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Netgear Expands ReadyNAS Lineup with Intel Denverton Atom Platform
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Netgear Expands ReadyNAS Lineup with Intel Denverton Atom Platform

Netgear’s CES 2017 announcements include a trio of updates to their ReadyNAS network-attached storage lineup. Back in September 2016, Netgear announced one of the first NAS lineups based on Intel’s Broadwell DE (Xeon D / Pentium D) platform. While the ReadyNAS 520 series used the dual-core Intel Pentium D-1508 SoC, the ReadyNAS 620 series used the quad-core Xeon D-1521 SoC. At the time of introduction, only 6-bay models were available in both the series. As part of the CES announcements, the ReadyNAS 520 series is expanding with 4- and 8-bay models. The ReadyNAS 620 series is getting a 8-bay model in addition to the existing 6-bay model. We will come back to the ReadyNAS 520 and 620 series later on in this piece.

The major new product announcement in the ReadyNAS lineup is the ReadyNAS 420 series, which comes in 2-bay (RN 422) and 4-bay (RN 424) variants. Both are based on the dual-core Intel Atom C3338 SoC. Based on the Goldmont Atom micro-architecture, Denverton shows that Intel is committed to a cost-effective server solution based on the Intel Atom platform, while retaining Xeon D and Pentium D for solutions offering better performance at a premium.

Note that the ReadyNAS 420 series comes with only Gigabit LAN ports, while the 520 and 620 series are equipped with 10GBASE-T ports. The specifications of the new members in the 520 and 620 series are provided below.

An interesting aspect is the Bluetooth dongle, which allows IT administrators to quickly check up on the status of the NAS unit from a mobile device.

Similar to the current ReadyNAS units, the new ones also deliver the advantages resulting from Netgear’s adaptation of the btrfs file system along with a mdadm RAID management layer. Various backup and remote access strategies are supported with the ReadyDR and ReadyCLOUD packages. Despite the major focus on gearing up ReadyNAS solutions towards business use-cases, there is also support for prosumers interested in multimedia streaming – the ReadyNAS 620 series supports streaming and real-time transcoding of multiple 4K streams, while the 520 series supports streaming and real-time transcoding for multiple 1080p or a single 4K stream (based on the CPU capabilities).

The current pricing of the various ReadyNAS models are specificed in the table below.

Netgear ReadyNAS Pricing Table [ Q1 2017 ]
Model MSRP
ReadyNAS 420 Series  
RN 422 USD 450
RN 424 USD 650
   
ReadyNAS 520 Series  
RN 524X USD 900
RN 526X USD 1200
RN 528X USD 1600
   
ReadyNAS 620 Series  
RN 626X USD 1700
RN 628X USD 2000

The RN 528X and RN 628X are available immediately, while the other new models (RN 524X, RN 422 and RN 424) are slated to become available later this quarter.

All models are backed up by a 5-year warranty, with multiple support options available (including next business-day parts replacement) – something attractive to IT administrators. In summary, Netgear has taken the lead in introducing commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) NAS units based on the latest hardware platforms from Intel. The OS features and allied packages are very attractive to business users, despite other NAS vendors providing a OS with more features for prosumers.

Netgear Expands ReadyNAS Lineup with Intel Denverton Atom Platform
  • Comments are Closed

Netgear Expands ReadyNAS Lineup with Intel Denverton Atom Platform

Netgear’s CES 2017 announcements include a trio of updates to their ReadyNAS network-attached storage lineup. Back in September 2016, Netgear announced one of the first NAS lineups based on Intel’s Broadwell DE (Xeon D / Pentium D) platform. While the ReadyNAS 520 series used the dual-core Intel Pentium D-1508 SoC, the ReadyNAS 620 series used the quad-core Xeon D-1521 SoC. At the time of introduction, only 6-bay models were available in both the series. As part of the CES announcements, the ReadyNAS 520 series is expanding with 4- and 8-bay models. The ReadyNAS 620 series is getting a 8-bay model in addition to the existing 6-bay model. We will come back to the ReadyNAS 520 and 620 series later on in this piece.

