Now I just to figure out what to do with all of that space. I want to see if I put TV and movie recordings if I can use it as a slingplayer type device on my cell phone. I will also check on the xbox 360 streaming.

[WM: Have you tried their desktop apps? Like we said, they’re functionally identical to what you get with WebDAV. You just have to run them.]

http://www.macworld.com/article/146125/2010/02/pogoplug_review.html?lsrc=rss_main

http://www.macworld.com/article/146120/2010/02/unraid_server.html?lsrc=rss_main

According to the PogoPlug review in MacWorld, it requires accessing files on your PogoPlug server to go through my.pogoplug.com, meaning that if anything happens to PogoPlug, the device is useless.

An UnRaid server though seems to be totally at ones own control, other than getting updates from Lime that might come out, or additional programs to add features to the server. The UnRaid server also has the ability to have a single drive fail without affecting the server data itself, whereas the PogoPlug doesn’t seem to be doing this, only serving files.

The UnRaid server seems to also present the server as one HUGE drive and will store files where it needs to put them, although the option is there to put them on a specific drive to keep all files of a particular type on a specific drive. Example given was putting MP3’s on a slower drive while movies might go on a faster drive.

Given the above, for someone who wants to have more control over the system and better fail-safe capability, the UnRaid server seems to be a better deal. Costs might be a bit higher for a smaller size UnRaid server but without the costs for cases for plain drives, likely cheaper for larger server sizes. Not sure at what server size the price point for these two devices cross where one becomes cheaper than the other. Guess it depends on what parts one already has on hand and what one has to buy to create it.

I’m not sure on the security requirements for an UnRaid to be made available on the internet which the PogoPlug seems more adept at, so it would depend if one wants a local server or an internet server on which might be a better device.

I am thinking I might build a free UnRaid server (up to 3 drives is free) using a spare PC to test it out, and if it works well, expand it to a larger system with more drives and a licence for 6 or 20 drives. Won’t be able to do this until some time in April or May, but it will give me a single server to use for all my various files I have and will accumulate. I need more of a local server than an internet server.

Anything you see on either of these (or anything else out there) that would recommend one over the other? I don’t think I would run with a Drobo.

[WM: The apps provided give you a mappable drive on your desktop. Whether it’s identical to WebDAV is open to debate since the apps aren’t open source.]

Don’t get me wrong, this is a nice solution, just don’t oversell it. I’ve had networked storage at home for more than a decade, and, though PogoPlug moves us closer to "set and forget", it’s hardly a perfect solution.

[WM: Never suggested it was perfect. Server farms managed by Google or Amazon aren’t either. Of course, there are differences between this solution and traditional Cloud Computing resources. And one of those differences is cost. Wasn’t suggesting that you run your corporation with this. But, for home or small business use, it’s ideal. Still appreciate the reality check. 🙂 ]