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Netgear ReadyNAS Duo 2-Bay Diskless Desktop Network Attached Storage RND2000 Described:

The ReadyNAS Duo is perfect for homes with more than one computer. Unlike a USB drive, the ReadyNAS connects to the network and is simultaneously accessible via all connected Windows or Macintosh computers. If there is a broadband Internet connection and a home router, the ReadyNAS can be set up to provide secure access to all the stored files remotely via the Internet.For added protection of stored data, an optional second hard disk drive can be installed. The spare hard drive will keep an extra copy of all the data and instantly take over if the first hard drive should fail. Advanced media streaming support allows the ReadyNAS to directly serve media, with no PC required. Officially licensed BitTorrent client allows downloading to occur without the need for an additional computer. A web-based interface facilitates download management from computers, and a special NETGEAR digital entertainer interface allows management from the select NETGEAR device.

• Size: Diskless
• Brand: Netgear
• Model: RND2000-100NAS
• Number of items: 1
• Dimensions: 6.90″ h x 10.00″ w x 11.40″ l, 7.20 pounds

Features

• Diskless Network Attached Storage
• Compact, quiet, and very low-power-consuming
• Lets your network users share all your files, including music and video, easily and securely
• Duo has two storage bays and supports RAID for secure storage with great performance
• ReadyNAS Duo is compatible out of the box with computers running Windows, Mac OS, or Linux

What Customers are Saying:

RAID works, survives hard disk failure
What is Amazon Vine and why do these reviewers write so much stuff without saying anything? This review is for people who want to know only one thing: Does this device actually survive a disk failure? The answer is Yes.

My sister recently lost 2 of her external USB hard drives. She had to pay $3000 to a data recovery company to retrieve her data. I figure that $400 for a Netgear ReadyNAS Duo is small change, if it actually did what it claimed to do, which is survive a disk crash. The only way to know was to test it out.

I have about 40 GB worth of MP3 files stored on my Linux server, accessible to my Windows laptop using Samba as a network shared folder.

From my Windows laptop, I started copying the MP3 files into the \media share folder on the Duo. Over gigabit ethernet, I estimated a transfer speed of about 15-20 MB/second. More than I expected, considering the weak processing power of the embedded Linux computer on the Duo, and because there are 2 concurrent network copies going on, from Linux to Windows, then from Windows to Netgear. Gigabit ethernet is awesome.

While the copy was in progress, I inserted a second 750 GB hard disk (a Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 series if you are curious; my Duo came with one 500 GB Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 installed) into the second slot. The Netgear recognized it and started to incorporate it into the RAID system in 2 steps: first, format the drive (an ext3 Linux filesystem I think), took about 2.5 hours; second, synchronize the data from the first disk to the second disk, took another 2.5 hours. During this time, the 40 GB MP3 file transfer continued without a hitch.

Next, I configured the Duo to enable NFS (Network File System) and mounted the /media folder onto my Linux box. Now I had access to both the original and the copy on the Duo. I ran a “diff -r” command to do a recursive binary diff between the two directories. Came out perfect, no file corruptions.

I went back to my Windows laptop, and started another 40 GB copy of my MP3 files to the Duo. While the write was in progress, I _removed_ the 500 GB disk. The Duo detected a disk failure within a few seconds, and sent off a notification email to my GMail account, warning me of a disk failure. You can configure the notification email address to send the message to, say, your SMS on your mobile phone. As before, the MP3 copy to the Duo continued without a burp.

I then inserted a second 750 GB drive into the first slot, while the copying was still in progress. The Duo formatted and synchronized the new disk, and after about 5-6 hours, I once again had a fully redundant RAID system. Did another ‘diff -r’ just to make sure the data was not corrupted. None found.

When upgrading from a single 500 GB to dual 750 GB disks, the proprietary Netgear X-RAID filesystem makes the process as painless as possible. After both disks are formatted and synchronized, all you need to do is click on a button in the admin web interface (don’t remmeber the exact wording, something like “Expand Volume”) to take advantage of the bigger disks.

In conclusion, I tested the Netgear Duo through a simulated hard disk crash and hot-swapping disk upgrade, and found that it performed perfectly, did not corrupt the files which were being written to it during the process. The Duo performs reasonably well (15-20 MB/sec write speed over gigabit ethernet) and costs only about $400, far cheaper than what you’d pay to recover your data after your disk crashes. It has an impressive list of other useful features (USB backup, USB printer, NFS, Rsync, FTP, Bittorrent, etc) that you can read about in other reviews. The most important question for me was, will it survive a disk crash? I won’t know for sure until a disk really does crash, but based on my testing, I think the answer is Yes.

