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Verbatim 500GB SOHO NAS (96436) Reviewed

02 September, 2009 00:05 CST6CDT

I purchased this SmartDisk by Verbatim NAS from newegg.com The reviews on this product page made me fear that my new SOHO (small office home office) NAS would serve no purpose other than a 500 GB IDE drive. I took the risk and the plunge anyway and I am very pleased with the experiences I have had since putting this device on my network.

I will start right off the bat by notifying you that you will need general Unix command line skills to maintain the file system and the stored data permissions. The packaging may make it appear as if it was a point and click network storage unit, though it turns out not to be – though because of some of these short falls, you are able to bring stable and secure network storage to your home or office.

Here are the specifications listen on the manufacturers product page:

500GB SOHO NAS Desktop Hard Drive

Share files between computers within your small office/home office (SOHO) network, using Verbatim’s network attached storage (NAS) drive. Easily set up a computer network using the provided auto-configuration protocols, such as DHCP or Apple Bonjour™ to centralize your music, photos, video, and data files. Verbatim’s NAS with Ethernet/USB connections, is ideal for backing up any PC or MAC on your network. By using a network drive, you can create multiple users and user groups. Network users can be assigned privileges and read/write access to data. To expand the reaches of your network, install a USB printer to your network of computers through the drives USB port for all to use.

  • Share files between computers
  • Centralize music, photos, video and data files
  • Includes support for the following protocols: Apple Bonjour, DHCP, Samba, And Print Server
  • Back up any Mac or PC on your network
  • Create private folders for individual users
  • Free up hard drive space for individual users
  • Connect to other USB devices
  • Add a USB printer to your network of computers

  • Rotational Speed - 7200 RPM
  • External Power - +5 VDC and +12 VDC input via external adapters
  • Interface - One USB 2.0 Port (B) for connection to host PC, One 10/100 Ethernet port (RJ45) for connection to network, One USB 1.1 host port (A) connection to printer or other device
  • Data Transfer Rate - USB 2.0 High Speed: 480 Mb/s (max), Ethernet: 100 Mb/s (max)
  • Disk Format - FAT32 (default), EXT2, EXT3
  • Dimensions - 5.0 in. X 8.4 in. X 2.0 in. (127 mm X 213 mm X 52 mm)
  • Weight - 2.6 lbs (1.2Kg)
  • Network Features
     Network Attached Storage (NAS) Application,Browser-based configuration tool, IEEE 802.3i, IEEE 802.3u, Apple Bonjour,  DHCP, SMB/CIFS, Samba, NFS, Print Server, NTP, UPnP, WINS

Verbatim 96436 500GB SOHO NAS Desktop Hard DriveAs soon as you open the box, throw away the ethernet cable that comes with the unit.  This cable is not only cheaply made; I and others on newegg.com have found that stability is a factor when not utilizing a solidly crimped ethernet cable and a appropriately capable network switch.

If you want to set extensive user, group, and quota permissions - even if not and these optional features are not needed, I suggest as the first order of business to format the file system in EXT3, rather than the default FAT32 existing file system.

Shared files can be accessed through Apple Bonjour, samba, CIFS, FTP, and NFS.  File access can be grouped by an optional user home directory, or by means of multiple users or groups to a specified share outside the scope of a single user.

The IP address is assigned initially by DHCP.  Along with the mentioned network services, the NAS drive can have a specified WINS server, update internal time with NTP, and properly configure your router through the means of UPnP.

Along with the network file sharing servers, their is an external USB 1.1 port for attaching a printer to be shared with the built in samba and LPR networking, or possibly a temporary storage device.  The NAS has a built in USB 2.0 interface for connecting the unit directly to your computer.

The default firmware of my particular product had a release canidate 3 version of ProFTP. After checking into this server release, I had found that the only major security issue that is widely known is a brute force user name identification.  You should be ok to open FTP up to a wider audience if you use appropriate user and group credentials (random credentials).

After formating the unit to EXT3, you will have three partitions available.  sdX1 is your Linux / Busybox filesystem, sdX2 is your storage partition, and sdX3 is a Linux swap partition.

SMB/CIFS & samba handle network transfers fairly well, averaging about 5 1/2 MB/s - of course this will vary, as mentioned above, with the quality of network switch and cabling.  FTP download comes near 5 1/2 MB, while upload is just a bit over 4.5 megabytes per second.  I have yet to test NFS, as the exports file providing the network drive path does not seam to comply with my clients UID/GID and permissions on yet another Unix host.  Their is very little documentation as to its NFS availability.  I should also add that NFS no_root_squash is not available by default, though the share can be set RW with probably the permissions UID number of the exported directory.

I also have yet to use the external USB 1.1 port, though my Samsung ML-1740 will soon find its way into that closet.  You are not likely to get more than 12 mbit/s with USB 1.1 therefore adding another network drive seems pointless unless you will use it for archival purposes.

So, you decide to delete a user or change user defaults - group permissions too perhaps?  Your filesystem will soon become a mess and a security vulnerability as a new user can easily take over the UID of the previously deleted client opening it to the old client's not deleted data, as for some reason the device will not remove any stale file system hierarchy what so ever.  This adds the need to connect your NAS to a computer that can mount an EXT3 file system, and the know how to delete files, directories, and change file system permissions.  I did not test this unit with FAT for any length of time.

There are many alternative firmware ports available on the Internet for this hardware.  Also worth mentioning is that alternative companies, other than Verbatim appear to be still adding features to this NAS unit - 500 GB  I will caution you and try to tempt you to not use an alternative resort unless it is absolutely needed, as this external hard drive may easily spin back up with a fried firmware post.  On a side note, their is a Debian and a newer Busybox port(s) available.  I have yet to try to install 3rd party add-ons, but this myself I would consider attempting as it would be easier to reverse.  A couple third party add-on examples are: SSH Server, Internet media stream ripper.  Telnet is installed by default, though you have to spawn the TCP wrapper with samba.  I do see a new firmware in a somewhat distant future for myself.

To end, take note: stable & FAST Ethernet switch, and good cables.  I can not stress enough what the differences these make.

edited: September 4th, 2009

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Main Entry:   spew   Pronunciation:   \ˈspyü\
Function: verb
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English spīwan; akin to Old High German spIwan to spit, Latin spuere, Greek ptyein   First Known Use: before 12th century

intransitive verb
  1. VOMIT
  2. to come forth in a flood or gush
  3. to ooze out as if under pressure : EXUDE
transitive verb
  1. VOMIT
  2. to send or cast forth with vigor or violence or in great quantity <a volcano spewing out ash> —often used with out —spew·er noun
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