Best NAS 2014 – 2 Bay – Most Popular and Highly Rated NAS Servers

We've surveyed the popular 2 bay NAS devices available - and list some of the most highly rated in the table below:

Picture	Name	Description	Rating	Price
	Synology DiskStation 2-Bay (Diskless) Network Attached Storage (DS213j)	2 Bay NAS from Synology with full feature set. One of the top selling NAS products.	4.4	$$
	Lenovo IX2 2-Bay Diskless Network Storage (70A69003NA)	At under $100, this 2 Bay diskless NAS is often described as a "steal". Acceptable performance on writes and great performance on reads.	3.6	$
	Synology DiskStation 2-Bay (Diskless) Network Attached Storage (NAS) DS214	Highly rated fast two bay NAS from Synology. Dual Core CPU with Floating-Point Unit. 512MB RAM for Increased Multi-Tasking Power. Features SuperSpeed USB3.0.	4.9	$$$
	Synology America DiskStation 2-Bay Diskless Network Attached Storage (DS214play)	The Synology DS214Play is specifically designed with power to transcode HD videos on the fly. Allows for the ultimate media center with transcoding available in your NAS without compromising speed or other features.	4.2	$$$

Technology is a vast world that is advancing each and every day. There are so many new devices that continue to hit the market, that it becomes easy for the gadgets we own to become outdated quickly. Therefore, it is essential that you stay on top of all the new advances, so your devices and systems can be updated.

Guides are a sure way to compare what you currently have, to what is available on the market. If you are a person who works in a high traffic environment, are business owners or simply have a lot of files to store, then you know the importance of a Network-attached storage (NAS).

Definition:

Network-attached-storage, also known as NAS, is a unit that serves as a means to store files among a network of computers. Only those who have access to the network can obtain files on the NAS unit. This unit is not designed to act as a full blown server, it is a network storage unit. There is no keyboard or display. All configurations are done from a network device using a browser.

Thanks to the help of a NAS unit, all network device users have one centralized location to share files from. There is an array of options when it comes to choosing the NAS unit that will suit your needs. Less expensive units may only contain one hard drive while other units could contain dozens.

Three Steps to Buying a NAS Unit:

Three essential things to consider when buying a NAS unit, include:

1. Hardware Vendor
2. Internal drive bays
3. Determine a specific hard drive

Taking the time to compare each unit will help you make the best possible choice.

Hardware Vendor

You always want to make sure that your NAS unit is coming from a vendor that has a good reputation. This means they will be willing to back their products and ensure the highest quality. This will save you from frustration if something goes wrong with the unit. It is equally important to be aware of the warranties and other guarantees that the vendor offers on their products.

Chances are, if you have had a good experience with a specific vendor in the past, you should try to stick to their product line. Realize, that going with a vendor is solely based on your choice. Always base your decision on what you want and what they offer.

Internal Drive Bays

Here are key points to consider when trying to decide on what type of internal drive bay to go with.

• Dual drive bay NAS units have higher storage capacity than single bay NAS, while still being relatively affortdable.
• The hard drive amount will determine how many bays you purchase.
• Where will data go in case of a data over spill?
• In the long run, your ultimate goal should be to move all valuable information to an off site NAS unit.
• Single drives tend to use less electricity, run quieter and throw off less heat.

Hard drive

To compare NAS unit hard drives, you need to understand that all vendors offer a variety which can lead to mass confusion when trying to buy a unit. There are several pre-installed NAS units that can be used right out of the boxes. For those who are not good with technology, this is the best possible option for you.

The most important part of comparing drive’s is its efficiency should always rate higher than its performance. That may seem a bit backwards, but when things go wrong with a unit it usually is not the hard drive. It tends to be the NAS unit itself.

Comparison

Here is a list of dual bay NAS units to compare, and help you decide what unit might best fit your needs.

Synology Disk Station 2-Bay (Diskless) Network Attached Storage (DS213j)

The Synology DS213j two bay NAS unit is known to be budget friendly, designed to meet office and home needs, has a lighting fast 1.2GHz processor, tons of memory, as well as Gigabit LAN which will give you a smooth response. USB connection can be utilized for ease of expansion. Extremely easy to use and packed with the tools you need to ensure all your data is stored safely and securely. It has never been so easy to store, share, and protect important data.

Quick Overview

• High Performance Multimedia Processing: The Ds213j has a RAID 1 configuration in a Windows platform. It delivers, read and write speeds of 100MB/sec and 70MB/sec. This will give you the ability to share a Blue-Ray movie with someone in less than three minutes. To enhance photo viewing, there is a built-in Floating-Point Unit CPU speeds up thumbnail processing. You are ensured maximum speed of 512MB RAM when utilizing several different applications.
• Efficiency: The Synology DS213j is designed to be eco-friendly. There is a large 92mm fan which circulates the airflow and keeps the unit cool 24/7. It has a built in noise-dampening function so you never have worry about noise coming from your NAS unit. It features a support for Wake on LAN/WAN, the ability to schedule multiple power on/off, and hard drive hibernation, which will help with power consumption.
• Safety: The DS213j with Synology Hybrid RAID will give you an even blend of storage without all the data redundancy, which will help you utilize the space that is available more efficiently. This NAS unit is the ultimate centralized backup solution that you have been needing. It can be used in different forms, such as PCs to NAS, NAS to NAS, NAS to peripheral storage media (such as USB stick) or NAS to remote storage via a whole host of options.
• 24/7 Download Portal: The DS213J is fed to a download station, which can be accessed anytime and anywhere. There is a built in BT search engine that will ensure you find what you need quickly. With just a few clicks your files will be downloaded and ready to use. With the use of the download station, data can be downloaded to an iPhone or Android, which means you can manage your downloads while on the go.

