Datto's newest addition to its Network Attached Storage devices portfolio takes another approach at storing data. The 500GB Datto NAS backup is especially tailored to suit the needs of small businesses, and promises to add another layer of security to the backed-up data.

Datto's backup box might look like an average NAS drive, but it operates differently. While the vast majority of the NAS backup drives store critical backup data on-site, the Datto NAS backup server mirrors the data to an off-site storage server, located in a remote Datto data center.

The Datto Backup Appliance offers companies a simple and comprehensive storage solution, that delivers both on-site backup for immediate access, along with an off-site clone of the local data, in order to preserve the valuable information even if the NAS server fails or gets destroyed in a natural disaster, such as flood or fire.

The device comes in two flavors, that only differ in the storage capacity. The 100 GB version sells for $399, while the 500 GB unit comes with a price tag of $599. In order to take advantage of the remote backup capabilities, users have to subscribe to one of Datto's storage plans, that would account for an annual service fee of $99 (100GB) or $249 (500GB).

Both backup appliances are compatible with a wide range of operating systems, including Windows, Linux and Apple's MacOS X. According to the company, the device integrates industry standard SAMBA networking for the Windows networks, while the MAC or Linux computers can interface with the backup appliance using either SAMBA or NFS.

Remote backup operations are secured using AES + SSL key based encryption, touted by the company as "more robust than what your bank uses for online banking". More than that, should the local Datto server get stolen, the device can be remotely commanded to permanently destroy the local data, then send tracking signals to help authorities locate the thief.

If the unit gets destroyed or malfunctions, Datto delivers the full backup to the customer in under 24 hours, thus sparing the IT department the hassle of recovering data.