Promise's new SmartStor do-it-all NS4600 and easy-setup DS4300 make RAID 5 look easy

While storage is by default a fairly boring topic, we're always happy to see someone try and spice it up -- and Promise sure is trying. The new Promise SmartStor NS4600 and DS4300 offer up four drive RAID 5 striped storage, with the NS4600 pulling full NAS and media server duties, while the DS4300 plays things like a Drobo competitor, with One Touch Configuration to set up new drives and a direct plug into your computer. The NS4600 is where things get really interesting, with the ability to serve up iPhone-friendly video as part of its iTunes Digital Media Server support, SmartNAVI for accessing and viewing media through a web browser, Remote Access Media Center for pulling up media anywhere, and Apple Time Machine Support. The NAS can host USB 2.0 and eSATA drives, and hooks into your network with a gigabit Ethernet plug. The NAS sans-drives goes for "sub $500," while the DS4300 clocks in around $400 -- both should be widely available around mid May. Full feature breakdown is after the break.

Promise's new SmartStor do-it-all NS4600 and easy-setup DS4300 make RAID 5 look easy

NS4600 Network Attached Storage – DLNA Digital Media Server
• 600 MHZ Intel Tolapi SoC
• 256MB DDR II
• 4 Drive Network Attached Storage – Digital Media Server Enclosure
• RAID 5, 0, 1, 0+1
• Support SMB, CIFS, NFS, AFP File Sharing Protocols (Windows, Mac, Linux and Unix)
• True Hot Swap and Hot Plug
• Vibration Less Drive Carriers
• 1 Gigabit Ethernet Port
• 2 USB 2.0 Ports (Device Mode Only)
• 1 eSATA Port (Device Model Only)

Features
• New Ultra Quiet Aesthetic Design with "very" Low Noise Level
• "Removable Power Supply with no Fan"
• "Sub $500.00" High Performance NAS/DMS featuring 40 MB/s Writes and 50+ MB/s Reads (Jumbo Frames Disabled)
• Apple Time Machine Support under MAC OS X
• Remote Access Media Center (allows access to Music, Pictures and Videos from anywhere, anytime)
• Green NA$ (low power) – 6.6w Standby and 51w Full Load
• Wake on LAN and Power On after Power Failure
• DLNA Certified Digital Media Server 1.0 (Support XBOX 360, PS3, Popcornhour, Sony DLNA TV, Samsung TV, Pioneer DLNA TV and more)
• iTunes Digital Media Server with "Video" Support (industry first)
• Bit Torrent/FTP/HTTP Download Station
• FTP Server with Explicit Encryption Security Option
• One Touch Backup using Front Panel Button
• External USB 2.0 and eSATA Hard Drive support (move and or copy data to and from NAS)
• Backup USB attached Devices using One Touch Button
• Drag and Drop files/folders for scheduled Backup using SmartSync
• SmartNAVI Media Player – GUI features instant playback of content stored on NAS
• SmartNAVI Photo Album – allows creation of Flash Based Photo Albums - Can view remotely
• Dynamic DNS (DDNS)
• Web Server - Host your Personal Website
• NAS to NAS Replication via LAN or WAN (Internet, VPN)
• Snapshot (up to 4 images)
• Quota Management
• Email Notification
• Active Director Support for Domain Integration
• Print Server Support via USB Attached Printers

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 3rd 2009 10:08AM]

Hmm DS4300 is also the name of some older IBM disk array. A quick google search would have turned that up.

[OneLove Posted Apr 3rd 2009 10:09AM]

Oh, pretty lights.

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 3rd 2009 10:14AM]

wow!

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 3rd 2009 10:17AM]

Does this NAS have eSata port multiplier because the closest competitor to this, HP MediaSmart EX485 lack that ability. The previous gen EX470/EX475 had port multiplier.

