Iomega StoreCenter ix2

Iomega StoreCenter ix2

• Type: Desktop NAS
• OS: Windows/Mac/Linux
• Interface: LAN: Gigabit/100/10BASE-TX, RJ-45
• Storage range: 1, 2 TB
• Disks: 2 SATA II not user accessible
• RAID: 1
• Price range (ex VAT): £225 (1TB) to £ 305 (2TB)
• Expansion: Yes via 2xUSB 2.0
• Print server: Yes (but see review)
• File Systems: CIFS, FTP, NFS
• Media Server: iTunes, UP&P
• Security: Workgroup/user and Domain
• Dimensions: 200x80x124.97 mm
• Weight: 2.2 kg
• Power Supply: 25W typical

The StorCenter ix2 is small and easy to use. It also has some interesting features, but if you just want plug-and-play storage you can ignore them. Physically it takes the form of a small metal box not much bigger than the two hard disks it contains. These are not easily accessible and in principle they aren't user upgradeable or replaceable.

The two drives are used in RAID 1 mode, i.e. they mirror each other. This has the advantage of simplicity and with the large capacity drives that are available today still manages to provided 1TBytes or 2TBytes of redundant storage. You can opt to operate in non-redundant mode and hence double the storage but this isn't a good idea without further backup. You can connect additional storage via the USB sockets and this could provide the necessary file security.

A free-to-download system software upgrade was applied to the review unit and this added some significant features. A setup utility scanned the network and found the newly added device, then walked the user through the process of setting up, which was very simple as the device even supplied its own SMTP server to send email alerts to the administrator. After this a simple web based interface provided everything needed to configure the unit further.

A Home page provides access to the shared storage, backup, printer connection and torrent downloads. This is typically all that is needed on a day-to-day basis. The backup facility is easy to use by virtue of being restricted - it can only backup a fixed set of folders. A Dashboard shows the current state of storage use and health. A User tab allows users to be created and access rights allocated. The usual mode of operation is to use workgroup security and in this case the administrator has to create all of the user accounts on the device. You can join the device to a domain but this basically just downloads the users list from the domain controller at a set time interval. The administrator can use the imported users and user groups to set access permissions.

Creating a share is simply a matter of giving it a name and allocating users/groups access permissions. You can also opt to provide unrestricted access to public folders. Clients have to log on to use restricted folders and under Windows the Security Tab shows the users and groups but not their access permissions and any changes the client makes seem to be ignored.

For the technically inclined there is a Setup tab which allows advanced features to be configured. The device can be used as a media server using iTunes and UPnP and the media folder can be set to any directory. A novel feature is the ability to automatically download photos from any digital camera that supports PTP connected to the USB port. You can also connect an IP camera to the device and use it to store video clips according to a schedule and archive policy. It will only work with a single camera at a time and there is no motion detection.


Extended networking facilities are also provided. If you fit a Bluetooth USB dongle then wireless data transfer from Bluetooth equipped devices can be performed. You can set a single share to be accessible via FTP and the other protocols available are CIFS, AFP and NFS. There is an option to enable an SNMP agent. A UPS with auto power down is also supported, as are file quotes, remote access and file search. The remote access is a little disappointing in that you need a subscription to TZO to upload photos and files to the device via the internet.

The overall verdict on the StoreCenter ix2 has to take into account that it is very small and very easy to use and hence a good way to provide additional storage for special groups or applications. It also has some special features - like being able to work with digital and video camera and supporting bluetooth - but how useful these are to you depends on exactly what you are trying to do. The final conclusion has to be that it's nice, neat and offers a lot of storage at a very good price.

Read more about Desktop NAS in Labs

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