One of the latest NASes to hit the market is D-Link's DNS-323 2 Bay Network Storage Enclosure (323). The DNS-323 includes a number of features and turns in performance numbers that make it a strong candidate for any home network needing shared storage.

D-Link departed from its traditional case designs and came up with an attractively styled black case measuring 7 7/8"x 4" x 5" with silver accents. On the front panel, there's a large square power switch and three blue LED status indicators for network and drive activity.

Unlike some B.Y.O.D. (Bring Your Own Drive) NAS devices, the 323 is designed to accommodate SATA drives. Installation of the SATA drives is even simpler than installation of IDE drives in other devices because no tools are required and you don't have to connect any cables. To install the drives, you just slide the faceplate up and off, insert SATA drives into the two bays and gently push each drive to mate the drive and 323 connectors.

Figure 1: D-Link DNS-323 with faceplate removed

The rear panel (Figure 2) has a power connector, 10/100/1000 Mbps Ethernet port, and a single USB port for sharing a printer via the 323's built-in print server. There are also two levers to help you eject the drives, and a vent for the ultra-quiet temperature-controlled fan. D-Link joined the growing list of NAS providers who include a gigabit Ethernet port. As you'll see in the performance tests shortly, the 323 is fast enough to make good use of the gigabit port, even without jumbo frame support.

Figure 2: Rear panel

Join our discussion on this topic