Setup

While Akasa has tried to add their own look to the installer, A.C. Ryan ships the drive with the standard NDAS software. The included copy has the version 3.11, which is not quite the newest out there. Note that the software is only required if you are want to use the network connectivity.

Setup process
The software installation process is simple and straight forward. One restart is required during installation. The look and feel of the installer has changed considerably since we tested the Akasa integral! LAN, which shipped with version 2.42. After the restart a NDAS SCSI controller is found. This is no real hardware, but a software with which you can connect to the drive itself.

Software

Actually connecting the AluBox LAN is quite easy as well. The structure behind the NDAS system is meant to make it easy for the consumer to share a storage device over the network, while keeping some sort of control over who may access the device and whether it is read only or full access. The initial wizard guides you through the steps of "mounting" the enclosure in Windows. The first step is done by giving the device a name of your choice. You may have multiple NDAS enclosures in your network, so naming them according to their purpose may not be such a bad idea.


The next step requires the entry of the long "read access" serial and a shorter, secret "write access" key. There is no need for you to open the enclosure again, to get access to the number, as the same sticker is found on the CD sleeve as well. After you have entered the numbers correctly, the NDAS software looks for the drive with the same serial on the network and then connects it. You will see the drive in Windows just as if it was inside your PC.


You may access the NDAS device properties through the system tray icon. It holds four tabs with information about the device. The first such tab holds the read and write key, with the latter being removable. Some general information of the capacity is displayed in this area as well. The second tab displays the actual drive information, including the serial number.


The third tab gives you a list of everyone who may access the drive and what kind of access these clients - here called hosts - are configured for, while the last tab gives you the option of deactivating the device, resetting the connection or even exporting the settings, so you may quickly import them on other computers.