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the first Network Attached Storage (NAS) units I saw had a wonderful form factor. You could put a handle on them and carry them about as eminently portable hard drives accessible from any network workstation. Today, the focus is on the form factor of the 21st Century-the Rack Mount unit.
In the old days, the term 1U or 3U meant absolutely nothing to most users. Now, we instantly recognize this shorthand for "One Unit in Height in a rack-- mounted system" or "Three Units high." Naturally, the less real estate you take up in the server room, the better, so 1U NAS systems are the way to go.
We look at two such 1U NAS systems: Quantum/Snap Appliance's Snap 4100 server and Gateway's GS400 Model 260 server. Externally, they are quite similar. Long, flat, 1U boxes-Gateway's in gray and the Snap in a, well, snappy black. But they differ inside.
One key difference is that the GS400 features removable hard drives, while the Snap 4100 is an integrated unit. Our Gateway test system came with just two 80GB drives, allowing us the chance to upgrade the unit with two more drives.
The Snap, on the other hand, has better integration and management elements. (Quantum continues to improve on a great design.) The box itself has indicators for each individual drive, while the GS400 only has a single bulb to handle this duty. This suggests that in maintaining the units, you'll need an extra step to confirm which drive is failing with the GS400, while with the Snap you can take care of it in the server room.
In installation, they are more alike. Both take just a few seconds to plug in and boot up to be online. Both support 10/100 networks. And, if you need to assign an IP address, (rather than use a DHCP server), you'll need to load software on a client workstation for either one. (This is where a small LCD screen would come in handy on such units, but neither unit has one.)
Also, if you are actually going to rackmount either unit, that'll take a few minutes longer to complete the installation. The Snap 4100 has a critical edge here, coming with pre-drilled standard fittings for rack mounts, while...