration options).


greetz to all

/netRom

[Hi-Jack]

Hi Netrom,

Both devices are very different but practically do the same.
Buffalo is based on a Software Raid which is stored on the disks you insert. This does not offer you the same easy operations whenever something
happens to your disks or if you ever want to upgrade the disks (you will
have to replace them one by one and in the end resize the volume).

The NV X-Raid is AutoExpansion meaning you can replace any disk at any
time without any settings to change. On top of that it is a hardware Raid
which is slightly more performant.

Both devices will certainly please you and the Buffalo is the Price Winner in
price, in hardware and convenience however, i'm afraid the Infrant will be
the price winner.

Hard choice, depending on your budget you wish to spend, either one of
both could be the one for you but my honest opinion is that the NV Nas will
be the winner if we compare both Nas devices without saying the Buffalo is
not good. It's a hell of a NAS as well :-)

[netrom]

Interesting... I'm looking forward to your review.

Do you know the SS4000-E from intel - (which also comes with a uPnP server and daap) ?

regards
netRom