TS-509 Pro

A speedy NAS device that can store up to 7.5TB of data.

PC World Australia (online)

  • Review
  • Specs
  • Images
  • User Reviews
  • Buy Online

With a potential capacity of 7.5 terabytes, comprehensive connectivity and enough sharing and networking functionality to suit almost any need, QNAP’s latest network storage offering is an excellent choice.

Pros

  • eSATA and Dual Gigabit ports, fast transfer speeds, comprehensive remote administration features, RAID 5 and 6 configurations, compatible with 1.5TB hard drives

Cons

  • LCD could be more functional, learning curve for Web interface

Bottom Line

The TS-509 Pro is a comprehensive and functional network-attached storage device that gives users plenty of reasons to centralise their data. With handy administration features and the ability to expand storage on the fly, there’s little reason not to like this unit.

Would you buy this?

  • Price

    $ 1,099.00 (AUD)

Special Offers

Billed as a high-end storage device for small businesses and corporate environments, the TS-509 Pro network-attached storage (NAS) device looks more functional and rugged than its smaller brother, the TS-409 Pro. Rather than a single perforated grille, the device’s five drive bays are visible. Each of them is lockable for extra security. The integrated display is useful for displaying basic configuration and operating information.

The device offers two separate Gigabit Ethernet ports for dual shared networking, as well as an eSATA porta for expanded storage and five USB ports for backup and USB-based UPS devices.

Possibly the biggest improvement compared to the TS-409 Pro is the ability to hot swap hard drives. We often found problems attempting to hot swap drives while the TS-409 Pro was on, but the TS-509 Pro easily recognised and adjusted once a new hard drive was inserted, using a beep to alert users when the drive is ready to use.

The majority of the device’s administrative features are accessible through its Web-based interface. It isn’t as attractive or straightforward as the Synology Disk Station DS408's, but it is certainly functional. Users can administer drive and RAID settings, with the ability to remotely expand RAID volumes under RAID 0/1/5/6 and JBOD configurations. After overcoming the slight learning curve, even novice users can easily administer user groups and other settings. There are also plenty of advanced features for the technologically adept to work with.

The integrated Download Station can download files using the HTTP, FTP and BitTorrent protocols, and unlike the TS-409 Pro you can also schedule downloads. The UPnP, Multimedia and iTunes servers are commendable inclusions.

The performance of the TS-509 Pro is particularly impressive. We transferred 28GB worth of data between a desktop PC with a Western Digital VelociRaptor (WD3000GLFS) and the TS-509 Pro with two Western Digital RE2 GreenPower (WD1000FYPS)s installed through a Gigabit switch, with surprising speeds. The unit managed a write speed of 31.6 megabytes per second. Read speeds were even faster at 33MBps, while the speed averaged 15.4MBps when copying files from one location on the NAS device to another.

Keep up with the latest tech news, reviews and previews by subscribing to the PC World newsletter.

Be the first to comment.

Post new comment

Users posting comments agree to the PC World comments policy.

Login or register to link comments to your user profile, or you may also post a comment without being logged in.

Most Popular

What's the difference between an Intel Core i3, i5 and i7?
Laser vs. inkjet printers: which is better?
Samsung’s 2013 Smart TVs: everything you need to know
How do I connect my TV to the Internet?
Five reasons to avoid the Samsung Galaxy S4

Best Deals on PCWorld

Networking, Wireless & VoIPView all »
NotebooksView all »
TabletsView all »
Mobile PhonesView all »
Printers & ScannersView all »