Labs

Iomega's boxy NAS 100d is aimed more at small businesses than home users, partly evidenced by its client support, which includes Windows, Mac, Linux and Unix. But this alone doesn't justify the high cost, especially when other 250GB NAS appliances are less than half the 100d's price.

One feature that's unique is the 802.11g Wi-Fi interface. It means you can put the 100d virtually anywhere - there's no need to be in close proximity to a router or Ethernet port. However, the 100d lacks WPA authentication and Wi-Fi certification, which means it may not work reliably with your existing Wi-Fi kit.

Our other main problem with the 100d is the noisy front-mounted fan. It registered almost 42dBA when idle and even covered up any disk-seek noises, since there was no noticeable increase when we forced a disk search. This won't be such a problem in an air-conditioned office, but it could prove irritating in a quiet environment.

Initial

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setup isn't the simplest - the setup guide advises users whose network lacks a DHCP server to reconfigure their computer's IP addresses to match that of the 100d. The web browser management interface is easy to use, though, and includes a Help section. What we didn't appreciate was the lack of a reboot confirmation when we made certain changes - each reboot takes upwards of 60 seconds.

NAS features aren't hugely comprehensive. There's a print server and you can attach external USB hard disks or flash drives to increase storage, but there's no FTP server, no timed power-down and no way of creating password-protected shares. Where Iomega draws you away from its rivals is its Automatic Backup client software. You can install this on as many clients as you like, making it easy to back up data without requiring users to do it manually or buying third-party software.

LEDs on the front panel show you when the 100d is starting, running or being accessed and when the disk is full. The power switch is on the rear rather than the front, and the PSU is external, despite the size of the unit.

Performance over 10/100 Ethernet was fairly good - 5.9MB/sec when writing and 6.6MB/sec when reading. Transfer rates were understandably slower over the wireless interface; we saw only 1.8MB/sec when writing and 1.4MB/sec when reading.

Considering the high price, noise and lack of data security, the 100d simply can't compete in this Labs. Only consider it if you need WI-Fi support and automated backups.