BuffaloTechnology\'s LinkStation Pro: One Hot NAS!

I wonder when we'll begin to see offerings that work with NVidia's dual-gigabit technology, and probably a raid setup to maximize troughput for that connection.

It could become as fast as in-case drives, to allow loading apps or playing games directly from it and not feeling any difference.

Must have more speed...... I'm sorry but I'm a DIY NAS snob.

Nothing was said about NFS support. Does it support NFS clients?
all the machines around our place, Unix, Linux, Macs, and Windoze,
speak NFS.

So it's a single drive (so no RAID), no NFS solution that voids your warrenty if you even open it to replace the drive...I don't like it as a NAS. Even though it has network support it's just a sophisticated external hard drive with a fancy web interface to me. Even though it is technically network attached storage, there should be some higher level of criteria I think before a product is marketed as a NAS.

It's really no different to me than buying a cheap $300 HP desktop, putting it on the network and calling it a server. Sure, it can provide services as a server to some level, but to me, that's not a server.

Just my opinion.

I am having a hard time finding these units online instock... anyone else have one yet?

I managed to track one of these down (250 gb version) and I really wished I hadn't.

It was easy to set up, hooked into AD with no problems and the access is superbly fast. I am running some sync software over a DSL line for backup purposes and data access to a remote office which the punters seemed to like.

The firmware is still initial release which carries a major flaw. If the power is switched off then it is liable to loose its settings. I have seen them loose the AD credentials which is a quick 5 min job to fix (just log in and re-input the credentials) but the this morning I saw one with the firmware wiped which was caused by a power outage at the weekend (it is sitting on a UPS but the main fuse tripped in the electrical cabinet). I then had the joyous task of speaking to their technical support

Support Guy 1 - Very helpful, said that known problem with power and firmare, pointed me in the direction of the firmware reprogramming software (its here if you are interested www.buffalo-technology.com/linkthe [...] 0-042.zip)

Support Guy 2 - didn't have a clue what he was doing and every other word was "can I put you on hold" - Everybody has to learn so I can't hold that against him but when I'm paying 8.5p per min to get help with a problem Buffalo have created I expect the call to be as quick as possible)

Support Guy 3 - Acted like a right arogant ***** and I got the impression that it was all my fault and I was going to burn for it (don't get me wrong I don't want the full on suit you sir customer relation but a simple please and thank-you wouldn't go a miss)

Anyway rant over. The outcome was that they have declared that the Linkstation is a write-off. I have an RMA ticket to swap it for a new one. The main reason I went for the Linkstation was that I couldn't get hold of the Snap servers but now that Adaptec are putting stock out I have agreed with my IT supplier that i can return this for a refund and purchase a SNAP instead.

To be fair I was really impressed with the Linkstation but I think it is too early in its life to use. If you still want one I would suggest that you wait for a new version of firmware to be released

My Linkstation Pro now clearly has a fault and I am returning it.

This introduces a potential problem. There is no easy way of destroying the data on the disk, short of using a hammer which might stop me getting my money back. Fortunately I had only got as far as playing with the thing. This is not like a computer, where one has control over the secure delete program, or can remove the disk.

Next time I'm going to get a BYOD device instead.