If Eddie Money penned a song about the Iomega StorCenter ix2, it would probably be titled, "I’ve Got Two Tickets to Terabytes." That’s because the latest network-attached storage unit from Iomega can be configured one of two ways, as a 2TB "just a bunch of disks" storage device or 1TB device that uses drive mirroring to protect data. IT solution providers can decide on the configuration based on the device’s intended use.
For example, if the goal is to get the maximum amount of storage for the least amount of money, selecting the "no data protection" setup will provide the user with as much as 1.8TB of available storage. The "no data protection" mode is well suited for networks that need temporary storage or a general storage dumping ground or are using a backup solution to protect the data.
Most users will likely prefer the mirrored setup, which reduces available space to 932GB, but protects against drive failure by synchronizing the unit’s two internal drives in real time.
Make no mistake, the StorCenter ix2 isn’t about to replace your SAN (storage area network) or even a high-end NAS device. The StorCenter is all about bringing inexpensive storage to a small network, and the product’s ideal uses are backing up important data and rudimentary file sharing.
