Promise Technology SmartStor NS4600

One of the most useful features of a home media server is the ability to share music and playlists with people on your network. iTunes displays the server as a shared device, and you can access and play the songs on the server, as long as the songs are free of digital rights management (DRM). While all songs on iTunes are currently DRM free, that wasn't always the case. If you're a longtime iTunes shopper, you may have amassed plenty of copy-protected iTunes songs, and only the account used to purchase those songs can play them. Thankfully, the SmartStor NS4600 has the ability to play media with DRM restrictions and video through iTunes, as long as you are the registered owner of the media. Promise's Web-based software can be configured to only allow certain users to access the music-ideal for families who want to keep their mature-rated music content away from their children.

In addition to providing Time Machine support, the SmartStor NS4600 also boasts Snapshot Backup, a feature of Promise's software that enables users to take a quick real-time image of the storage volume. Users can then restore the specific point-in-time data, which is great for consumers with sensitive documents they can't afford to lose.

Currently, Promise does not offer remote access but does offer a print server. Users who want to share a printer over the network can utilize the SmartStor as a central hub.

The SmartStor NS4600 also supports BitTorrent downloads. The computer must still load the file, but only the SmartStor NS4600 itself is needed for downloading it. You can download BitTorrent files via the Download Station tab of the SmartNavi software. The SmartStor NS4600 supports a wealth of BitTorrent protocols and can handle all kinds of file sizes.

For users with high-capacity storage needs (like audio/visual experts), the SmartStor NS4600 is a compelling option. With its four-drive-bay design, the SmartStor NS4600 is the most easily upgradable. In addition, the Promise has an eSATA port and two USB ports that allow you to add more hard drives.