Hi Folks,
Today I’d like to highlight Buffalo Technology, a Windows Storage Server OEM I’ve had the pleasure of working with for several years. Last month, Buffalo launched its TeraStation 5000 WSS NAS appliance series based on Windows Storage Server 2012. I’ve been waiting for a long time for Buffalo to bring a box like this to my local computer store and I know a lot of people that want a rock solid Windows NAS that is inexpensive and powerful.
These are some great looking little cubes with a ton of features inside:
The new model line includes 2-, 4-, and 6-disk desktop units and a 4-disk 1U rack-mount unit, with total capacities of up to 24TB. The following table shows the different models.
![clip_image002[1]](http://blogs.technet.com/cfs-file.ashx/__key/communityserver-blogs-components-weblogfiles/00-00-00-63-57-metablogapi/8611.clip_5F00_image0021_5F00_thumb_5F00_0BEC56FE.jpg "clip_image002[1]")
PRICING AND AVAILABILITY
One thing I really like about the TeraStation 5000 WSS model line is that it includes something for almost any small- or medium-sized business. I grabbed the following (in italics) from the company’s new press release.
Featuring Windows Storage Server 2012 Workgroup Edition, and the 1.86 GHz Intel Atom Processor D2550, the TeraStation 5200 WSS and TeraStation 5400 WSS are available in a variety of capacities and drive configurations:
- The two-drive TeraStation 5200 WSS is available now at an estimated street price of $949.99 for the 4 TB (WS5200D0402) and $1,299.99 for the 8 TB (WS5200D0802).
- The four-drive TeraStation 5400 WSS is available now at an estimated street price of $1,299.99 for the 4 TB (WS5400D0404), $1,599.99 for the 8 TB (WS5400D0804) and $1,899.99 for the 12 TB (WS5400D1204).
Featuring Windows Storage Server 2012 Standard Edition and the 2.13 GHz Intel Atom Processor D2700, the TeraStation 5400r Rackmount WSS and TeraStation 5600 WSS are available in a variety of capacities and drive configurations:
- The four-drive 1U TeraStation 5400r Rackmount WSS is available now at an estimated street price of $2,799.99 for the 8 TB (WS5400R0804) and $3,799.99 for the 16 TB (WS5400R1604).
- The six-drive TeraStation 5600 WSS is available now at an estimated street price of $2,599.99 for the 12 TB (WS5600D1206) and $3,999.99 for the 24 TB (WS5600D2406).
With nine different SKUs, Buffalo makes it easy to choose the one that’s right for you. If you’re interested in one of these new appliances, you may want to first decide whether you need the Workgroup or Standard edition of Windows Storage Server 2012. Here’s a quick summary of some key differences:
Feature | Workgroup Edition | Standard Edition |
Max. # of users | 50 | Unlimited |
Client Access Licenses (CALs) required? | No | No |
SMB and NFS file protocols | Yes | Yes |
iSCSI Software Target included | Yes | Yes |
BitLocker Drive Encryption | Yes | Yes |
Data Deduplication | No | Yes |
Hyper-V / Number of VMs supported | No | Yes (2 VMs) |
BranchCache – Hosted Cache | No | Yes |
Clustering | No | Yes |
DHCP, DNS, and WINS | No | Yes |
Active Directory (Domain Controller, Certificate Services, Federation Services, Rights Management) | No | No |
Application Server, Network Policy, Remote Desktop Broker, WDS and Fax Server | No | No |
TeraStation 5000 WSS models are backed by a limited three-year warranty, with toll-free U.S.-based technical support available 24/7. Buffalo is also including 10 licenses for NovaBACKUP Business Essentials v14 and a single (one-camera) license for Buffalo Surveillance Video Manager. Additional camera licenses can be purchased separately.
Congratulations to the Buffalo team! I can’t wait to head down to my local FRY’s Electronics store and see a Windows NAS from Buffalo. I’ve been waiting for 10 years! :)
Cheers,
Scott Johnson
Program Manager
Windows Storage Server