Buffalo intros enhanced version of LinkStation Mini NAS
updated 02:20 pm EST, Wed February 3, 2010
Buffalo outs updated LinkStation Mini NAS
Buffalo on Wednesday introduced a newly updated version of its LinkStation Mini NAS. The dual-drive device features higher performance than the older model, and has near-silent operation. There is also a fresh UI and newfound support for RAID 0 (stripe) and RAID 1 (mirror) setups. The former allows for maximizing capacity, while the latter doubles up data for an added measure of reliability.
Buffalo calls it the smallest NAS on the market, and it has no cooling fan for silent operation. Inside the case are two 2.5-inch hard drives, interfaced to exterior devices with a gigabit Ethernet port. The maximum capacity of the NAS is either 500GB or 1TB.
The NAS has secure SFTP remote access and a Remote Power Feature that will let users power up the unit remotely. The capacity can be expanded through an external hard drive by way of the rear-mounted USB port. This port can also connect to a networked printer. The LinkStation Mini can shut down more gracefully when the power is cut through an UPS alerting feature.
The NAS is DLNA-certified, allowing it to stream media to devices that include Sony's PS3, among others. It's simily iTunes-compatible and recognizes both Apple's Time Machine and the Apple File Protocol.
The 500GB Buffalo LinkStation Mini carries a suggested price tag of $230, while the 1TB version costs $330.
