I've been in a storage mood lately, toying with different products to centrally locate and back up my assorted MP3s, photos and other data. 

A while back we tested the XiMeta NetDisk system (about $200 for the 120G-byte version), but some inexplicable problems plagued us (see editorial links  below). Since, the XiMeta folks sent us a second device to try, and I upgraded my 802.11b network to the faster 802.11g.

This time, the NetDisk device worked better. Files transferred much more quickly, although we still couldn't read from the disk (say, listen to a music file) while  writing. (In both tests, we got a strange error that shut the device down.)

We had to install client software on each PC accessing the NetDisk, which transfers data through a proprietary protocol. Whether this is good or bad is really a matter of opinion. Some readers argue the additional protocol adds more pain, especially in mixed PC/Mac environments.

We also checked out two other storage systems. Many readers suggested the Buffalo LinkStation (about $300 for 120G bytes), which like the NetDisk, is a network-direct-attached-storage system (meaning it connects via Ethernet to a router/switch instead of to a PC). We also wanted to try the Maxtor OneTouch external hard drive (about $180 for 120G bytes), which connects via a USB 2.0 port to a single PC.

The LinkStation installed more easily than the NetDisk. Buffalo provides a client utility that makes it easy to find the LinkStation, much better than having to find it on our own. Another difference: The LinkStation shows up as a network-shared drive, the NetDisk a local drive — not a big deal. File transfer speeds were comparable, leading us to think our 802.11b network must have been the culprit the first time around.

The Maxtor OneTouch is a typical external hard drive. Bundled backup software required us to open the product manual or online help file, which we hate doing. So for now, we’re dragging and dropping a mass of files from one disk to the other. 

The Maxtor OneTouch is also the drive Linksys recommends you use with its new Network Storage Link (NSLU2, about $110), which lets you connect an external hard disk to the network.  

In the end, we preferred the LinkStation slightly, mainly for being easiest to access across a number of devices. The Maxtor was the simplest to install, a good choice if you need extra storage for a single computer. And at about $100 less than the LinkStation, the NetDisk is the best value — if you’re willing to overlook some quirks.