ioSafe 220+: Pricey but Near-Indestructible NAS

Both fireproof and waterproof

- JOHN R. DELANEY

When we reviewed the ioSafe 1520+ 5-bay network attached storage (NAS) drive earlier this year, we gave it high marks for its extreme durability, strong performance, and generous app catalog. We were less thrilled with its whopper of a price and lack of multi-gigabit Ethernet ports, but it still merited an Editors’ Choice award.

The ioSafe 220+ follows suit. It offers the same protection against fire and water damage in a smaller, less expensive two-bay enclosure, and it performed like a champ in our file transfer tests. It also offers a nice assortment of apps. You’ll pay significantly more for this NAS than you would for a typical two-bay NAS, but if you need to disaster-proof your data, it’s worth the money. The 220+ is worthy of an Editors’ Choice award.

YOU CAN’T BURN THIS NAS DOWN

 At 9.1 by 5.9 by 12.0 inches (HWD) and weighing 31 pounds (with drives installed) the 220+ is bigger and heavier than a traditional two-bay NAS, such as the Asustor Drivestor 2 AS1102T (6.5 by 4.0 by 8.6 inches, 2.5 pounds). That’s because its heavy-duty steel enclosure uses a special insulation designed to keep the interior chamber cool even when outer temps reach up to 1,550 degrees F. Additionally, the drives are contained in a sealed, waterproof enclosure that uses ioSafe’s HydroSafe technology to move heat out and away from the drives while protecting them from water damage (whether from flooding or the local fire department’s hoses). The IP68-rated cabinet remains waterproof for up to 72 hours in up to 10 feet of water, and it remains fireproof for up to 30 minutes.