Synology Inc. today unveiled the new DiskStation DS213+, a high performance 2-bay NAS server designed as a secure, energy efficient, and full-featured storage solution for small and medium businesses.

"As the first 2013 model, the new DiskStation DS213+ shows that Synology has outdone itself once again. It delivers the fastest encrypted data transfer rate in the product sector, and yet it offers extreme power-savings at merely 2.64 watts of energy consumption during System Hibernation," said Chad Chiang, product manager at Synology Inc. To ensure secure and efficient file sharing, the DS213+ boasts AES 256-bit encrypted read and write speed at 49.6 MB/sec and 24.7 MB/sec respectively.

External enclosures are a great way to have high capacity data storage on the go. Data can also be a critical factor for media, backup, or music professionals. Some of the top tier hard drive companies have made their own all in one enclosure with hard drive included. However, one of the known major causes of hard drive failure is due to excessive heat buildup caused by a lack of a proper cooling system. Also, a majority of hard drive manufactures only allow a 1 year warranty on their all in one external hard drives.

This can be fatal for someone who has just lost their data and has to spend a significant amount of money in order to recover their data. There are other external enclosures in the market that provide a cooling system to help prevent this, but the physical placement of the cooling system does not always allow for the optimal airflow to cool the hard drive. Going above and beyond, the MB080USEB-1SB Blizzard is the next generation of external enclosures dedicated for maximum performance in cooling.

For those still stuck with eSATA enclosures, with lack of eSATA, free internal SATA ports on new generation motherboards, Chinese company ORICO, which specializes in consumer storage and accessories unveiled the CT6539U3E. It plugs into USB 3.0 (backwards-compatible with USB 2.0) ports, and gives out an eSATA port. The eSATA port runs at a maximum host data-rate of 3 Gb/s. The adapter draws power from the USB port it's plugged into. The USB 3.0 to SATA host controller supports activity LEDs, and should support AHCI, for hot-plugging capabilities to work normally. It is priced at 100 RMB (US $15).

The new Thecus N4510U powered by Intel Atom with 2GB DDR3 RAM is a versatile 1U unit that offers enhanced performance, 4-bays for multiple RAID function, and link aggregation for easy expansion. It's perfect for the user who seeks a smaller NAS unit but requires the ability to integrate into a rack system.

The embedded Intel Atom CPU provides over-the-top performance to power on hungry NAS demands. In fact, utilizing a 64-bit driver allows the N4510U NAS to perform at its best. With HDMI output, USB 3.0 and hot-swap ability, the N4510U NAS packs powerful and dynamic features despite its 1U size. Attaching a TV tuner to the N4510U allows the ability to watch TV via your Thecus NAS. The flexibility of Thecus NAS elevates the user experience. In fact, not only watch TV but also record what you are watching directly to you NAS for instant media playback.

MSI is working on a new socket LGA1155 motherboard based on the Intel Z77 Express chipset, and some of its first pictures were leaked to the web. The Z77IA-E53 from MSI is designed not only to provide a feature-rich board in its tiny footprint, but also one that's fit for CPU overclocking. The LGA1155 socket is powered by a 7-phase VRM that uses DrMOS and tantalum capacitors. The board draws power from 24-pin ATX and 8-pin EPS power connectors. The processor is wired to two DDR3 DIMM slots, supporting up to 16 GB of dual-channel DDR3 memory, and a PCI-Express 3.0 x16 slot.

To make the most out of the limited board area, MSI stuck to the feature-set of the Z77 PCH. Storage connectivity includes two SATA 6 Gb/s, two SATA 3 Gb/s, an eSATA 3 Gb/s, and an mSATA 3 Gb/s. The mSATA slot shares its board space with an mPCIe 5 GT/s slot, which is stacked on top of it. The board provides four USB 3.0 ports, two on the rear panel, two via headers, all of which are driven by the Z77 PCH. Display outputs include D-Sub and HDMI. Other connectivity includes 6-channel HD audio (Realtek ALC892), gigabit Ethernet, and Bluetooth. The board is driven by UEFI BIOS with ClickBIOS II setup program. More details are awaited.

