Ximeta Netdisk Mini

Although the Ximeta Netdisk Mini is by far the largest and heaviest portable drive here, it comes complete with both USB and Ethernet connectivity. As its name suggests, the latter makes it particularly good for use with networks.

The Netdisk uses Ximeta's patented Network Direct Attached Storage (NDAS), which enables it to be connected directly into an Ethernet-based network. It transparently allows users to access the drive using the installed software on each PC without any IP addresses or networking knowledge. The software also allows asynchronous mirroring for data protection, and it's possible to set up two Netdisks to be recognised as one large drive. The only thing you should be wary of is a lack of support for hubs, so you'll need to connect the drive to your network via a switch.

With a 5,400rpm spin speed and large 8MB buffer, the internal Samsung-branded hard drive put in an excellent performance in our speed tests. However, at 258g, it's the least portable, and requires two USB ports to draw enough current unless you use the supplied power adapter. You'll also need the latter if you plan to connect the drive via Ethernet. Considering its versatility, the Netdisk is well priced and costs £4 per gigabyte. However, its unique technology may only be attractive to a niche group of users.

Contact: Ximeta 0800 692 9292
www.ximeta.com

Specifications:

• Capacity: 40Gb
• Spin speed (rpm): 5,400
• Buffer size (MB): 8
• USB 2
• Ethernet 10/100 Base TX
• Size (mm) w x d x h: 80 x 140 x 24
• Weight (g): 258
• backup software
• additional software
• Warranty (years): 2