ioSafe N2 NAS (preview)
- 30 July, 2013 16:30
If you run a small business, or if you’ve got a cache of valuable files sitting on your computer, or even if you’ve got a sentimental photo collection that’s getting big, backing up your data is practically mandatory.
It’s not a particularly fun or simple process, though, and if you’re storing your backups on-site, there’s a chance they could be destroyed with the rest of your assets in case of fire, flood, or cyclone. ioSafe’s N2 NAS takes care of that last worry, storing all your sensitive data in an entirely disaster-proof setup.
ioSafe N2: Design
The ioSafe N2 is based on the same hardware that makes up the internals of the Synology DS213. It’s a two-bay network-attached storage device, and can be ordered from ioSafe with up to 8TB of hard drive capacity pre-installed, or as a disk-less solution (and ioSafe publishes a list of pre-approved drives to choose from).
This standardised hardware means you get a pretty comprehensive feature-set — front-mounted SD and USB 2.0 inputs, which can be setup to backup to the N2’s internal storage with the push of a button, and twin rear-mounted USB 3.0 inputs alongside a Gigabit Ethernet connector. The ioSafe N2 is designed to be hooked up to your network over Ethernet, and comes with an Ethernet cable in the retail package.
Also included is an Allen key to unscrew the N2’s front panel, held on by two sturdy and long bolts. The front panel is the only way to access the N2’s internal drive bays, and it’s mostly comprised of a large piece of fire-retardant porcelain-esque material, which cools, seals and shields the drives in case of unexpected workplace horror.
ioSafe N2: Specifications and usage
The ioSafe N2 is, effectively, a carbon copy of Synology’s DS213 NAS hardware, and as such it uses a standard install of Synology’s DiskStation Manager software. We’ve used a Synology DiskStation for the majority of our backup and NAS usage for the better part of a year now, and we’re entirely happy with its performance and feature-set.
The N2’s Synology hardware has a 2GHz processor and 512MB of DDR3 RAM, all well up to the task of running DiskStation Manager’s many home and business features. Everything is adequately and effectively cooled by a 92mm fan at the rear, so the system can be run 24/7 indefinitely — and it isn’t even loud.
We’ll be running some serious tests on the N2, including testing its disaster-proof specifications, soon. Let us know in the comments field below if you have any specific requests!