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While it may look like Western Digital has gone into the mini-fridge business, that’s not the case.  That giant-looking silver box is an 8TB network attached storage device with gigabit Ethernet.  Nope, that’s no typo—eight terabytes in one box with gigabit Ethernet.  It is called the WD ShareSpace and is DLNA certified.  DLNA certified devices are interoperable which means you don’t have to set up things.  If you have a television with DLNA or PS3 or Xbox 360, you ought to be able to access the WD ShareSpace without much work at all.  Also, while it looks huge, take a look at another pic after the break to get an idea of how small this device really is—it looks to be the size of a Drobo. 

What does this thing cost?  This is pretty pricey at $1,699.99.  That’s about the same price as a high end computer system, so what makes the WD ShareSpace attractive?  Well, you won’t have to manage another computer with this device.  The DLNA certification is handy.  The ShareSpace also acts as a iTunes server and as an FTP server.  Plus, WD has something called “MioNet” which allows remote access to the device for both Macs and PCs. 

The biggest draw may be the energy consumption.  The ShareSpace uses WD’s GreenPower drives; WD claims 33% less power used based on its tests using a 1TB dual-drive system with GreenPower versus 1TB dual-drive system using 7200 RPM drives. 

This may be a good solution for a small business that doesn’t want to get involved with a backup server.  Additionally, this may be good for folks who love to hoard data.  WD also offers 2TB and 4TB versions and they cost $699.99 and $999.99 respectively.  You can get them at a savings if you shop around.  The 8TB version will be available this week. 

Product Page: [WD ShareSpace]