An UltraSPARC server
The Netgear ReadyNAS Duo appears to based on the old UltraSPARC architecture, complemented with a SATA controller. It runs Debian for SPARC and Netgear permits root access to the box to install whatever you want. The box is quiet nice. It does Netgear’s own proprietary XRAID mirroring (but not RAID 0). XRAID apparently allows the automatic upgrade to more then two drives, if you would use it in a Netgear box, which supports more then two drives. Unlike with other home office NAS, the firmware is saved in a flash and not on the drives itself. The drives are hot swappable and rebuild themselves automatically unlike with many other personal NAS products. The NAS can share directories via CIFS, NFS, AFP, and HTTP. It also can do FTP and TFTP, which comes in handy in the lab. The ReadyNAS comes with a print server, which is useless as it does not support bi-directional communication, required by most printers these days. You can also share USB 2.0 HD or flash drives, which the ReadyNAS will make available as a share. It can be configured via the WebUI or via standard Linux CLI at your own risk.

It comes with some “services” pre installed: iTunes server, Logitech Squeezecenter, and industry standard Home Media Streaming server and UPnP AV server. It features the BitTorrent server and some proprietary photo sharing server. Since it is Linux you can run your own Webserver. Apache is preinstalled and Netgear tells you how can activate it via CLI you. You can also use it as DNS or DHCP server but you need to install it via CLI yourself. I would be careful to activate too many services as those tax CPU of course. It is a server, but by modern standards a small one. Performance is decent though.

I notice some time lack when opening a file but read and writes are just under 9 MB/s, just about under 100Mbps Ethernet. Writes are a bit slower when journaling is turned on. You can also turn off journaling and connect the box to an UPS. It works with the newer home and commercial APC UPS with USB port. You have granular control over rights and quotas in the framework of the EXT Linux file system. You can manage those rights via the WebUI or the good old Unix way via CLI.

The most important application for me is the built-in backup. It does RSYNC, FTP, HTTP, NFS and a CIFS based clientless backup. You only need to share your files on your notebook/desktop/server, and it will diff it every night and you do not have to worry to loose any files in case your HD should crash. I am still backing up to DVD on regular intervals.

Basically it is Linux server, based in the UltraSPAR, a top of the line server technology 10 years ago. It is better then just building a Linux server, because the box is small, cheap, and only uses up 20W opposed to 200W or more of a real server, which makes a difference when it runs 24/7. The box is slightly larger the two 3.5″ HDs stacked. The ReadyNAS is very quiet. When it first was formatting the drives the fan ran at full speed and was noisy but then they slowed down to 1500 RPM and you hardly can hear it. The box stays cool. Most people will not use the Linux CLI but rather the intuitive and easy WebUI.

It is cheaper to build your own then by the loaded version. Believe it or not the 500GB version is cheaper then the on without drives. I configured the system with mirrored 1TB drives:

- Netgear ReadyNAS RND-2150
- 2x Seagate ST31000340AS
- Crucial CT12864X335 1GB RAM
- APC Back-UPS ES BE750G

The ReadyNAS is reportedly very picky on hardware combinations and you need to check Netgear’s hardware compatibility list.

What a great product and Amazon Price !
I purchased this Netgear ReadyNAS DUO RND-2150 to replace a D-Link NAS DNS-323. I wanted the ability to increase my drive size without having to restore the current files from an off NAS backup. (Not available with the D-Link product. I had read several reviews and I was impressed with what I had learned from the reviews.
My oreder from Amazon arrived within 2 days and I was up and running with the Originally Purchased hardware. The RND-2150 comes with 1 500 Gig HD. After I had set it up and got it working, I was up and running in 15 minutes, I copied the files over from the D-Link NAS and then checked to make sure everything was as it was supposed to be, I took down the D-Link NAS. My next step 3 days later, was to install a 750 Gig HD and see what happened. This is where the wonder started. The RND-2150 is hot swappable. So I installed the newer larger drive in the removable drive tray and plugged it into the device. The RND-2150 took care of the who thing automatically. Mirroring the new drive did take about 5 hours BUT the unit was still accessible while the mirroring was going on. A week later, I wanted to replace the 500 Gig with an identical 750 Gig. With the system running, I removed the 500 Gig, secured the new 750 Gig into the tray and plugged it in. Once again the RND-2150 was off and running automatically. Progress is monitored by a Windows Netgear Interface “RAIDAR” that comes along with the package and buy e-mail notifications sent out buy the RND-2150 as things progress.
Everything turned out just perfect after I did a reboot of the NAS after the mirroring was completed. The RND-2150 expanded the mirror to utilize the full size of the mirrored 750 Gig drives.
Now the 500 Gig drive is off to ebay and I am extremely happy.
I am using StorageCrafts ShadowProtect to do weekly backups of the 2 main home computers and I am using the included NTI Shadow for ReadyNAS to do realtime backups of both systems My Documents. Along with storage for the Music and Family Photos, this is a great product

Amazon.com Review
The NETGEAR ReadyNAS Duo, a member of the award-winning ReadyNAS family of advanced network storage products, is the ideal storage and file sharing solution for the home or small-office. This compact, quiet, and very low-power-consuming, network attached server lets your network users share all your files, including music and video, easily and securely. The Duo has two storage bays and supports RAID for secure storage with great performance.