The new ThecusOS 5.0 has been released! This means that users will be able access more innovative functions with their Thecus NAS. Dedicated Thecus users know that Thecus NAS utilizes the best and most up-to-date hardware. The new ThecusOS 5.0 is the key piece that will unlock the most efficient and advanced NAS on the market. Ultimately, Thecus is a well-known innovator in the storage industry and ThecusOS 5.0 sets higher limits.

Infortrend today announced the North American availability of two new product lines in its EonNAS family of unified storage solutions, the EonNAS Pro and EonNAS 1000 Series. Although NAS is fast becoming the storage solution of choice for the SOHO and SMB markets, when it comes to data protection, current offerings from other brands come up short. Infortrend's new EonNAS Pro and EonNAS 1000 Series, running on ZFS file system fill this void by offering an unprecedented collection of advanced data protection features -- including data deduplication, corrupt data self-healing, snapshot and pool mirror -- bringing enterprise-level data protection and storage features to the SOHO and SMB markets.

Sharkoon is expanding its assortment of external RAID hard drive enclosures: The Sharkoon 5-Bay RAID Station and the Sharkoon 8-Bay RAID Station contain both 2.5 and also 3.5 inch SATA hard drives. With its fast RAID controller, simple handling and high-quality finish, they together form a perfect base as a fail-safe backup system for private media collections or SOHO environments.

Both cases are presented in a classy medal design from black SECC steel. Concealed behind the plastic front door with a mesh insert is the mounting frame for hard drives in both 2.5 and 3.5 inch formats. The frames with screwed in place storage mediums can simply be slide in place and locked by a lever. To cool the hard drives, a 120 mm silent fan is pre-installed in the rear panel.

Why is July 11th 2012 a big day for Western Digital and the storage industry? The reason is exciting; the data storage expert is to launch, on that day, their new line of product, the Red drives. Bringing to the market a drive made especially for NAS devices, WD Red drives combine with a Thecus NAS will show the storage world what digital data is all about.

WD Red hard drives are designed specifically for NAS systems that range from 1 to 5 bays. The drives are designed and extensively tested for compatibility in the unique 24x7 demanding system requirements of home and small office NAS. Already tested by Thecus engineers, the Red series have passed the test with many of our devices. As announced at the launch, the NAS listed below were showing great performances with the Red HDD mounted inside:

External enclosures are a great way to have high capacity data storage on the go. Data can also be a critical factor for users in the media business or who work with data centers. Some of the top tier hard drive companies have made their own all in one enclosure with hard drive included. However, one of the known major causes of hard drive failure is due to excessive heat buildup caused by a lack of a proper cooling system.

Also, a majority of hard drive manufactures only allow a 1 year warranty on their all in one external hard drives. This can be fatal for someone who has just lost their data and has to spend a significant amount of money in order to recover their data. There are other external enclosures in the market that provide a cooling system to help prevent this, but the physical placement of the cooling system does not always allow for the optimal airflow to cool the hard drive. Going above and beyond, the MB080U3S-1SB Blizzard is the next generation of external enclosures dedicated for maximum performance in cooling.

Biostar is ready with a trio of socket FM2 motherboards, based on AMD's new A85 FCH chipset, the higher-end Hi-Fi A85X, mid-range Hi-Fi A85W, and value Hi-Fi A85S. Biostar implemented some of its latest innovations on the two. To begin with, the thee feature Hi-Fi amplifiers for the analog channels of the onboard audio. Another innovative feature with the two is a bank of capacitors that make the board electrostatic discharge proof up to 15,000V. Find the furriest carpet to assemble your rig on.

The audio solution combines a high SNR CODEC (probably ALC898) with an OPAMP circuitry that uses sound card grade electrolytic capacitors. The entire audio portion of the motherboard, including the rear panel jack cluster and front-panel headers, have a ground PCB layer of their own, that is isolated from the ground layer of the rest of the board. This ensures there's no ground layer interference from other high-current components on the board, a problem common with onboard audio solutions.

