After using this for a couple months, taking time here and there to setup different things, clearly getting good tips from the users here on this forum. I now think this product doesn’t make sense at all for my small office. Maybe I am missing something.
I was looking for a central server to store all files that could be accessible from any computer on my network. I also wanted an easy way to backup this ‘server’ machine.
The Sentinel DX4000 is ok for storing files-but if I want to back it up, I need to limit my drive size to 2TB, and the only way to back it up is not how the directions tell you to do it, it is a weird work-around.
MaybeI should have just gotten a NAS device.
Am I missing something? Does this offer some extras that an NAS does not offer?
I use them for client backups. It will backup up to 25 pc’s. This is the most cost effective way to do that, Then you take your Sentinel backup offsite and you can recreate your entire org from that one usb drive
You can do all these things seperatly, client backup, dlna, remote access, NAS. But all in one neat lil bundle with RAID
Just all depends on the goals you are trying to reach.
The 2TB is a limitation to most backup devices. Even if you look at some of the most common ones on the market, they cannot backup over 2TB. The Sentinel is based off of Microsoft Storage Server Essentials 2008 R2, and this uses .VXD file type backups which has this limitation. You can however do file and folder backups of your Sentinel to a USB device, which in most cases is how IT pros tend to do it. The Sentinel unlike other devices (NAS) competitors has a major advantage. That being able to remotely access (via WAN) your Sentinel, and PC’s that have the client connector installed on them as well as being able to access content. Plus the Sentinel backs up all of your PC’s automatically and using Duplication method (which saves space). All of these features are part of the Sentinel Experience and is a major advantage over the competition.
