Netgear SC101
Encyclopedia
The SC101 is a home networked storage product manufactured and distributed by Netgear
using networking storage technology (ZSAN) licensed from Zetera Corporation . The device is capable of sharing data stored on 1 or 2 internal disks (either IDE PATA or SATA depending on model) via Ethernet
links. The SC101 has been poorly received by the public in general due to poor advertising and misinformation by retail outlets selling the device as a NAS
. The inherent file system in the device is quite fragile when used as a full-function file server, limiting the device's effective uses. It has also been known to suffer from overheating issues. Its successor, the SC101T, solves many of the problems brought up by its critics and incorporates gigabit support, but still utilizes the same ZSAN format for its disks and all of the drawbacks that entails.
The SC101 comes in two models:
(SAN) device, as opposed to a file-level device, aka network-attached storage
(NAS). Thus, like any SAN device, specific drivers and software must be installed on any client PC wishing to access the device. Also, due to the proprietary file system, when used as a constant use file server (such as with streaming media or database hosting) the SC101 can suffer from data corruption. Because of this, Netgear has recommended that the device, which is solely for data storage, not be used exclusively for storage of important data.
, but because this is a block level device, the OS is responsible for creating a filesystem. Consequently, a filesystem created by Linux will not be compatible with one created by Windows.
However, a post on kerneltrap.org suggests that it may be possible to use NTFS-3g
on Linux. If possible this would allow access from both Windows and Linux machines, at the expense of losing features that the proprietary file system offers such as sharing the device access across multiple machines, as well as mirroring support.
Note that none of the drivers under discussion will allow access to existing crashed SC101 systems. Recovery from the bare hard drives from crashed SC101s is only possible with reverse engineered parsing. NETGEAR does not offer a file-mounter for recovery, nor are there any third-party commercial tools for recovery.
Netgear
Netgear is a U.S. manufacturer of computer networking equipment and other computer hardware....
using networking storage technology (ZSAN) licensed from Zetera Corporation . The device is capable of sharing data stored on 1 or 2 internal disks (either IDE PATA or SATA depending on model) via Ethernet
Ethernet
Ethernet is a family of computer networking technologies for local area networks commercially introduced in 1980. Standardized in IEEE 802.3, Ethernet has largely replaced competing wired LAN technologies....
links. The SC101 has been poorly received by the public in general due to poor advertising and misinformation by retail outlets selling the device as a NAS
Network-attached storage
Network-attached storage is file-level computer data storage connected to a computer network providing data access to heterogeneous clients. NAS not only operates as a file server, but is specialized for this task either by its hardware, software, or configuration of those elements...
. The inherent file system in the device is quite fragile when used as a full-function file server, limiting the device's effective uses. It has also been known to suffer from overheating issues. Its successor, the SC101T, solves many of the problems brought up by its critics and incorporates gigabit support, but still utilizes the same ZSAN format for its disks and all of the drawbacks that entails.
The SC101 comes in two models:
- Netgear SC101
- Netgear SC101T
SAN not NAS
The SC101 is a block level device, hence a storage area networkStorage area network
A storage area network is a dedicated network that provides access to consolidated, block level data storage. SANs are primarily used to make storage devices, such as disk arrays, tape libraries, and optical jukeboxes, accessible to servers so that the devices appear like locally attached devices...
(SAN) device, as opposed to a file-level device, aka network-attached storage
Network-attached storage
Network-attached storage is file-level computer data storage connected to a computer network providing data access to heterogeneous clients. NAS not only operates as a file server, but is specialized for this task either by its hardware, software, or configuration of those elements...
(NAS). Thus, like any SAN device, specific drivers and software must be installed on any client PC wishing to access the device. Also, due to the proprietary file system, when used as a constant use file server (such as with streaming media or database hosting) the SC101 can suffer from data corruption. Because of this, Netgear has recommended that the device, which is solely for data storage, not be used exclusively for storage of important data.
Linux drivers
There has been lots of talk of a driver for Linux but Netgear have failed to deliver. There is an open source driver for Linux on Google CodeGoogle Code
Google Code is Google's site for developer tools, APIs and technical resources. The site contains documentation on using Google developer tools and APIs—including discussion groups and blogs for developers using Google's developer products....
, but because this is a block level device, the OS is responsible for creating a filesystem. Consequently, a filesystem created by Linux will not be compatible with one created by Windows.
However, a post on kerneltrap.org suggests that it may be possible to use NTFS-3g
NTFS-3G
NTFS-3G is an open source cross-platform implementation of the Microsoft Windows NTFS file system with read-write support. NTFS-3G often uses the FUSE file system interface, so it can run unmodified on many different operating systems. It is runnable on Linux, FreeBSD, NetBSD, OpenSolaris, BeOS,...
on Linux. If possible this would allow access from both Windows and Linux machines, at the expense of losing features that the proprietary file system offers such as sharing the device access across multiple machines, as well as mirroring support.
Note that none of the drivers under discussion will allow access to existing crashed SC101 systems. Recovery from the bare hard drives from crashed SC101s is only possible with reverse engineered parsing. NETGEAR does not offer a file-mounter for recovery, nor are there any third-party commercial tools for recovery.