Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

There is a fair amount of misinformation regarding the Western Digital (“WD”) MyBook Duo series with respect to encryption and potential data loss. I am sharing my experiences. 1) Software encryption: this is enabled by the user by adding password protection via the included WD software. It can be enabled or disabled by the user (assuming you have the correct password). 2) Hardware encryption: there is none. However, the RAID is implemented via hardware in the MyBook Duo enclosure. The implications of this design are as follows: a. The proprietary nature of the hardware RAID implementation means that the individual disk drives CANNOT be read outside of the MyBook Duo enclosure. I believe this is not unique to the MyBook Duo as many other RAID enclosures have the same characteristics. b. The RAID implementation is the same from enclosure to enclosure. Therefore, a drive created in one MyBook Duo enclosure CAN be installed into another MyBook Duo enclosure and READ SUCCESSFULLY. (As I have two MyBook Duo’s, I have physically tested this.) c. If the MyBook Duo enclosure fails for any reason, a replacement enclosure will read the disks successfully. The data IS NOT LOST. 3) With respect to temperature, when running continuously for an hour or more (such as when performing a backup), the drives reach temperatures in excess of 55C. While I believe the drives can endure such temperatures, I believe that is hotter than desired. Therefore, I recommend that Western Digital updates its design of the MyBook Duo enclosure to include a small exhaust fan. 4) I have added small, 80 mm (3”) USB-powered variable-speed fans that sit directly on top of the MyBook Duo enclosures to help expel the excess heat from the drives. Even though the fans are small and virtually silent, they are probably overkill as it only takes a minimal amount of extra air movement (the fans are at the lowest setting) to keep the drives comfortably below 40C, even when running continuously. 5) Overall, I am happy with the MyBook Duo (8TB drives). While I do believe the lack of a fan is a non-optimal design decision, it is easy to add an exterior fan that works very effectively at maintaining more desirable drive temperatures.