External storage requirements have been growing exponentially over the last years. This is partly the result of users' increased amounts of data as well as people backing up their data on a regular basis. As a regular computer case can only host a limited number of hard-drives (usually between three and 5), so you would have to shift your attention towards the external storage offerings.

Network-attached storage is a popular solution of adding extra storage space to your computer. Moreover, as the number of computers in a household is continuously increasing, the network attached storage solutions are the right pick.

Netgear has come with another product to take care of the network data: the ReadyNAS NV+, an improved version of Infrant's Network Attached Storage device. The ReadyNAS NV+ is a high-end 4-disk NAS device that comes with a whole bunch of interesting features. However, it is addressed more to the enterprises and to professionals rather than to home use, so expect a pretty consistent price.

For small offices and home use, Netgear has prepared the ReadyNAS Duo, 2-disk network-attached storage device. It lacks some of the enterprise-oriented features, and it can only carry two disks instead of four, but the home user won't be too much affected. The two-disk setup is compatible with the ReadyNAS’ X-RAID storage technology.

The box can provide up to two Terabytes of space (2 x 1 TB drives), an iTunes server, and web-based access. The disks support multiple file systems and can work with both Linux and Windows operating systems. Surprisingly, the Duo version will feature improved serving capabilities as compared to the business versions.

Netgear refused to give an estimative price for the ReadyNAS Duo unit. However, the storage will come in multiple disk configurations, ranging from 500GB to 2 x 1 TB. It is alleged that the device will hit the market with a price tag of $499.