Hypertec Firestorm
External disks are great, in that they let you add extra storage to a PC or server with minimal fuss and expense. Unfortunately, most use USB to connect to the host system, which limits the speed at which data can be transferred and hence the type of application for which they can be used. The latest Hypertec Firestorm drives, however, have eSata as well as USB interfaces, which makes them far more flexible.
As the name implies, eSata is an extension to the serial ATA (Sata) interface, used for internal storage on most modern desktop PCs and small-business servers. The e stands for external, an eSata interface enabling external disks to deliver the same level of performance as those inside a host system. You can even boot from an external disk connected via eSata, if you want. Hypertec Firestorm drives are available in a variety of capacities, starting with the 80GB model, up to a 500GB version. A dual-drive implementation is also available with a total capacity of either 1.5TB or 2TB, with optional Raid protection if needed.
All come housed in sleek alloy cases designed to dissipate heat without the need for a cooling fan, an approach that also makes them very quiet. A small stand allows the drive to be positioned where needed, while power is supplied via a separate AC adapter that plugs in at the back next to the USB and eSata connectors. Leads for both are provided and, as few PCs or servers have eSata interfaces as yet, you also get an adapter for use with internal Sata ports. This fits into a standard expansion bay, although there’s no card to plug in, just a backplate and a cable to attach to an internal Sata port.
On the inside each Firestorm drive comprises little more than a hard disk and a small interface module. The test unit 80GB, for example, had a single 7,200rpm Sata disk from Excelstor, a Chinese manufacturer recently acquired by Iomega, with similar drives in the other models.
Performance will depend on a number of factors, including the specification of both the disk inside the Firestorm and the PC or server to which it’s attached. To give you an idea of what to expect when attached the drive to a modest Intel Xeon-powered server running Windows Server 2008, first using USB then eSata. In each case, the disk was formatted as NTFS volume on the external disk, then ran a number of file copy tests from an internal Sata volume.
With the drive connected via USB, the disk can achieved an average transfer rate of just over 21Mbits/sec, whereas when using eSata the transfer rate more than doubled to 48Mbits/sec, illustrating just what an effect the choice of interface can have. To put that into perspective, a backup of a 160GB drive on this server might take just over two hours if copying to the Firestorm via USB, but only 56 minutes if connected using eSata.
Bear in mind that similar drives with eSata interfaces are available from other vendors. However, the Hypertec product also ships with a copy of Syncback, a freeware backup program, and Truecrypt, which can be used to encrypt data held on the disk. All of that adds up to a very usable and attractive small-business storage solution.