Cloud backup providers have begun rolling back online storage space and they are increasing the prices of backup plans. We are creating gigabytes of digital files such as home movies in 4k, photo albums and first person streaming backups on our mobile devices.
Keeping everything organized and at the ready is hard without the right hardware and software system. That is where Western Digital’s My Cloud Mirror Gen 2 can help with terabytes of mirrored storage.
Overview
The Western Digital My Cloud Mirror second generation is a dual drive network attached storage device. Time from out of the box before everything was ready only took about seven minutes. It comes in 4TB, 6TB and 8TB sizes of mirrored storage.
The box contains:
• My Cloud Mirror 2nd Generation
• Power Adapter
• Ethernet Cable
• Simple 1, 2 and 3 Setup Guide
Setting up the My Cloud Mirror RAID network attached backup solution was easy and all settings are accessible via a web browser. Download apps for iOS and Android to begin backing up files to the drive. It will ask for an administrative password and any special network settings, otherwise it automatically assigns an IP address from the home router via the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol or DHCP for short.
Western Digital is touting their My Cloud OS 3 system on the My Cloud Mirror and for good reason. It offers anywhere access to your media while it is safely stored at home. The streamlined photo gallery is responsive to PCs, Macs, iPhones and tablets.
Their software interacts well with the easy to setup NAS drive. After creating an administrative account, access control to other aspects of the NAS drive can be assigned or removed. Further settings allow the device to automatically upgrade to new firmware, or that can be disabled.
Automatically synchronize media and files across computers and the My Cloud Drive on the network with WD Sync. It keeps content on network-connected computers always updated and available from other devices.
What sets the My Cloud Mirror sets itself apart from other NAS drives on the market is that this model has two hard drives of the same size included. It automatically mirrors media and files on the drive. Other less secure NAS drives only include one drive.
For a small amount more, I would choose the largest of the My Cloud Mirror systems. That way, in a few years, when mobile devices create even more content, the WD NAS can handle it. Full backups of MacBooks and desktops easily take 100s of gigabytes of space per device.
All of the media stored on the My Cloud Mirror is accessible from anywhere with a speedy connection and mobile app. Simply add a username and password, authorize it with the web based software and the device will then work like Dropbox or OneDrive.
Final Thoughts
A separate network attached storage device is perfect for keeping everything in the home backed up, now with mobile device support for iPhones, tablets and Android gadgets.
Keeping everything synced between all computers on the same network with WD Sync is another great addition to this system. Free apps and a simple setup make this a powerful solution for nearly anyone.
Western Digital’s second generation of My Cloud Mirror brings a one, two and three punch. It is simple to setup, it automatically keeps itself backed up and the My Cloud OS 3 makes it one of the easiest NAS drives I have used. Be sure to get the max size, running out of backup storage is not fun.
Rating: [rating:4.5]
Price: $299.00 – Available on the Western Digital website. It carries a two-year limited warranty.
Pros:
- Fast Setup
- Good Warranty
- Great Mobile Apps
- Fits On A Desk
Cons:
- Larger Than Single Drive NAS Devices
Disclosure: I received the My Cloud Mirror Second Generation 4TB at no cost for review. I have not been compensated for this review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Photos courtesy of Western Digital.