The ReadyNAS Duo is a compact but powerful storage device that can store and stream your digital media throughout your home .

With two drive bays, you can easily upgrade the Duo for data redundancy. View larger.

Fast Network Storage and Media Streaming for the Entire Network
The ReadyNAS Duo is compatible out of the box with computers running Windows, Mac OS, or Linux. You don’t need to install any special software to get started. One person can be editing photos in one room, another might be listening to music, and a third could be watching video files — all working off the ReadyNAS. The ReadyNAS Duo features a 10/100/1000 Ethernet connection, so everyone will have fast access.

With the Duo, you don’t need to keep your computers running to stream media files. Thanks to its built-in media server capabilities, the Duo can connect via your network to such devices as the NETGEAR EVA8000, Sonos Digital Music System, Apple iTunes clients, Sony Playstation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360, and more.

It also features Logitech’s SlimServer software, which means you can stream the music stored on the Duo directly to your Logitech Squeezebox Boom, Duet or Classic devices, completely bypassing your computer. In fact, the Duo will work with just about any DLNA-compliant device.

The Duo also has a built-in BitTorrent client that lets you download files via BitTorrent directly with the Duo, letting you keep your computer off. You can even set your ReadyNAS up to serve web pages directly thanks to the web server built-in.

Simple, Web-Based Set Up
Although the Duo has several advanced server features, you don’t need to have a degree in IT administration to set it up or administer it. Thanks to it’s easy-to-use, Web-based administration interface, you can easily create user accounts, change user permissions, set storage capacities for each user on your network. The interface, called Frontview lets you configure every detail of the device, as well as check on its health and status. And if you ever run into situations that you need support for, NETGEAR hosts www.readynas.com, a knowledge-base site where a community of ReadyNAS users and technicians can help answer just about any question you might have.

RAID for Great Performance and Security
The ReadyNAS Duo features powerful RAID, or Redundant Array of Independent Disks, capability that allows for great performance or security. Basically, RAID means that if one of your disks fails, your data is still available on the second disk. This feature adds a high level of security to your data, ensuring that you’ll never lose your valuable data due to a disk failure.

NETGEAR’s FrontView web-based control panel makes configuration and administration simple. View larger.

The Duo supports RAID 0/1 as well as NETGEAR’s proprietary X-RAID. If you choose to run X-RAID, you can add more storage capacity by simply replacing the two disks with two larger ones, one at a time. The X-RAID will automatically move your files over and expand your disk capacity. The ReadyNAS Duo lets you choose the most appropriate set up for your environment. And thanks to its hot-swappable capability, you can add disks to the ReadNas while it is running, and it will make all the right decisions for you. You simply choose the RAID level you want, and the device will do the rest.

Bring Your Own Drives for Custom Capacities
This ReadyNAS Duo is a diskless version, so you can buy your own drives for installation and create whatever capacity you need. The ReadyNAS Duo can handle two SATA or SATA II drives. If you prefer, there are also versions of the Duo with preinstalled hard drives at 500 GB, 750 GB, and 1 TB capacities.

Compact, Energy-Efficient Design that is Easy to Set Up
The ReadyNAS Duo features a compact design that is quiet and energy-efficient. A low-power function lets you reduce its power consumption to less

The ReadyNAS Duo can serve files to all your computers and compatible media players in your home.

than 20 watts during low use time; you can also schedule the Duo to automatically power down and turn back on, saving even more energy.

A bit taller than a coffee cup, the Duo measures a compact 5.56 x 3.98 x 8.70-inches (HxWxD). It’s constructed of sturdy and durable metal. A metal door swings open to reveal two hot-swappable trays onto which drives can be easily installed and slide into the unit.

NTI Shadow Backup Software Included and Time Machine Compatible
NTI Shadow is included with the Duo, making backups a cinch. Every time you save your files on your computer, the Duo backs them up and also lets you revert to previous versions of your files. If you are running a Mac, the ReadyNAS is also Time Machine compatible.

Three USB Connections Let You Plug Additional Accessories
There are three USB 2.0 ports on the ReadyNAS Duo, extending its utility and allowing you to connect virtually any USB storage device for additional storage. You can also connect a USB printer and share printing capability with everyone on the network.

Support Forums and Industry Leading Warranty
A thriving and helpful community at www.readynas.com provides support, and NETGEAR backs up the unit with a class-leading 3-year warranty.

What’s in the Box
ReadyNAS Duo, two hard disk trays, quick installation guide, warranty card, power adapter, power cable, Ethernet cable, installation CD, ReadyNAS discovery utility, NTI Shadow for Windows and Macintosh.

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