The major new product announcement in the ReadyNAS lineup is the ReadyNAS 420 series, which comes in 2-bay (RN 422) and 4-bay (RN 424) variants. Both are based on the dual-core Intel Atom C3338 SoC. Based on the Goldmont Atom micro-architecture, Denverton shows that Intel is committed to a cost-effective server solution based on the Intel Atom platform, while retaining Xeon D and Pentium D for solutions offering better performance at a premium.

Note that the ReadyNAS 420 series comes with only Gigabit LAN ports, while the 520 and 620 series are equipped with 10GBASE-T ports. The specifications of the new members in the 520 and 620 series are provided below.

An interesting aspect is the Bluetooth dongle, which allows IT administrators to quickly check up on the status of the NAS unit from a mobile device.

Similar to the current ReadyNAS units, the new ones also deliver the advantages resulting from Netgear’s adaptation of the btrfs file system along with a mdadm RAID management layer. Various backup and remote access strategies are supported with the ReadyDR and ReadyCLOUD packages. Despite the major focus on gearing up ReadyNAS solutions towards business use-cases, there is also support for prosumers interested in multimedia streaming – the ReadyNAS 620 series supports streaming and real-time transcoding of multiple 4K streams, while the 520 series supports streaming and real-time transcoding for multiple 1080p or a single 4K stream (based on the CPU capabilities).

The current pricing of the various ReadyNAS models are specificed in the table below.

Netgear ReadyNAS Pricing Table [ Q1 2017 ]
Model MSRP
ReadyNAS 420 Series  
RN 422 USD 450
RN 424 USD 650
   
ReadyNAS 520 Series  
RN 524X USD 900
RN 526X USD 1200
RN 528X USD 1600
   
ReadyNAS 620 Series  
RN 626X USD 1700
RN 628X USD 2000

The RN 528X and RN 628X are available immediately, while the other new models (RN 524X, RN 422 and RN 424) are slated to become available later this quarter.

All models are backed up by a 5-year warranty, with multiple support options available (including next business-day parts replacement) – something attractive to IT administrators. In summary, Netgear has taken the lead in introducing commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) NAS units based on the latest hardware platforms from Intel. The OS features and allied packages are very attractive to business users, despite other NAS vendors providing a OS with more features for prosumers.

Netgear Launches CM1000 DOCSIS 3.1 Cable Modem, New Switches at CES 2017
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Netgear Launches CM1000 DOCSIS 3.1 Cable Modem, New Switches at CES 2017

Netgear became one of the first vendors to bring a DOCSIS 3.1 cable modem to the market last month with the availability of the CM1000. It is based on the Broadcom BCM3390 cable modem SoC announced at CES 2015.

DOCSIS 3.1 is one of the most awaited developments in the cable modem industry, allowing ISPs to provide consumers with gigabit and higher speeds without altering existing infrastructure. The specifications support speeds up to 10 Gbps, but, the first generation chipsets like the BCM3390 support only speeds up to 6 Gbps. Compared to the 6- and 8 MHz-wide channels in DOCSIS 3.0, DOCSIS 3.1 uses 20-50 kHz-wide OFDM subcarriers. These can be bonded together in 200 MHz-wide blocks. Note that DOCSIS 3.1 is still not symmetric – while download speeds can go as high as 10 Gbps, upstream rates have a 1 Gbps ceiling.

The CM1000 supports 32 downstream and 8 upstream SC-QAM channels for theoretical downlink speeds of 6 Gbps. Its Ethernet port is still 1 Gbps, and doesn’t take full advantage of the capabilities of the BCM3390.

This CableLabs-certified modem is supported by Xfinity, Cox and Time Warner in the US market. It is also backwards-compatible with existing DOCSIS 3.0 networks. Customer experience with the modem is heavily reliant on the equipment being used by the ISP in the area, with many early adopters reporting activation issues. The firmware on the latest units supposedly fixes these problems. If one wants the latest and greatest in cable modem technology, or, is interested in the gigabit-tier services from the cable ISPs, the Netgear CM1000 ($180) looks like the only choice in the retail market right now.

In related news, Netgear is also launching the C7100v – the Nighthawk AC1900 Wi-Fi Cable Modem Router with voice capabilities. It is based on a Broadcom platform, and has a 24×8 modem (up to 960 Mbps downstream speeds) along with a 3×3 802.11ac router (similar to the Nighthawk R7000, but, with a 1.6 GHz SoC). There are two integrated voice lines that get automatic priority over data. The device is meant for the retail market, and will have a MSRP of $300 at launch later this year.

