Asustor Lockerstor 2 NAS Review. A small NAS that hides several surprises, power and reliability with support for M.2 drives
What is striking about this NAS is its size, compact and complete, offers everything you need without compromise, we are talking about the new NAS Asustor Lockerstor 2 code name AS6602T, which we will see in this review.
Scary, company belonging to the group ASUSTek specializing in storage solutions for the sector, has developed this model with the aim of offering a fair compromise between a professional solution able to offer more slots and greater elasticity for expansion, and a model that could be suitable for everyone, even for small companies. Despite the size, nothing is missing from the new NAS Asustor, there are two 2.5Gbit network cards, in addition to two hard disks, you can also install two SSDs either as an independent volume or cache. Let’s find out more in the full review.
Quick and easy networking | NAS Asustor Lockerstor 2 review
The NAS comes in a complete package with attention to the smallest detail, nothing to say. The box is also complete with small inserts to facilitate the extraction of the NAS itself.
We find inside two CAT 5e LAN cables, l’65W external power supply, and, the related power cables. We also find several instruction manuals for correct installation and configuration, and the screws that will be used to install the hard drives inside their slots. The system has been tested with discs 3.5-inch WD Red, provided by Western Digital, and are i 6 TB NASware 3.0.
But let’s get to the NAS, which is really well looked after and built.
Unboxing and technical specifications | NAS Asustor Lockerstor 2 review
With the new Lockerstor 2 we can rely on the Intel Celeron J4125 processor. A family processor Gemini Lake. A CPU with quad core architecture that can easily manage the flow of data and the software platform used, the clock rate of 2 GHz, but in Turbo Boost mode it reaches 2.7 GHz compared to a TDP of only 10Watt. Therefore, excellent consumption management.
In addition, the processor is flanked by the DDR4-2400 type memory for 2 GB of RAM. The NAS can support up to 16 TB of storage memory. For the configuration you can rely on the classic system striping RAID 0, o in mirroring RAID 1. Although, to ensure greater data redundancy, limiting the risks of malfunction and loss of hard disks, it would be advisable to use two identical hard disks configured in RAID 1. Also present the mode JBOD (Just a Bunch Of Drivers) to configure individual drives.
Moving forward we find that in the back we have two 2.5Gbit network connectors. We also have two doors USB Type-A 3.1 Gen1. The two network cards allow you to take advantage of a band in parallel, working in this way you can access a bandwidth pari a 5 Gbps.
From a design point of view, Lockerstor 2 AS6602T is very similar to previous generations of NAS Asustor. This 2-bay solution has a very robust chassis, almost exclusively made of metal. This brings a slight increase in noise in operating phases, but it certainly helps in keeping the drive area cool, and therefore aids in dissipation.
In the front part we have the power button at the top left, to which there is also an indication LED, next to another indication led, located just below, which indicates the activity status of the disks. At the bottom left we find the indication LED for the two networks. Furthermore, we also find one USB 3.0 port. The trolleys are very stable and resistant, as is the assembly and disassembly system. In the lower part we have instead four rubber feet, and there are two perforated areas to facilitate ventilation on the sides of the NAS.
The conclusions
The NAS has the system software called Asustor Control Center, well made and complete with instructions in Italian. Really easy and intuitive. This software will allow you after a short initial setup wizard, to access Asustor Data Master. It is an operating system based on Linux, and which manages the entire system of the NAS Lockerstor 2. There are several tools that are made available by the software, such as the ability to perform various backups at automatic intervals. The system also provides different Apps, also for sharing data useful for the company as well as for the private individual.
There NAS Asustor AS6602T bases its strength on hardware but above all on software, which receives frequent updates to ensure it works at its best, as well as keeping up to date with security patches and application versions.
The security management is also excellent, thanks to the AES 256bit encryption provided by the hardware, or the integrated antivirus that collaborates with applications Download Center, Virtual Machines, Network Management e Mail Server.
Its cross-platform nature allows you to stream 4K movies to your TV, tablet or smartphone without any hassle. The NAS can also decode compressed videos at their original, higher resolution while playing the movie. With the inclusion of Dual m.2 and 2.5Gbe in their mid-range entry-level platform, consumers and businesses have a cost-effective option for implementing the multi-gigabit technology in their home or office. If you want to continue to know the latest news from the hardware world, keep following us. Greetings from TechGameWorld.com.
Points in favor
- Fast and performing
- Great software system
- Dual multi-gig LAN port
Points against
- No tools to disassemble the drives
- Slightly high price for only 2 Slots