Miglia Mediabank HS-R

Backup solutions can be cumbersome to set up and administer, however the Miglia Mediabank HS-R automates the process by using hot-swap Raid 1 hard disks.

Raid 1, otherwise known as mirroring, simultaneously creates an exact copy of data onto a second hard disk, preventing loss if a drive were to fail. With the hot-swap technology, removing hard disks doesn't affect access to data stored.

The Miglia Mediabank HS-R houses two removable drive trays accessible behind a front lockable panel. Sold either populated or bare, it supports ATA/3 to ATA/6-compliant hard disks. Once the drives are fitted, which is a simple process, there is little else to do. Internally it's converted by an Oxford 911-based ATA to Firewire IEEE 1394 Bridge, supporting up to 50Mbytes/sec transfer rates. The rear of the unit houses two Firewire ports to allow daisychaining of devices.

No software needs to be installed, as the drive appears within Windows and can be used like any other - data is transparently mirrored, without further interventions.

Replacing a disk kicks in an automated rebuild process lasting approximately an hour for 120GB. This causes a slight drop in performance, although this shouldn't be an issue if replacements are scheduled correctly. Beneficially the unit is independent of a PC, so it's possible to rebuild drives at will.

Three drive trays are provided for rotational backups to maintain off-site storage for added security. Throughout, a front LCD panel displays crude status information, with Miglia looking to facilitate Smart data in the coming year.

Although not aesthetically pleasing, the Miglia provides a hassle-free approach to backup, and is well suited for the home or small business.

Contact: Miglia 0870 747 2988
www.miglia.com

Specifications:

• Compatible ATA/3 to ATA/6
• Available in 120GB, 200GB or 250GB capacities
• 2 Firewire IEEE 1394 ports
• 3.7kg without drives
• 280 x 200 x 110mm (w x h x d)
• Two-year warranty
• Additional drive trays £34.08 (£29 ex VAT)

See also:

Western Digital WD740GD Raptor

This new hard drive from Western Digital has a larger capacity than its predecessor.  19 Mar 2004

Amacom Flip2Disk

Heavy-duty storage from Amacom.  24 Nov 2003

Linksys Etherfast Gigadrive

A storage device with expansion potential.  23 Apr 2003

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