Network storage

[timmillwood]

I have a Powermac G5 and an intel iMac, and a linksys ADSL router to feed the two computers their internet and share files between them.

I now want to connect some network storage upto the router so i can backup both computers onto this network storage.

Anyone know of any good systems i can hook upto my router?
I want to spend as little as possible ~£100

 

[FullmetalZ26]

The most cost-effective way to do this is simply pick up an older machine (a tower, preferably) and stock it up with storage space. If you don't already have an older G3 or PC in the closet, see if you can pick something cheap from a friend, relative or from craigslist. I've had an old Celeron/700 running BSD serving music and my DVD collection for the past year and a half, and it works great. BSD-based operating systems generally manage great uptimes, so they make awesome file servers. Mac OS X or even Windows 2000 or XP will work as well.

If you don't want to mess around with setting up your own fileserver, there's a decent handful of dedicated network-attached storage ("NAS") devices out there that you cram your own hard drive into and set up over the network, much like a router. I see you're outside the U.S., but just for an example here's a listing at CompUSA for such devices. These boxes are really easy to set up, but they usually only hold one hard drive (limiting upgradeability when you run out of space), and you're generally stuck with whatever file-sharing protocols they support. Most support "Windows networking" and FTP at the least, while better ones support NFS and perhaps even AppleTalk/IP.

 

[MacDonaldsd]

Never knew about NAS devices

Thats what I want shame I don't have the money