Foxconn's channel brand is ready with a socket FM2 motherboard of its own, the A85AP. The motherboard is based on the new AMD A85 FCH, and supports next-generation AMD "Trinity" APUs in the FM2 package. The motherboard doesn't add much to the feature-set of the A85 FCH. The APU is powered by a 5-phase VRM. It is wired to four DDR3 DIMM slots, supporting up to 32 GB of dual-channel DDR3-1866 MHz memory, and one PCI-Express 2.0 x16 slot. Other expansion slots include a PCI-Express 2.0 x16 (electrical x4, wired to the FCH), an mPCIe, and two each of PCI-Express 2.0 x1 and legacy PCI.

The AMD A85 FCH gives out eight SATA 6 Gb/s ports, six of which are assigned as internal ports on the A85AP, and two are given out as eSATA. The board also features six USB 3.0 ports, four of which are given out through the rear panel, and two via headers. Display outputs include DVI and D-Sub. 8-channel HD audio and gigabit Ethernet make for the rest of the connectivity. Foxconn A85AP could feature in the first-wave of socket FM2 motherboards to be launched.

Sapphire's newest motherboard is the Pure Platinum A75 (model: PT-ABA75). Although based on the previous-generation AMD A75 FCH, the board supports AMD A-Series "Trinity" APUs in the FM2 package. The board is a bundle of simplicities. The APU is powered by a 5-phase VRM. It is wired to four DDR3 DIMM slots supporting dual-channel DDR3-1866 MHz memory; and a single PCI-Express 2.0 x16 slot, without any lane switches en route. Two each of PCI-Express 2.0 x1, legacy PCI, and a PCI-Express 2.0 x4 make up the rest of the expansion slot area.

The AMD A75 FCH gives out six SATA 6 Gb/s ports, five of which are assigned as internal ports, and one mSATA. Display outputs include DVI and HDMI. 8-channel HD audio, gigabit Ethernet, Bluetooth, and two USB 3.0 ports make up the rest of the connectivity. The Pure Platinum A75 will be part of the first wave of FM2 motherboards.

Belkin today announced new upgrades to its upcoming Thunderbolt Express Dock, as well as a new Thunderbolt cable for both Mac and PC users. Belkin's new Thunderbolt offerings will be on display at the Intel Exhibition Showcase, Booth M410, at Computex, June 5-9, 2012.

The Thunderbolt Express Dock is a first-of-its-kind docking solution for both PC and Mac users that enables instant access to up to nine desktop peripherals with one cable, and provides an easy transition from a desktop workstation to a mobile device. Upgrades to the latest version of the dock include the addition of three USB 3.0 ports, instead of USB 2.0 ports, as well as an eSATA port.

Among GIGABYTE's new motherboard extravaganza, are some of its first socket FM2 motherboards, which based on the new AMD A85 FCH chipset (higher price-points) and previous-generation A55 FCH (lower price-points) and support next-generation "Trinity" APUs. Among these are the high-end F2A85X-UP4 with Ultra Durable 5 construction, mainstream F2A55-DS3, and entry-level F2A55M-DS2 Ultra Durable 1 motherboards.

The F2A85X-UP4 is loaded with top-tier VRM components, including high-current ferrite core chokes, IR3550 PowIRstage driver-MOSFETs, which make up an 8-phase CPU VRM. The FM2 socket is wired to four DDR3 memory slots, with support for dual-channel DDR3-2400 MHz by overclocking; and two PCI-Express 2.0 x16 slots (x8/x8, when both are populated). Other expansion slots include three PCI-Express 2.0 x1, a PCI-Express 2.0 x16 (electrical x4), and a legacy PCI, all of which are wired to the A85 FCH.

External enclosures provide a great avenue for many professional & enterprise users in the media field looking for an easy way to store, backup data or transport hard drives. The ability to have slim, removable and heat dissipation are all critical features that truly protect, transport and store your data. With that said, Icy Dock is proud to introduce the MB559U3S-1S, 3.5" SATA III USB 3.0 slim aluminum external hard drive enclosure.

