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More and more families and small businesses are turning to NAS (Network Attached Storage) to house important files all in one location. NAS has many advantages over traditional storage methods, which include local internal or external hard drives, SAN (Storage Area Network) devices, file servers or even RAID arrays.  Here are some of the benefits of NAS storage solutions: However, this simplified storage solution does have some drawbacks: For the most part, a NAS device can do many of the same things as a  SAN, including running printers through the NAS rather than connecting each printer locally. NAS solutions are also scalable as a family or small business owner’s needs grow. Need NAS Data Recovery? Just because a NAS solution…

RAID arrays come in two different formats: hardware and software. RAID hardware uses a disc controller that physically connects the hard drives in your RAID array.  On the other hand, RAID software is simply a set of kernel modules coupled with management utilities; no hardware beyond the hard disk drives in your RAID array is necessary.  If you are setting up a RAID array for your business or even your home, you might be debating whether you should invest in a RAID controller or simply select a RAID software solution.  Let’s look at the pros and cons of each.   RAID software: – less expensive, since there are no hardware components – requires more power – may operate more slowly than…

If you’re storage solutions or a home server to house all your family’s files in one central location, you may have heard the terms NAS and SAN. As technology evolves, the difference between the two storage solutions for homes, entrepreneurs and small businesses is beginning to blur. But understanding the basics of NAS and SAN operation can help you make the best decision for your home or business. What Is a SAN? A Storage Area Network is typically connected to the network via fiber over Ethernet or some other form of cabling. A SAN makes storage devices, such as RAID arrays, accessible to servers.  A SAN is often used in storage virtualization solutions. Because of its complexity, a SAN is most…

Seagate has been full of news this month. (Perhaps gearing up for CES 2012?) Just as the hard disk drive giant announced the introduction of 1TB platters in the newest 3TB Barracuda, the company also announced that it will stop production of Green hard drives. According to the manufacturer, end users want “big capacities and big performance.” Low-power, high-efficiency desktop drives did not show the demand manufacturers expected. Meanwhile, OEM and channel partners want to reduce overhead and simplify inventory management with fewer products to choose from. A new hybrid Barracuda line of hard drives from Seagate will replace the Barracuda XT line, and will employ the technology found in the Momentus XT notebook hybrid hard drive. New Drives, New…

More and more families and small businesses are turning to NAS (Network Attached Storage) to house important files all in one location. NAS has many advantages over traditional storage methods, which include local internal or external hard drives, SAN (Storage Area Network) devices, file servers or even RAID arrays. Here are some of the benefits of NAS storage solutions: However, this simplified storage solution does have some drawbacks: For the most part, a NAS device can do many of the same things as a  SAN, including running printers through the NAS rather than connecting each printer locally. NAS solutions are also scalable as a family or small business owner’s needs grow. Need NAS Data Recovery? Just because a NAS solution…

http://www.macworld.com/article/159827/2011/05/ssd.html Technology research firm Gartner, Inc. predicts that SSD (Solid State Drive) prices will fall drastically in 2012, making them the storage media of choice in consumer laptop and desktop computers. The MacBook Air and certain Dell models already come with SSD storage rather than traditional (HDD) hard drives, but the price of the technology kept it out of range for most users. Now, with prices just over $2 per GB, solid state drives are more accessible to early adopters. Gartner predicts that, by the second half of 2012, the price will drop to $1 per GB, which will put them in reach of most consumers and make it possible for more manufacturers to include SSD technology in laptop and…

As we’re well into Financial Quarter 4 (Q4), you might be evaluating costs and expenditures for your small-to-mid-size Texas business. You may be looking for some year-end tax deductions by investing in new office equipment or supplies, or you may be looking to reduce costs in order to increase profits for the year. Whatever your goals, it’s a good time to have your IT staff evaluate your anti-virus software, firewalls, and spyware. Typically, virus software packages need to be updated annually. Since this is the time of year when many businesses (and individuals, for that matter) invest in new computers, your anti-virus software could be nearing the end of its useful life. Why Do You Need Up To Date Software?…

More and more homes as well as small businesses are relying on NAS (Network Attached Storage) all their files, including photos, movies and music.  An NAS device is much simpler to use than a traditional file server, making them more accessible to individuals who are not particularly tech-savvy. However, this also means that, if something should go wrong with your NAS, you may not be equipped to perform data recovery on your own. NAS Data Recovery StepsNAS data recovery requires first dis-assembling your NAS device, and removing the internal drives. If your NAS device requires only logical recovery, you could connect the internal hard drives from your NAS directly to your PC via available IDE or SATA ports. From here, you…

Seagate has followed up the release of its 3TB Barracuda XT, with five 600GB platters, with the new Seagate Barracuda ST3000DM001 http://www.storagereview.com/seagate_barracuda_3tb_review_1tb_platters_s… 3TB with three 1TB platters.  According to StorageReview.com, the new hard drive boasts read/write speeds over 190MB/s, 7,200 RPM spindle speed, and 64MB cache. Features like SmartAlign and DiscWizard help the new HDD work effectively with legacy computers and older operating systems. 5TB in the Future for Seagate? While the new drive seems to be impressive on its own, the application of 1TB platters at a reasonable price point opens the door to what many data storage enthusiasts and techies are waiting for: 5 TB hard drives from Seagate and other major manufacturers. We may have to wait…

Between the economy corporate fraud and theft, the proliferation of savvy and sophisticated hackers, and downright odd weather patterns that are resulting in worse hurricanes, tornadoes and flooding than usual, many businesses in the Dallas- Fort Worth region of Texas are thinking long and hard about business continuity and disaster recovery. A strong business continuity and disaster recovery plan includes a number of components, including: – Training key personnel in the steps and processes required for successful business continuity and disaster recovery – Service Level Agreements (SLAs) detailing the minimum levels of availability your suppliers and clients can expect from you in the event of a disaster – Contact information for support staff who can help with business continuity disaster recovery…