Lenovo IX2 2-Bay Diskless Network Storage (70A69003NA)

The Lenovo IX2 2 is a 2-bay storage solution. It contains advanced protection for your data that is stored and shared. All data is protected remotely with the aid of the cloud technology. This NAS unit is ideal for small offices, work groups or home networks. Sharing data among network users is done with ease. There are powerful backup features which help block unwanted visitors from getting into your important information. Users also have the option to access data from

their mobile devices. This unit fully supports PC, Mac & Linux platforms.

Quick Overview

• Home Office use: There are tons of features to utilize when choosing the Lenovo for your home storage solution. You can utilize it by sharing all your media with family and friends. Access is easy and downloading is quick. The unit has DLNA compatible, UPnP AV Media Server, torrent download support, Bluetooth upload, automated social media picture or video sharing to Facebook, Flickr and YouTube, and digital photography tools like Picture Transfer Protocol.
• For Small Business: This unit is filled with advanced data protection tools, which make it a choice software among business owners. You will never have a problem sharing data among network users because the interface is designed with ease of use features. There is active directory support, user quotas, and remote access tools which help you manage your data in a no-hassle way. Plus, you will enjoy other cool features, such as device-to-device data replication, user replaceable hard drives, support for uninterruptible power supplies (UPS), and certification for most virtualization environments.
• Surveillance Station: The Lenovo NAS unit has easy to view, archive, protect, and share security video and audio files. It comes equipped with Mindtree SecureMind Surveillance Manager, which will act as a stand alone video monitoring system. It is so easy to set, record, and playback video and audio files that are captured. Become a spy, and access all files from a remote location so your cover is never blown.

Synology America DiskStation 2-Bay Diskless Network Attached Storage (DS214play)

Synology Disk Station DS214play contains a two-bay drive. You can finally optimize all your multimedia processing. The DS214play allows you to take your high-quality photo, music and video streaming to the next level. Best of all, none of your other information will ever be in danger while sharing your media with other users, friends or family. With this NAS unit, you can expect easy data backup, sharing among device synchronization, home entertainment, and remote access anytime and anywhere.

Quick Overview

• Personal Multimedia Bank: With DS214play it is so easy to manage multimedia contents and share it with others across Windows, Mac®, and Linux® platforms. There are advanced Photo Station’s intuitive designs, which allows an array of organizational options for your photos. These options include customizing photo categories, smart albums and blog posts, and sharing on social media websites like Facebook, Twitter, Plurk and Picasa. All of this can be done with just a few quick clicks. There are also Audio Station features which come with a built-in lyrics plugin, internet radio, and support for DLNA, AirPlay, and Bluetooth speakers for optimal playback. Users also have the ability to watch movies or television shows from online. Record your favorite shows with a DVB-T/DVB-S stick, and watch them on your own time.
• Versatile Storage Server: This unit comes with an external storage, which provides two speeds, USB 3.0 and eSATA interfaces. Also includes a SD card and USB 2.0 portal located in front of the unit. There is a copy button which allows for easy duplication of data from your SD/USB device to DS214play. This unit is designed around safety and convenience. It contains the newly advanced tool-less hard drive tray, which gives users the ability to attach 3.5” hard drives without even using a screw. • Energy Efficient: The DS214play is designed to be eco-friendly. There is a large fan which circulates the airflow and keeps the unit cool 24/7. It has a built in noise-dampening function so you never have worry about noise coming from your NAS unit. It features a support for Wake on LAN/WAN, the ability to schedule multiple power on/off, and hard drive hibernation, which will help with power consumption. Synology designs their products with RoHS compliant part, and are filled with recyclable packing materials. They continuously strive to help make products that reduce effects on the environment.
• Energy Efficient: The DS214play is designed to be eco-friendly. There is a large fan which circulates the airflow and keeps the unit cool 24/7. It has a built in noise-dampening function so you never have worry about noise coming from your NAS unit. It features a support for Wake on LAN/WAN, the ability to schedule multiple power on/off, and hard drive hibernation, which will help with power consumption. Synology designs their products with RoHS compliant part, and are filled with recyclable packing materials. They continuously strive to help make products that reduce effects on the environment.

Synology Disk Station 2-Bay (Diskless) Network Attached Storage (NAS) DS214

Synology® DiskStation DS214 is a feature-rich 2-bay NAS server for workgroups and offices, specifically designed for users who need to share and protect data effectively, while increasing productivity with comprehensive office applications.

Quick Overview

• Windows+ Mac+ Linux Cross Platform File Sharing: Synology DS214 has advanced network protocol support, effortless data sharing for Windows, Mac, and Linux platforms. Windows AD and LDAP integration allow’s this NAS unit to adapt to any pre-existing network. Files can easily be accessed through the internet with the use of the encrypted FTP server web-based file explorer, Synology File Station. HTTPS, firewall, and IP auto-block support ensure that all data that is being shared over the internet is fully protected.
• Effective Backup Solution: The Synology DS214 contains a centralized backup location that will combine all the fragmented and unstructured data strung across a network. Included is a backup wizard, known as Synology Data Replicator, and for Mac OS X® users there is a native Apple Time Machine integration. Data from the Synology DS214 can be back-up to another Synology Disk Station, then to other rsync server, or to an external drive. Amazon S3 cloud and Glacier service are also supported.
• Energy Efficient: The DS214play is designed to be eco-friendly. There is a large 92X92 mm fan which circulates the airflow and keeps the unit cool 24/7. It has a built in noise-dampening function so you never have worry about noise coming from your NAS unit. It features a support for Wake on LAN/WAN, the ability to schedule multiple power on/off, and hard drive hibernation, which will help with power consumption. Synology designs their products with RoHS compliant part, and are filled with recyclable packing materials. They continuously strive to help make products that reduce effects on the environment.