The MB559U3S-1S uses an ultra slim fan-less design, to give the best portability in any professional environment. The height of the enclosure reaches just a bit higher than the standard 3.5" hard drive height under 2 inches, making it easy to place anywhere from your suitcase to your office drawer. The hard drive removability compliments the portability of the MB559U3S-1S by utilizing a simple and easy tray system to swap and transport your hard drive to different locations.

Logitec Japan introduced a new external hard drive (model: LHD-EG40THEU3F), which provides 4 TB of storage. Beneath its enclosure is a 7,200 RPM drive, and to take advantage of its speed, are two high-bandwidth interface options, USB 3.0 and eSATA. Measuring 120 x 199 x 35 mm (WxDxH), and weighing 1.1 kg, the drive packs a 40 mm fan to cool the unit, which gets activated only if the interior temperature crosses a threshold. It relies on an external AC adapter for power. The drive includes support for a variety of TVs that take in USB mass-storage devices. It is priced at 39,800 JPY (US $500).

Keeping your data safe is important. That's why Thecus is manufacturing state-of-the-art devices that make managing your data storage look like a piece of cake! But what do you do when you reach the limit of storage of your hard drives? You could of course by bigger disks, a NAS with more bays or add some external hard drives connected through USB 3.0 or eSATA ports. The cost can add up pretty quick and not everyone can afford all this material.

A more economical and simpler approach to free up some space on your NAS is to transfer your data onto something permanent that can be stored away. Those photos and videos that you haven't watched in years, those projects in 2002 that are no more needed for reference, things you don't want to get rid of because you know the minute you do, Murphy's Law will kick in and you'll need them again.

Seeing as how some of the newest socket LGA1155 processors, such as the Core i7-3770K, competes with Sandy Bridge-E HEDT platform, and how today's GPUs are beginning to benefit from PCI-Express 3.0 in x8 and x4 configurations, ASRock decided to go beyond its Z77 Fatal1ty Professional, and launched a new Extreme series model, with a focus on features and connectivity. The Z77 Extreme9 from ASRock crams has every square inch of its standard ATX size PCB with features.

To begin with, the Z77 Extreme9 uses a fairly strong 8+4 phase VRM, which is similar to that of the Z77 Extreme6. The CPU VRM MOSFETs are cooled by a fairly big heatsink, which shares its head with a neighbouring heatsink, which cools a PLX PEX8747 PCI-Express 3.0 bridge chip, which takes in the lone PCI-Express 3.0 x16 link from the processor, and drives four of the board's six PCI-Express 3.0 x16 long slots, enabling 3-way and 4-way SLI/CrossFireX capability. The other slots are electrical PCI-Express 2.0, and wired to the Z77 PCH.

ORICO has taken the HDD dock to another level by releasing a model that not only supports up to four drives but also includes two speedy connectivity options - USB 3.0 (5.0 Gbps) and eSATA (3.0 Gbps). This quad-bay dock measures 142 x 217 x 80 mm, it weights 964 grams, has hot swap capabilities, and offers support for 2.5-inch and 3.5-inch SATA drives with capacities of up to 3 TB.

ORICO's Quadruple SATA HDD Dock is available here for $119.

Acer America today announced a new commercial offering, the Acer AC100 micro-server. It delivers the latest server-class features and utilities in a compact form factor to suit the needs of small and medium businesses.

Featuring an easy to configure micro-tower enabling quick upgrades, the new Acer AC100 not only reduces the time and costs associated with maintenance, but also provides excellent expandability in its class. In addition to Energy Star certification, it boasts a high-efficiency 200W 80 PLUS power supply, which makes the AC100 more than 80 percent energy efficient at 20, 50 and 100 percent rated loads, reducing electricity use and bills.

Barebones mini PCs expert Shuttle Computer launched its first barebones featuring Intel Z77 Express chipset, ready for 3rd generation "Ivy Bridge" Core processors in the LGA1155 package, while retaining support for every LGA1155 "Sandy Bridge" processor launched till date. Shuttle also launched an Intel X79-based mini PC barebone, which supports Core i7 "Sandy Bridge-E" processors.

