Network Attached Storage (NAS) maker Procom Technology Inc. on Monday announced Taurus, an all-in-one networking appliance designed to provide companies with complete wireless hotspots. The device provides high-speed Internet access, data storage, firewall security, file and printer sharing, Web site hosting, an e-mail server, scheduled backup, VPN support, network routing and more.
Taurus works with Mac, Windows, Unix and Linux-based clients, and supports up to hundreds of users with no per-user software license costs, according to Procom. The device is aimed at small businesses, schools, hotels, libraries, malls, airports, convention centers and just about any other business or institutional location looking for a convenient way to set up wireless networking technology.
Taurus units ship with up to 250GB of storage capacity and measure 4.4 x 9.8 x 9.3 inches. The server ships ready to run with all software and hardware pre-installed. WiFi-certified, the Taurus also includes a wireless networking antenna that supports the 802.11b (AirPort) protocol. The antenna’s open-space range is good for up to 600 feet, according to the developer. It also supports Wired Equivalent Protocol (or WEP) and can work with smartcard-based user authentication.
Base Taurus models start at under US$1,700, according to Procom.