Hardware Review: SimpleTech's SimpleShare (HyperPics: Beyond the UI)

For over a month now I have been using a product called SimpleShare by SimpleTech, which is a NAS (Network Attached Server) device. SimpleShare is similar to the USB external devices, except it hooks up to your router or hub through an Ethernet port. For a small business of a couple people or even for the home network this device is great. I purchased and use the 160 GB model, but there are also models of 250GB and 400GB in size. Since it attaches as a device on your network, it allows you to map a drive letter on each one of the machines attached to your network. This makes it great for all in the office or home to access documents, music or other files from a single location. This also makes backing up files easy as well. No more having to use a USB thumb drive to move files around just to print.

Speaking of printing, the SimpleShare device has two USB ports on the back to allow you to configure a printer as a network device. This makes it easy to share a printer that can hook up to a USB port rather easy. I currently have my HP LaserJet 2200dn configured on the network so all my computers that are wired to wireless can print to it. This saves both time and money from needing to move files to other computers to print or have the need to purchase additional printers. The USB ports also allow you to connect other USB devices so they can be shared on the network, or attach a SimpleDrive which allows you to set up mirroring of the SimpleShare device and provide additional storage. The SimpleShare device was simple and easy to setup in a matter or minutes and not hours. There are many other NAS devices on the market and this was one of the most diverse products that I came across with letting you manage it from a web browser and any computer on the network.

To learn more about the SimpleShare device, visit SimpleTech on the Internet at http://www.simpletech.com.

Sincerely,
Lee