Called the SZ77R5, the Z77 barebone features four DDR3 DIMM slots supporting 32 GB of dual-channel DDR3-1600 MHz memory, expansion slots that include one PCI-Express 3.0 x16, one PCI-Express 2.0 x4 and one mPCIe; two SATA 6 Gb/s, two SATA 3 Gb/s ports, one eSATA 3 Gb/s, and one mSATA; four USB 3.0 ports, gigabit Ethernet, and 8-channel HD audio. Its chassis features two 5.25" and one 3.5" drive bays, front-panel that includes two of the four USB 3.0 ports, a USB 2.0 port with "fast charging" (high current), and front-panel HD audio. To power the machine, a 500W 80 Plus-compliant PSU is included. The SZ77R5 measures 332 x 216 x 198 mm (WxDxH). It will be priced around 32,800 JPY (US $404).

ASRock is readying its second Fatal1ty-branded socket LGA2011 motherboard, the X79 Fatal1ty Champion. The company's first LGA2011 Fatal1ty motherboard is the X79 Fatal1ty Professional, which was launched in February. The new X79 Fatal1ty Champion will be launched on April 27. Those familiar with Creative Sound Blaster Fatal1ty line of sound cards will note Fatal1ty Champion as being a more feature-rich version of Fatal1ty Professional. In this case, the X79 Fatal1ty Champion is based on a completely new PCB, with the design idea of more expansion, and the latest Creative Sound Core3D audio solution.

The X79 Fatal1ty Champion features eight DDR3 DIMM slots (X79 Fatal1ty Professional has four), and a PCIe-only expansion slot layout. The LGA2011 socket is powered by a 12-phase DigiPower VRM, similar to the one on the Professional. The VRM heatsink is assisted by two other secondary heatsinks, to which heat is conveyed by a heat-pipe. One of these is connected to the PCH heatsink. Power is drawn by 24-pin ATX, 8-pin EPS, and one 4-pin Molex (angled, optional). The board features consolidated voltage measurement points, which are socketed to hold your multimeter's leads in place. The board will be augmented by a feature-rich UEFI BIOS setup program, and ASRock-exclusive features such as XFastLAN, XFastUSB, and XFastRAM will be included.

Century also rolled out a 2-bay RAID box for those of you out of drive-bays (model: CRTS35EU3R). This glossy-white enclosure measuring 80 x 189 x 144 mm (WxDxH) packs two 3.5" SATA drive bays with caddies. It can run installed hard drives as independent mass storage volumes, in RAID 0 mode (high-performance), and RAID 1 (redundancy). The enclosure connects to a host over eSATA and USB 3.0. It uses 40 mm fans to ventilate the unit, keeping the drives and its RAID logic cool. The enclosure also comes with power-saving features that can spin down the drives when there's no access for a while (both drives spin down, if they're configured in RAID). The CRTS35EU3R goes for 9,980 JPY (US $123).

Korean fanless PC company NoFAN announced two new cases, the micro-ATX CS-70, and the ATX (mid-tower) CS-80. The cases ensure they stay fanless after installation, by including fanless PSUs and CPU coolers. The cooler included is the CR-100C, which is guaranteed to fit in these cases. Both cases include a P-400A fanless PSU with 400W capacity. Measuring 235 x 487 x 284 mm (WxDxH), the CS-70 has three 3.5" drive bays, and one each of exposed 5.25", and 2.5" bays. It includes USB 3.0 front-panel ports (standard header), apart from audio ports.

The CS-80, on the other hand, bears more conventional looks, measuring 200 x 490 x 470 mm. It has a 100% tool-free design, with three exposed 5.25" drive bays, apart from six 3.5" bays. Its front-panel includes an eSATA port apart from USB 3.0 and audio. Although both cases have provisions for fans, they obviously don't include any. Pricing and availability information is awaited.