NETGEAR, Inc., a global networking company that delivers innovative products to consumers, businesses, and service providers, is releasing a new version of its groundbreaking ReadyNAS operating system (OS 6.2) for its ReadyNAS family of desktop and rack-mount Network Attached Storage (NAS) devices.

ReadyNAS customers already enjoy an advanced, easy-to-use storage solution for centralizing and accessing digital files such as photos, music, videos and documents. Designed for both home and small- and medium-sized business (SMB) users, the new ReadyNAS OS offers improvements in data protection, backup, sync, and cloud-based usability. ReadyNAS OS 6.2 can be downloaded now at no charge from the device graphical user interface (GUI) or NETGEAR support website to any current-generation ReadyNAS device."ReadyNAS OS 6.2 delivers amazing new protection and usability features for all our ReadyNAS devices for homes and businesses," said Matt Pahnke, senior product marketing manager for NETGEAR Storage. "File protection is the Number One reason that people purchase network storage, and we've put it first as well. With five layers of file protection, we do a better job of protecting precious digital content than any NAS in the market."

Safeguarding data though five levels of defense
The new ReadyNAS OS 6.2 builds on its mission to provide the strongest data protection in the industry. By guarding against bitrot media degradation as well as viruses and malware, its five levels of defense now offer complete file and photo protection. This new capability is added to existing safeguards such as automatic RAID protection against disk failure, point-in-time recovery with exclusive snapshot technology, free real-time antivirus software, and offsite replication to the cloud or a second ReadyNAS.

Backing up and syncing data
The ReadyNAS OS ensures files can be automatically backed up from Windows or Mac devices, and it makes ReadyNAS the first Network Attached Storage device to offer people the ability to select any folder on the NAS as a sync folder to PCs. It offers Apple Time Machine backup support for Macs and the ability to create a private virtual target for each user, also a first for a NAS device. Moreover, NETGEAR is releasing an update to the ReadyCLOUD app for desktop PCs. This app, available for iOS and Android mobile devices, makes the ReadyNAS OS a new benchmark for simplicity in automatic backing up, syncing, and sharing data across devices.

Improving usability through the cloud
With the new ReadyNAS OS, sharing content has never been easier, or safer, as NETGEAR has streamlined the cloud-based setup experience. It is the only NAS that offers a 100-percent cloud-based setup without requiring a client download. Through NETGEAR ReadyCLOUD, customers are now able to enjoy the same single, unified web interface when accessing ReadyNAS from either home or away, with full data management capabilities from any web-connected device. Additional usability features include easy drive installation and hot swap, one-click file sharing via a web link, and disk spin-down for energy savings. Dropbox-like capabilities and the Google Drive-style accessibility of the ReadyNAS OS creates a secure, private cloud experience that is better than any other NAS on the market - and without an ongoing subscription fee.

The NETGEAR ReadyNAS Family
NETGEAR has seven product lines in the ReadyNAS family, all running on the pioneering ReadyNAS OS. Every member of the award-winning ReadyNAS product family combines industry-first innovations with unmatched usability features. The six business-class ReadyNAS storage product lines are backed by NETGEAR's best-in-class warranty policy. Customers have peace of mind with a 5-Year Limited Hardware Warranty, 5-Year Next Business Day Shipping for part replacement, and 24x7 Lifetime Technical Support.

• The 12-bay ReadyNAS 4220 is a 2U rack-mount form factor designed for data center or other high performance business environments supporting 50 to 500 concurrent users, and is available in two options with 10Gb Ethernet ports.
• The 12-bay ReadyNAS 3220 is a 2U rack-mount form factor ideal for small data center environments supporting 26 to 250 concurrent users.
• The four-bay ReadyNAS 2120 is a 1U rack-mount form factor for small office environments from five to 25 simultaneous users.
• The desktop ReadyNAS 700 Series (RN716X) with dual 10Gb Ethernet (10GBase-T) ports is designed for campus and high performance business environments supporting up to 500 concurrent users.
• The desktop ReadyNAS 500 Series (RN516XX) is designed for small to medium-sized business networks supporting up to 250 concurrent users.
• The ReadyNAS 300 Series (RN312XX, RN314XX, RN316XX) is optimized for small business networks and remote or branch office needs, and comes in two-bay, four-bay, and six-bay desktop models.
• The entry level ReadyNAS 100 Series (RN102XX, RN104XX) is designed for home use, and comes in two-bay and four-bay desktop models. The ReadyNAS 100 series offers a 3-Year Limited Hardware Warranty and free 24x7 phone support for 90 days.

NETGEAR recommends having at least one complete backup of all stored data. However, if storage drives are damaged and data becomes difficult or impossible to access, NETGEAR offers an additional level of protection, with expert data recovery services available for both business and home storage products.