These devices plug into the network and get their own IP address, like other servers, and can appear on all office computers as an additional drive. Most of these hardware solutions also come with software which will automate the back-up process for all your staff. A simple software application on each computer will copy any documents in assigned folders to the back-up server and will make the necessary changes every time a file is changed.

As well as a back-up solution these servers can also be used as a central store for documents, instead of having numerous copies and versions on each of your employees' PCs.

Netgear SC101UK Storage Central
Price: 99 from Elara. ie. (Hard drives need to be purchased separately but with 500GB hard drives costing around 120 each, you can make this a terrabyte. )

Review: The Netgear is quite simple to use. The size of a mini-toaster, it will take any size drives you want. So if on a tight budget you can buy one drive to start with or use an existing hard drive that you have spare.

You can then chop and change with bigger drives over time. Transfer speeds are relatively good when moving large files to the device.

Each computer that accesses the device will need special software in order to see it on the network. The software allows you to allocate space on an individual or group basis and you can have some computers only use some parts of the drive if needs be. The disadvantage of this is that the "le system is not standard so you cannot take one of the drives and put it into a USB enclosure or plug it directly into your PC and expect the data to be read.

However the biggest disadvantage of this device is that there is no support for Windows Vista. Vista has been out at least six months and available to hardware manufacturers for much longer and yet the device still isn't supported, with vague promises on support forums saying drivers are on the way "next quarter".If you are on a tight budget and have yet to upgrade to Vista, this is a solution worth considering.

Western Digital My Book World Edition II
Price: 350 from Komplett. ie

The My Book sets itself apart from the competition on two fronts. Firstly it has a very competitive price and secondly it has a nice design so there is no need to hide it in the broom closet. Good transfer speeds and the ability to upgrade the drive, albeit using matching hardware, make this a worthwhile investment. The star of this device though is the ability to access your data remotely thanks to the 'Anywhere Access' software that comes with this. In reality this means you don't need to bring your laptop with you any more if all you want to do is work on some documents from home. In addition you can also plug an additional USB drive into this device and it will show up as an additional drive that you can access. This is a good allrounder.

Buffalo TeraStation
Price: 700 from Elara. ie

Buffalo TeraStation acts like it looks. Tough and nononsense, this is a workhorse. For those looking for a very professional back-up solution, and for those looking for a terrabyte or more of storage and using the standard RAID system to do it, the TeraStation is well worth considering, though the no-frills offering means other solutions offer more in terms of software options for backing up data.

Review: http: //url. ie/4dv "The Buffalo TeraStation is currently the unparalleled giant of low-cost NAS. Offering up to a terrabyte of storage, this device should meet or exceed the storage needs of nearly any small-business or home user. All told, the TeraStation is a solid product that will go a long way toward alleviating storage growing pains in your home or small office."

RECOMMENDED

D-Link DNS-323 2-bay storage enclosure with two 500GB HDs
Price: 459 from Komplett. ie

This is a professional storage solution at a consumer price. The Dlink might not be the prettiest piece of kit for the office but it is an ideal storage solution. The DNS-323 can act as a media server, a RAID server and the hardware is hotswappable meaning no downtime whatsoever if you need to upgrade a drive.

With support for Windows, MacOS and Linux, the D-Link ensures all staff members, no matter what their computer choice, can backup their data centrally. This is everything the Netgear should have been and only a fraction more expensive.

Review: http: //url. ie/4du

"With SATA for reliability, standard SMB file protocols, cooling and sensible management software, this wipes out any unhappy memories of the Netgear SC101. With support for Mac and Linux, it could find its way into a lot of small office networks. It does its job very happily."