Portalable USB Drives

[TruvisT]

What USB drives does anyone recommend for everyday on the go use and abuse? I don't want anything costly. I would like to stay under $100 per 1TB drive since I'll want about 10+. These drives will be given to our clients for temporary use to copy their files over after data recovery for example.

While we do have the customers sign a document that they are renting the portable drives and we will keep a CC on file incase they are lost ect... I would like them to last despite possible rough abuse. We do work in the school district so I have seen what happens to "public" equipment. It is not pretty. ;/

Some that I have looked at are:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA24G15V6150

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA0AJ10D1010

(LacIE drive with orange padding. newegg is acting up so could not pull it up)

 

[willie]

1) Tell them to supply their own drive instead of your lending/renting them one.  You can offer some for sale (they need one anyway) if they find that more convenient than getting one at a store, but either way it's their own drive.

2) If you really do have to lend out drives, maybe put them in foam lined Pelican cases.  That both protects the drive and conveys a sense that drives are fragile.  In fact maybe you could cut a hole in the Pelican case to snake the USB cable through, though heat buildup might be an issue under all that foam, hmm.

Do you really need 1TB drives?  How big are these file recoveries typically?  If 32GB or 64GB will do, you could use USB pen drives and stay well under $100.  Maybe even 128GB.

 

[TruvisT]

1) Tell them to supply their own drive instead of your lending/renting them one.  You can offer some for sale (they need one anyway) if they find that more convenient than getting one at a store, but either way it's their own drive.

2) If you really do have to lend out drives, maybe put them in foam lined Pelican cases.  That both protects the drive and conveys a sense that drives are fragile.  In fact maybe you could cut a hole in the Pelican case to snake the USB cable through, though heat buildup might be an issue under all that foam, hmm.

Do you really need 1TB drives?  How big are these file recoveries typically?  If 32GB or 64GB will do, you could use USB pen drives and stay well under $100.  Maybe even 128GB.

We have actually been over 500GBs now. No matter how much we push or encourage and even offer to clients up with a NAS for free if they buy the equipment, they assume that hard drive failure never effects them. I've seen so many people spend money on things they don't need but when it comes to protecting their files, photos, ect... they neglect it. *shrug*

I do like the idea of number 1. Might just sell the drive in with the service and the size will vary based on what we have to salvage. Less overhead in terms of keeping tabs on loaned equipment.

 

[MartinD]

I wouldn't 'lend' - you're gonna get in to data protection issues there unless you scrub the drives after every use.. even then, you're gonna end up going through them as they get screwed over.

Have them in stock for customers to buy but don't lend them out!

 

[BuyCPanel-Kevin]

I haven't heard of the two brands you listed there before, might be a better idea to trust a more well known brand, try this guy. (if your still considering doing this)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822236569

 

[drmike]

I'd look at a network NAS solution, given today that they are likely all network interfaced (ideally with ethernet).   

USB stuff is prone to failure, drops, random unplug corruptions, etc.

 

[concerto49]

I haven't heard of the two brands you listed there before, might be a better idea to trust a more well known brand, try this guy. (if your still considering doing this)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822236569

ADATA has been around for a long time. They also make SSDs. More of a budget/generic brand though. Silicon power is similar.

 

[maounique]

+1 for adata, they are not perfectly reliable, but in the same league with WD if i count the number of failures on prolonged usage.

At the end of the day anyuthing can be abused and break (even without abuse) so, at least dont pay too much for it the 10% more reliability wont make up for a double price, if you have to, get 2x of them in that case, much better protection for the same price and double the space !