Tandberg BizNAS
RAID with four WD HDDs and optional RDX: what for?
This is a Press Release edited by StorageNewsletter.com on April 11, 2013 at 3:04 pmTandberg Data launched the BizNAS family of self-protecting NAS appliances.
Designed and manufactured by Tandberg Data for demanding business environments, BizNAS appliances provide fast and easy deployment of up to 16TB of resilient storage for file sharing among Windows, Mac and Linux systems, plus simultaneous iSCSI block storage for server virtualization. Featuring an Intel dual-core architecture, the BizNAS accommodates up to four disk drives and will be available in desktop and 1U rackmount configurations.
The BizNAS delivers simplicity and ease-of-use without compromising performance or capability. Integrated data protection tools safeguard precious digital assets from anywhere on the network. Offline and offsite disaster protection can be integrated using an optional RDX QuikStor standard for rugged removable disk storage. The BizNAS will even protect its own OS and configuration settings for complete bare metal restore capability.
"So many NAS products are loaded with excessive features (typically, consumer features) that a business doesn’t need," said Eric Slack, senior analyst with Storage Switzerland. "We’re impressed that Tandberg Data has designed a NAS device that offers a combination of simplicity and robustness for the professional user, from the novice to advanced level."
The BizNAS also gives IT managers the power to centralize, monitor and protect multiple accounts of Dropbox, the cloud-based storage service with over 100 million users worldwide. Used as an additional Dropbox synchronization point, the BizNAS automatically copies all versions of Dropbox data to any disk accessible to the BizNAS or to removable RDX cartridges for a ecure offline, archiving and DR solution. Additionally, the BizNAS keeps IT managers informed and in-control with real-time logging and alerts of Dropbox events.
"Tandberg Data set out to create a product that would be the easiest and most cost-effective way to add several TBs of reliable storage to the network," said Ted Oade, WW director of product management and marketing for Tandberg. "With the BizNAS, we are able to deliver much more, including automated self-protection of the NAS OS and its configuration settings, offsite DR using removable RDX media, and helpful tools to centralize and protect digital assets stored in the enormously popular Dropbox cloud."
The BizNAS will be available in the next few weeks with suggested list prices starting at €539 diskless. It is backed by Tandberg Data’s two-year advanced replacement warranty. Warranty extensions and USB-attached RDX QuikStor removable disk storage systems are available separately.
Comments
RDX is a removable 2.5-inch SSD or HDD from 64GB to 1.5TB into a special docking station.
The initial idea and design for RDX came from ProStor Systems, a start-up founded in May 2004, in Boulder, CO, by former tape company executives. The firm received $26.4 million in total funding, and numbered some 50 employees. RDX technology was sold to Tandberg and start-up's archiving systems (InfiniVault) to Imation in 2011. Dell, HP and IBM oem high-priced RDX with good margin.
Four companies are involved in storage subsystems for SMBs: actidata, Imation, Quantum and Tandberg.
German company actidata, founded by former Tandberg's executives, offers two NAS, tower actiNAS Cube RDX and rackmount actiNAS Cube 2U RDX. The first one integrates four 3.5-inch 4TB HDDs with several usual RAID modes for a total raw capacity of 20TB, and also a RDX device to backup the data. The rackmount unit accepts eight SAS or SATA HDDs for up to 32TB that can be backuped via two internal RDX drives. Both of them can also be used as an iSCSI unit, for blocks and files.
actiNAS Cube RDX actiNAS Cube 2U RDX
Imation also offers a rackmount and a tower RAID, the DataGuard T5R Data Protection Appliance and the DataGuard R4 Data Protection Appliance, respectively. The 1U rack contains four 3.5-inch SATA HDD bays and an optional RDX A8 networked storage array. On its side, the tower model has five bays and an integrated RDX dock.
DataGuard T5R DataGuard R4
Data Protection Appliance Data Protection Appliance
The BizNAS from Tandberg stores a maximum of 16TB of blocks or files on four HDDs, and also Dropbox assets. It's sold in rackmount (1U) and desktop version with RDX in option.
BizNAS (tower) BizNAS (rackmount)
Quantum launched in 2011 a completely different products. The tower and 1U rack NDX-8 and NDX-12 are standard NAS in RAID-5 with four 2TB HDDs or four 3TB HDDs with or without de-dupe. But for replication, there is the possibility to have a rakcmounted or desktop library, the RDX 8000, with eight RDX cartridges, costing $5,139 with de-dupe and $4,029 without it at the time of the announcement.
RDX 8000
NAS WITH RDX
| Vendor |
Model |
Tower/ Rack |
≠ of HDDs |
≠ of RDX |
RAID |
| Actidata | actiNas Cube RDX | T | 5x4TB | 1 | 0, 1, 5, 6, 10 |
| Actidata | actiNAS Cube 2U RDX | R | 8x4TB | 2 | 0, 1, 5, 10 |
| Imation | DataGuard T5R Data Protection Appliance |
T | 5x4B | 1 (option) |
0, 1, 3, 5, 10 |
| Imation | DataGuard R4 Data Protection Appliance |
1U | 4x4TB | 1 | 0, 1, 3, 5, 6, 10 |
| Quantum | NDX-8d | T or 1U |
4x2TB or 4x3TB |
Remote library RDX 8000 with 8 RDX |
5 |
| Tandberg | BizNAS | T or 1U |
4xWD RED 2TB | 1 (optional) | 0, 1, 5, 6, 10 |
We never were a big fan of RDX. It has been accepted by some users who think that it's a good replacement for tape as the drive is removable and can be transported in another location. But the reality is that you can do exactly the same thing with a cheaper external USB hard disk drive including a 2.5-inch HDD but also eventually a 3.5-inch disk with much more capacity.
Recall however the esteemed names of other companies that tried and failed in the past in removable disk drives: ACT, Areal Technology, CMS, Computer Connections, Floyec Engineering, IBM, IEF, Imation (Odyssey), iVDR (Information Versatile Disk for Removable usage), Kalok, Jod, Logisys, LSI, MDB Systems, MountainGate, Prostor (no relation with ProStor Systems), and Quantum (Passport and GoVault). Note also that no HDD manufacturer has ever ventured into this terrain, even when they're actively working on external HDDs.
Subscribe to our free daily newsletter
