14 DAY TRIAL // As we've said time and time again, the importance of backing up one's data is crucial nowadays, especially if we're talking about very sensitive information, and for this reason, Japanese company I-O Data has just revealed a new external USB enclosure that supports not one, but two HDDs, in order to enable the creation of a RAID array. The device in question offers plenty of storage space, namely either 2TB or 4TB (the HDC2-U2.0S and the HDC2-U4.0S models, respectively), and connects to a computer via an USB 2.0 interface, which is not exactly fantastic, given the fact that USB 3.0 solutions are already available on the market and provided much faster data transfer rates.
Anyway, back to the device at hand, we'll have to point out that it can be configured either in RAID 0 or 1, depending on whether users require more storage space or an extra level of security for their data (RAID 0 enables users to access all of the available storage space, while RAID 1 only lets them access half, the other half being occupied by an exact mirror of the data stored on the first half).
The device works with most operating systems around, including Windows 7 (32 and 64 bit), Windows Vista (32 and 64 bit), Windows XP and Mac OS X 10.5 ~ 10.6, and despite connecting to a computer via an USB interface, it also requires an external AC adapter in order to work properly.
Plus, although not exactly ultra-portable, this storage solution isn't that difficult to place around one's computer, either, given the fact that it measures 82.2 x 111.2 x 181.6 and weighs around 2.1 kilos.
Pricing for the new storage solutions from I-O Data is not exactly that high, either, the 2TB version selling for 21,000 Japanese Yen ($256) while the 4TB model reaches 31,700 Japanese Yen ($386).