January 24th, 2009
Datto launches Box 2 Box P2P NAS device
Datto is hoping its new twist on network attached storage (NAS) can stand out amid an increasingly crowded field of competitors. The Box 2 Box device, due in March, is designed to create a peer-to-peer network with other Box 2 Box drives, letting you sync files between the two, even if they’re not using the same home network.
In its promotional spiel, the company suggests a couple of possible uses for the P2P capabilities, including syncing your data with a remote drive for increased security or automatically updating a relative’s drive with new family photos when they’re backed up to your Box 2 Box. Additional units using the Synapse technology Box 2 Box comes can join the P2P network as well, and Datto claims the connection can work regardless of firewalls or connection settings. Box 2 Box drives come with four USB ports for additional storage, and are powered by an Intel Atom 230 CPU running a Linux-based OS. It doesn’t come with any backup software, however.
Of course, in order to make use of the Box 2 Box’s P2P features, you’ll need to purchase a pair or more of the drives, which isn’t cheap. Datto is offering some pre-releases savings on its Web site, whether you purchase a single drive or a two-pack. Still, $349.99 for a single 250GB Box 2 Box (BXP-250) is far more than you can pay for most rivals’ equivalently sized NAS drives; that price becomes $619.95 for a pair. However for $30 more, you can get a 500GB version (BXP-500), or $659.95 for a bundle of two drives. The $479.95 BXP-1000 comes with a terabyte drive and a second Gigabit Ethernet port, while a two-pack costs $849.95. Datto is banking on the fact that its P2P functionality is worth the price premium, though the two 500GB Box 2 Boxes still cost only slightly more than a single new HP MediaSmart Server.
Sean Portnoy spent several years as an editor at Computer Shopper magazine, most recently serving as online executive editor. See his full profile and disclosure of his industry affiliations.
Subscribe to SOHO Networking via Email alerts or RSS.
