Take your data on the road (or just down the hall)
John Christopher
Reviews / Storage Systems
MicroNet DataDock Systems Rating: Very Good (4 of 5 mice)
MegaDrive Enterpris Systems Rating: Acceptable/Very Good (3.5 of 5 mice)
REMOVABLE STORAGE typically suggests cartridge-based devices such as SyQuest, magneto-optical, and tape drives. But another type of removable storage is gaining steam: modules containing fixed-platter hard drives or cartridge drives that are easily removable from desktop docking bays.
MicroNet and MegaDrive, two longtime players in the Mac storage arena, each offer flexible removable-drive product lines. Both MicroNet's DataDock line and MegaDrive's Enterprise series offer hard-drive modules of various capacities, as well as DAT, magneto-optical, and Iomega Jaz drives. Both let you "hot-swap" modules without powering down the docking bay or your Mac. Also, both ship with software that lets you create a RAID Level 1 or 0 array across drives within a docking bay and insert the arrayed modules into the bay in any order without disrupting the array.
Meet the DataDock
MicroNet's DataDock systems offer three types of docking bays: The DataDock 350 and 525 hold two 3.5-inch or two 5.25-inch drives, respectively. An optional horseshoe-shaped adapter allows 3.5-inch drives to fit into the 525's docking bay. For occasional DataDock-module users, the single-bay DataDock Express is also available.
The DataDock bays are intelligently designed, made of durable metal, and come in Macintosh platinum or high-tech black. The drive modules have a rigid integrated handle wide enough to grasp comfortably and a recess that accommodates supplied job labels.
Keep an eye out for the DataDock 7000, a new seven-bay system capable of storing up to 1.5 terabytes of data. It promises to do everything from automatically dimming its digital display in low light to paging you if a drive fails or the system overheats.
DataDock drive configuration is via two software packages: Power Raven Utility is powerful but unwieldy RAID software. Selecting the disk volumes across which you want to stripe data requires lots of unnecessary scanning of SCSI buses and mounting and unmounting of volumes that feels unnecessary. Although you can use Raven Pro to format media as well as to set up arrays, the supplied MicroNet Utility is easier to use for formatting.
Enterprising Storage
The MegaDrive Enterprise series has a sleek, contoured shape and comes only in black. The E-8 model holds up to eight 3.5-inch modules or up to four 5.25-inch modules. Removable guide rails let you mix and match both drive types within the same bay.
Multiple LED indicators line the top panel of the E-8's tower case, and the unit ships with removable heavy-duty fans. The drive modules' SCSI IDs appear in a small illuminated display, and you can set IDs manually or have the system do it for you automatically.
The E-8's smaller counterpart -- the E-2 -- holds two 3.5-inch drive modules or one 5.25-inch module. MegaDrive's modules are made of high-impact, antistatic plastic, and their pullout handles recess when not in use. Enterprise-system media formatting and RAID configuration are accomplished with the Remus Light disk utility, an unglamorous but straightforward tool that's easy to use.
What's Best at What?
The DataDock and Enterprise systems can both accommodate many different types of storage devices, but the former boasts a few more options than the latter, offering SyQuest, CD-recordable, and CD-player modules.
One of the best features of the two systems being reviewed here is a locking mechanism built into the DataDock that prevents removal of drive modules until they are completely idle. This adds an extra measure of protection for the drive module and ultimately for the data itself.
The absence of a similar safety feature from MegaDrive's Enterprise systems is disturbing, especially with respect to hard-drive modules, which typically have motor speeds of 5,400 to 7,200 rpm. Removal from the docking bay of a drive running at that speed can easily result in serious platter damage.
Another important safety concern is general durability -- how much of a shock a removable module can tolerate. MegaDrive's marketing material touts the company's specially engineered shock-resistant drive modules -- it even encourages "knocking them around" but warns against dropping them. But we were curious about MegaDrive's special shock mounting, so we opened the outer shell of one of the modules to have a look. Aside from the shock mounting built into the enclosed Quantum hard-drive mechanism, we found no additional protection.
The Bottom Line
If you're looking for a stylish, cost-effective system, a MegaDrive Enterprise will fill the bill. Its removable guide rails save you the cost of adapters when adding 5.25-inch drive modules. However, the fact that you can pull a running Enterprise drive from its bay means that sooner or later, someone will.
MicroNet's engineering department definitely did its homework on the DataDock systems. The company's unique locking system offers outstanding data safety; its wealth of drive-module options ensures flexibility; and the Raven Pro software is easy to use.
Either of these systems will meet your needs for portability and expandability, but the choice comes down to style or safety. We'll take safety every time.
MicroNet DataDock 350 with 8-GB disk array, $5,265; DataDock 525 with 8-GB disk array, $5,304 (list). Company: MicroNet, Irvine, CA; 800-800-3475 or 714-453-6100; http://www.micronet.com/. Reader Service: Circle #424.
MegaDrive Enterprise E-2 with 8-GB disk array, $4,559; E-8 with two 4.2-GB hard drives, $6,549 (list). Company: MegaDrive, Beverly Hills, CA; 310-247-0006; http://www.megadrive.com/. Reader Service: Circle #425.
The MicroNet DataDock 525 (left) and the MegaDrive Enterprise E-8, with removable-drive modules.