On the switch front, we have the Nighthawk S8000 8-port gaming and media switch (GS808E) meant for prosumers in the home environment with Layer 2 switching and web management (Plus) capabilities. The industrial design shows the Nighthawk branding clearly. It handles appropriate QoS settings for traffic from games and media streaming services such as Netflix. There is a web-based GUI appropriate for the target market, with pre-configured settings available for each port. The switch also allows teaming of up to four ports with dynamic link aggregation. This 8-port switch is expected to become available towards the end of this quarter for $100.

Netgear is also expanding its PoE switch offerings. The ‘mount-anywhere’ web-managed (Plus) switches became hugely popular after their introduction last year. As part of the CES product launches, Netgear is adding the GSS108EPP and GS408EPP with 8 Gigabit ports each. The GSS108EPP comes in the Click format and has four PoE+ ports (total 47W), while the GS408EPP comes in a easy-mount form factor (such that two switches can be placed back to back in a 1U rack slot) and has 8 PoE+ ports (seven active at a time, with one used for uplink) with a 124W power budget. Both are web-managed Plus switches with L2 management capabilities. One of the innovative features is the ability to configure the power budget for each port. The GSS108EPP is passively cooled. It will have a MSRP of $150, while the GS408EPP will have a MSRP of $270.

Netgear Launches CM1000 DOCSIS 3.1 Cable Modem, New Switches at CES 2017
  • Comments are Closed

Netgear Launches CM1000 DOCSIS 3.1 Cable Modem, New Switches at CES 2017

Netgear became one of the first vendors to bring a DOCSIS 3.1 cable modem to the market last month with the availability of the CM1000. It is based on the Broadcom BCM3390 cable modem SoC announced at CES 2015.

DOCSIS 3.1 is one of the most awaited developments in the cable modem industry, allowing ISPs to provide consumers with gigabit and higher speeds without altering existing infrastructure. The specifications support speeds up to 10 Gbps, but, the first generation chipsets like the BCM3390 support only speeds up to 6 Gbps. Compared to the 6- and 8 MHz-wide channels in DOCSIS 3.0, DOCSIS 3.1 uses 20-50 kHz-wide OFDM subcarriers. These can be bonded together in 200 MHz-wide blocks. Note that DOCSIS 3.1 is still not symmetric – while download speeds can go as high as 10 Gbps, upstream rates have a 1 Gbps ceiling.

The CM1000 supports 32 downstream and 8 upstream SC-QAM channels for theoretical downlink speeds of 6 Gbps. Its Ethernet port is still 1 Gbps, and doesn’t take full advantage of the capabilities of the BCM3390.

This CableLabs-certified modem is supported by Xfinity, Cox and Time Warner in the US market. It is also backwards-compatible with existing DOCSIS 3.0 networks. Customer experience with the modem is heavily reliant on the equipment being used by the ISP in the area, with many early adopters reporting activation issues. The firmware on the latest units supposedly fixes these problems. If one wants the latest and greatest in cable modem technology, or, is interested in the gigabit-tier services from the cable ISPs, the Netgear CM1000 ($180) looks like the only choice in the retail market right now.

In related news, Netgear is also launching the C7100v – the Nighthawk AC1900 Wi-Fi Cable Modem Router with voice capabilities. It is based on a Broadcom platform, and has a 24×8 modem (up to 960 Mbps downstream speeds) along with a 3×3 802.11ac router (similar to the Nighthawk R7000, but, with a 1.6 GHz SoC). There are two integrated voice lines that get automatic priority over data. The device is meant for the retail market, and will have a MSRP of $300 at launch later this year.

On the switch front, we have the Nighthawk S8000 8-port gaming and media switch (GS808E) meant for prosumers in the home environment with Layer 2 switching and web management (Plus) capabilities. The industrial design shows the Nighthawk branding clearly. It handles appropriate QoS settings for traffic from games and media streaming services such as Netflix. There is a web-based GUI appropriate for the target market, with pre-configured settings available for each port. The switch also allows teaming of up to four ports with dynamic link aggregation. This 8-port switch is expected to become available towards the end of this quarter for $100.

