It’s a fantastic time to be a storage hog: WD has just expanded their NAS offerings in exciting new ways.

First up are enhancements to the existing WD Red line. In response to growing storage needs, WD has developed both a 5TB and a 6TB drive. So for all you digital packrats pushing up against the limits of your current NAS or Drobo setup, help is just around the corner.

For more demanding users, WD has also debuted the new Red Pro line. With higher performance, increased reliability, and a longer warranty, Red Pro is the “step up” if you need a little something more.

Why We Like ‘Em

WD does a couple things that set the Red (and now Red Pro) lines apart from competitors and from desktop drives.

First and foremost, Red and Red Pro drives are specifically designed for NAS use. As part of their development, WD tests them in today’s popular NAS enclosures to make sure they perform consistently and reliably in the real world. This isn’t some rinky-dink evaluation process; as of this month, WD has largest NAS compatibility list of any storage manufacturer. Whatever you’re using, it’s likely Red and Red Pro drives are already on the list of supported drives. Red and Red Pro drives also sport “NASware” firmware tuned specifically for the rigors of NAS usage.

A close second for us and our customers is technical support. WD recognizes these drives attract a different class of user, and the support experience is accordingly streamlined. Red and Red Pro owners have their own, dedicated, 24/7 technical support line. This also skips past the level 1 techs, saving you from the “are you sure it’s connected?” questions you don’t want to hear when your storage array has absconded with your data.