I have had Netgear’s ReadyNAS Ultra 4 network attached storage (NAS) for the last year and a half. I’ve enjoyed the simplicity of getting it running and its reliability to provide the files. With plugins, you can extend its functionality and with a bit more complicated configuration you can get it to be a device that complements you set top box, smartphone, computers, and other devices.
I haven’t had any problems with the NAS besides loading it with some lousy Seagate hard drives. I now have it stocked with Western Digital Red drives and everything is working out quite well. I’ve seen reviews and heard complaints about the Netgear NAS and recommendations for other brands like Synology. Since I might recommend a NAS to some clients of mine, I keep my eyes open for announcements and updates to the product line. Netgear is relaunching the ReadyNAS line with a complete refresh.
The new line is suited for home use and small to medium business use with 2-bay, 4-bay, and 6-bay configurations. They can also be purchased diskless or already stocked with drives. The new models include the RN102, RN104, RN312, RN314, RN316, and the RN516 with the last digit of the model name telling you how many drives it can hold. These models are the desktop form factor seen below. The ReadyNAS 2120 was also announced which is a 1U rack mount form factor.
Along with the refreshed hardware in the new models, the operating system has also received a significant update to ReadyNAS 6.0. It includes a ton of new features built-in like ReadyDrop (Dropbox), ReadyCLOUD (cloud-based management and access), XRAID2, real-time antivirus, and a new app marketplace called the Genie.
The ReadyNAS 100 and 300 series is now available with the 500 series coming in the second quarter of 2013. The ReadyNAS 102 and 104 models use a Marvell Armada 370 processor at 1.2GHz and includes 512MB of RAM. The ReadyNAS 312, 314, and 316 use an Intel Atom dual core processor at 2.1GHz with 2GB of RAM. The ReadyNAS 516 has an Intel Ivy Bridge Core i3-3220 3.3 GHz dual core processor with 4GB of ECC RAM.
Suggested US retail pricing for the ReadyNAS series is as follows:
- ReadyNAS 100 Series, starting at $199.
- ReadyNAS 300 Series, starting at $449.
- ReadyNAS 2120, starting at $1,229.
- ReadyNAS 500 Series, starting at $1,299.
For more information about the 100 series, see NetGear’s new website for home use ReadyNAS.
For more information about the 300 and 500 series, see NetGear’s new site for business use ReadyNAS.
The available new models can be purchased through NewEgg, Amazon, and other vendors.