Seagate Launches WSS NAS Series: Starts At $349 & Features Windows Server Essentials

With Linux-based NASes dominating the landscape lately, Seagate has come in to remind us that there’s still lots of room for units infused with some Redmond flavor. Thus, the Seagate WSS NAS series is born (WSS = Windows Storage Server).

Equipped with a dual-core Intel Atom processor and Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials, Seagate’s WSS NAS is catered to businesses that rely a lot on Windows and other Microsoft products. It has built-in support for Office 365, can act as a domain server, offers remote Web access, supports Microsoft Azure, and can use Storage Spaces for data pooling.

On the data front, there are a number of features the WSS NAS series offers that stands out, including data deduplication, automatic client computer backup, and file history. I’m sure it won’t come as a surprise to learn that these NASes feature Seagate’s own NAS HDD series drives.

As the shot at the top highlights, WSS NAS units will be available in 2-, 4-, and 6-bay configurations, with pricing starting at $349 for a diskless 2-bay. One thing I’m not sure about right now is what density drives are included in the pre-equipped models. The 6-bay, for example, tops out at 12TB, which leads me to believe that 4 of the bays are probably left empty, since 6TB NAS HDD drives exist. I’ll update this post once I receive clarification on this.

To learn more about Seagate’s new WSS NAS, you should head on over to its product page.