Netgear is also expanding its PoE switch offerings. The ‘mount-anywhere’ web-managed (Plus) switches became hugely popular after their introduction last year. As part of the CES product launches, Netgear is adding the GSS108EPP and GS408EPP with 8 Gigabit ports each. The GSS108EPP comes in the Click format and has four PoE+ ports (total 47W), while the GS408EPP comes in a easy-mount form factor (such that two switches can be placed back to back in a 1U rack slot) and has 8 PoE+ ports (seven active at a time, with one used for uplink) with a 124W power budget. Both are web-managed Plus switches with L2 management capabilities. One of the innovative features is the ability to configure the power budget for each port. The GSS108EPP is passively cooled. It will have a MSRP of $150, while the GS408EPP will have a MSRP of $270.

Netgear Launches CM1000 DOCSIS 3.1 Cable Modem, New Switches at CES 2017
  • Comments are Closed

Netgear Launches CM1000 DOCSIS 3.1 Cable Modem, New Switches at CES 2017

Netgear became one of the first vendors to bring a DOCSIS 3.1 cable modem to the market last month with the availability of the CM1000. It is based on the Broadcom BCM3390 cable modem SoC announced at CES 2015.

DOCSIS 3.1 is one of the most awaited developments in the cable modem industry, allowing ISPs to provide consumers with gigabit and higher speeds without altering existing infrastructure. The specifications support speeds up to 10 Gbps, but, the first generation chipsets like the BCM3390 support only speeds up to 6 Gbps. Compared to the 6- and 8 MHz-wide channels in DOCSIS 3.0, DOCSIS 3.1 uses 20-50 kHz-wide OFDM subcarriers. These can be bonded together in 200 MHz-wide blocks. Note that DOCSIS 3.1 is still not symmetric – while download speeds can go as high as 10 Gbps, upstream rates have a 1 Gbps ceiling.

The CM1000 supports 32 downstream and 8 upstream SC-QAM channels for theoretical downlink speeds of 6 Gbps. Its Ethernet port is still 1 Gbps, and doesn’t take full advantage of the capabilities of the BCM3390.

This CableLabs-certified modem is supported by Xfinity, Cox and Time Warner in the US market. It is also backwards-compatible with existing DOCSIS 3.0 networks. Customer experience with the modem is heavily reliant on the equipment being used by the ISP in the area, with many early adopters reporting activation issues. The firmware on the latest units supposedly fixes these problems. If one wants the latest and greatest in cable modem technology, or, is interested in the gigabit-tier services from the cable ISPs, the Netgear CM1000 ($180) looks like the only choice in the retail market right now.

In related news, Netgear is also launching the C7100v – the Nighthawk AC1900 Wi-Fi Cable Modem Router with voice capabilities. It is based on a Broadcom platform, and has a 24×8 modem (up to 960 Mbps downstream speeds) along with a 3×3 802.11ac router (similar to the Nighthawk R7000, but, with a 1.6 GHz SoC). There are two integrated voice lines that get automatic priority over data. The device is meant for the retail market, and will have a MSRP of $300 at launch later this year.

On the switch front, we have the Nighthawk S8000 8-port gaming and media switch (GS808E) meant for prosumers in the home environment with Layer 2 switching and web management (Plus) capabilities. The industrial design shows the Nighthawk branding clearly. It handles appropriate QoS settings for traffic from games and media streaming services such as Netflix. There is a web-based GUI appropriate for the target market, with pre-configured settings available for each port. The switch also allows teaming of up to four ports with dynamic link aggregation. This 8-port switch is expected to become available towards the end of this quarter for $100.

Netgear is also expanding its PoE switch offerings. The ‘mount-anywhere’ web-managed (Plus) switches became hugely popular after their introduction last year. As part of the CES product launches, Netgear is adding the GSS108EPP and GS408EPP with 8 Gigabit ports each. The GSS108EPP comes in the Click format and has four PoE+ ports (total 47W), while the GS408EPP comes in a easy-mount form factor (such that two switches can be placed back to back in a 1U rack slot) and has 8 PoE+ ports (seven active at a time, with one used for uplink) with a 124W power budget. Both are web-managed Plus switches with L2 management capabilities. One of the innovative features is the ability to configure the power budget for each port. The GSS108EPP is passively cooled. It will have a MSRP of $150, while the GS408EPP will have a MSRP of $270.