HP Announces 500 GB NAS System

The Media Vault mv2100 is a network attached hard drive storage system that can be attached to a network and provide an extra 500 GB of storage. The mv2100, announced at CES, features an empty expansion bay that allows additional hard drives to be added to the system.

The Linux-based device includes a variety of software tools. Among the applications included on the mv2100 are client control center software that enables the user to set up automatic backups, to set up sharing of folders, and to set up access privileges and network settings. HP Photo Webshare enables the mv2100 to be used as a server with secure login for sharing photos and other media. The mv2100 can also be used as a remote access server. The mv2100 can be assigned a personalized website address and can be accessed remotely for file retrieval.

Media can be streamed using UPNP, and specific folders can be copied to either of its two USB 2.0 ports. As a network attached storage device, the mv2100 can be configured as a RAID1 mirror. It can also be configured to automatically back up files on a network.

Additionally, the product can be configured to allow access from computers on the Internet (and not just computers on a local network). The Media Vault supports streaming of music, photos, home video to playback devices on the network.

The HP Media Vault mv2100, with one 500 GB SATA drive will ship in March. It will be priced at $299.