[ran Posted Apr 3rd 2009 10:18AM]

That's a nice NAS. However could use a matte finish. That would be one annoying thing to have to wipe clean every day.
Can't all be perfect right?

[coldwave007 Posted Apr 3rd 2009 6:22PM]

Hahahaha!!! I thought the same thing.

[Oli D Posted Apr 3rd 2009 10:46AM]

Raid 5 IS easy

[Oli D Posted Apr 3rd 2009 10:46AM]

I hate you.

[cepler Posted Apr 3rd 2009 3:12PM]

RAID5 sucks, RAID10 or RAID6.

[kpoehls Posted Apr 3rd 2009 11:47AM]

oh sweet!

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 3rd 2009 11:51AM]

All these NAS devices that have built in "iTunes server" are useless if you want to use it with AppleTV. Wake me up when someone makes one that actually works.

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 3rd 2009 1:27PM]

Hey wake up, HP's Mediasmart servers do this, and do it well.
I stream to any computer in the house running itunes, and to my xbox360.

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 3rd 2009 1:41PM]

in case you didn't notice, i said AppleTV, not iTunes/XBOX/PS3.

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 3rd 2009 5:48PM]

Uh...I have my AppleTV working with my HP MediaSmart EX470. You simply install iTunes on the MSS. Should I wake you up now :-)

[jpoehls Posted Apr 3rd 2009 11:52AM]

very nice

[hiro256 Posted Apr 3rd 2009 12:18PM]

whats the real world CIFS/SMB performance

[jsmrekar Posted Apr 3rd 2009 1:54PM]

over 9000

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 3rd 2009 12:44PM]

I wonder with " iTunes Digital Media Server with "Video" Support (industry first)" if this device could be the media storage unit behind an AppleTV.

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 3rd 2009 12:32PM]

It's just the latest Firefly Media Server

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 3rd 2009 12:45PM]

This would be a lot more compelling with HDMI support - I really can't fathom why they can't offer a $50 more expensive version with an integrated video card to allow me to sidestep the purchase of a $200-500 media player.

That said, will a Playstation3/Xbox/whatever be able to stream content off of this?

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 3rd 2009 12:52PM]

YoYoYo said : "That said, will a Playstation3/Xbox/whatever be able to stream content off of this?"

Article said:

"DLNA Certified Digital Media Server 1.0 (Support XBOX 360, PS3, Popcornhour, Sony DLNA TV, Samsung TV, Pioneer DLNA TV and more)"

[KAL326 Posted Apr 3rd 2009 1:04PM]

"The NS4600 is where things get really interesting, with the ability to serve up iPhone-friendly video as part of its iTunes Digital Media Server support..."

No where it really gets interesting is when your iPhone licensed provided makes it a no no to stream that content to your iPhone anymore or any mobile wireless device connected to or through their wireless network.

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 3rd 2009 1:37PM]

So the iTunes server is just Firefly?

.... Hrm. The recent builds of firefly do nothing but crash on my old MediaVault.

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 3rd 2009 1:38PM]

so how does this compare to the ReadyNAS Duo by NETGEAR.

I almost pulled the trigger last week on the ReadyNAS, but now looking at this, Im glad I didnt.

I never heard of this company before, are they reliable?

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 3rd 2009 2:16PM]

Promise has been in the storage game for a long time. They are a reputable brand when it comes to storage controllers but as for a full blown NAS. Roll the dice..

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 3rd 2009 7:18PM]

Looks amazing for only $400.
Cheapest and best NAS option ive seen so far.
I'll be very excited to see the reviews.

[Joe Geronimo Posted Apr 3rd 2009 9:17PM]

recession antidote?

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 3rd 2009 11:46PM]

i kinda like this, and 400 isnt to bad for a stater home server, cuz i wanan add my own drives in, not have the crappy 500GB some companies ship with there NAS

[(Unverified) Posted Apr 6th 2009 4:23PM]

How does these compare to the Synology NAS drives?