Iomega Offers 1TB of Network Storage for $300

Storage new-product news usually involves items that are bigger, faster and cheaper, as disk drives themselves become more capacious and cutthroat competition lowers pricing. 

However, EMC's Iomega, well-known for personal disk storage products such as the Zip and Jaz drives, is coming out with new products that are smaller—yet "bigger" in capacity—and cheaper.

Iomega on Oct. 15 introduced the StorCenter ix2, a 1TB-capacity network storage drive with a desktop footprint that the company describes as "smaller than a large dictionary." The price: $300.

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The StorCenter ix2 is the first co-produced storage drive Iomega has a launched since the company's acquisition by storage giant EMC last August.

"When we were acquired by EMC, we talked a lot about taking advantage of EMC's technologies to differentiate ourselves in the consumer and small-business space," Iomega division President Jonathan Huberman told me. "Here is the first substantial example of where that's happening."

The StorCenter ix2 comes in 1TB and 2TB ($479) versions and provides a centralized network storage repository that can be used in the home to share, secure and protect data and files—including databases, photos, MP3 files, videos and financial records.

"These are market-based prices," Huberman said. "It's ridiculous how cheap these things are, but it is what it is. A great value for the consumer."

The ix2 includes built-in support for Bluetooth, UPnP (Universal Plug and Play) and DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance) certified devices; it even sports an integrated iTunes server.

The ix2 includes security software from RSA, also owned by EMC.

"My perspective on this is that you're getting an enterprise-quality set of functionality at a price point and ease of use that a small business or consumer can afford," Huberman said.

StorCenter ix2 uses EMC's LifeLine software, a fully developed Linux operating environment and a suite of applications that can be used to add new storage management features in the future.

For more information, go here.