Backdoor in WD My Cloud, accessible to everyone. Cloud NAS WD My Cloud Install my cloud
Do it your way
Password protection
A place to centrally store and organize all your data
Impressive capacity for centralized home storage of photos, videos and files from all your phones, tablets, computers and external drives. Simply connect the device to your Wi-Fi router and complete the setup using your smartphone. Without a computer. No monthly subscription fee.
Desktop synchronization
Keep your favorite folders on your PC and Mac always in sync with your My Cloud Home device.
Seamless video playback from anywhere
With the My Cloud Home mobile and desktop apps and MyCloud.com, you can play your videos on any device, anywhere.
My Cloud Home Duo - twice as reliable
Each My Cloud Home Duo drive features two hard drives in RAID 1, so all your photos, videos, and other files are stored on one drive and automatically copied to a second drive for added peace of mind.
Search function to quickly find the files you need
Easily search the My Cloud Home mobile and desktop apps and MyCloud.com to help you quickly find the photos, videos, movies, and documents you need.
Separate closed space for each user
Encourage family members and friends to create individual accounts. Each invited user can set up a separate private space on their device that only they can access. Such user will be able to manage, access and share their content as they wish.
Do it your way
Customize My Cloud™ Home with Dropbox™ or Google Drive, Sonos smart speaker compatibility, Google Chromecast and Plex Media Server™ streaming.
Upload from a cloud service to centrally store all data
All your data can be stored in one place, even the contents of your cloud accounts. Photos, videos, and other files from your cloud accounts, including Dropbox, Box, Google Drive™, Facebook, and more, are automatically downloaded to your My Cloud Home device. 1
Automatically backup data from all home PCs and Macs
My Cloud Home has massive capacity and connects to your network to wirelessly back up data from every computer in your home to one central location. It works seamlessly with Windows backup software and Time Machine.
Password protection
Protect all your content from prying eyes by setting a unique password for your My Cloud Home account, and use passcode and touch ID protection for your My Cloud Home mobile app.
A place to centrally store and organize all your data
Impressive capacity for centralized home storage of photos, videos and files from all your phones, tablets, computers and external drives. Simply connect the device to your Wi-Fi router and complete the setup using your smartphone. Without a computer. No monthly subscription fee.
Desktop synchronization
Keep your favorite folders on your PC and Mac always in sync with your My Cloud Home device.
Seamless video playback from anywhere
With the My Cloud Home mobile and desktop apps and MyCloud.com, you can play your videos on any device, anywhere.
My Cloud Home Duo - twice as reliable
Each My Cloud Home Duo drive features two hard drives in RAID 1, so all your photos, videos, and other files are stored on one drive and automatically copied to a second drive for added peace of mind.
Search function to quickly find the files you need
Easily search the My Cloud Home mobile and desktop apps and MyCloud.com to help you quickly find the photos, videos, movies, and documents you need.
Separate closed space for each user
Encourage family members and friends to create individual accounts. Each invited user can set up a separate private space on their device that only they can access. Such user will be able to manage, access and share their content as they wish.
Do it your way
Customize My Cloud™ Home with Dropbox™ or Google Drive, Sonos smart speaker compatibility, Google Chromecast and Plex Media Server™ streaming.
Upload from a cloud service to centrally store all data
All your data can be stored in one place, even the contents of your cloud accounts. Photos, videos, and other files from your cloud accounts, including Dropbox, Box, Google Drive™, Facebook, and more, are automatically downloaded to your My Cloud Home device. 1
Automatically backup data from all home PCs and Macs
My Cloud Home has massive capacity and connects to your network to wirelessly back up data from every computer in your home to one central location. It works seamlessly with Windows backup software and Time Machine.
Password protection
Protect all your content from prying eyes by setting a unique password for your My Cloud Home account, and use passcode and touch ID protection for your My Cloud Home mobile app.
A place to centrally store and organize all your data
Impressive capacity for centralized home storage of photos, videos and files from all your phones, tablets, computers and external drives. Simply connect the device to your Wi-Fi router and complete the setup using your smartphone. Without a computer. No monthly subscription fee.
Desktop synchronization
Keep your favorite folders on your PC and Mac always in sync with your My Cloud Home device.
Seamless video playback from anywhere
With the My Cloud Home mobile and desktop apps and MyCloud.com, you can play your videos on any device, anywhere.
My Cloud Home Duo - twice as reliable
Each My Cloud Home Duo drive features two hard drives in RAID 1, so all your photos, videos, and other files are stored on one drive and automatically copied to a second drive for added peace of mind.
Search function to quickly find the files you need
Easily search the My Cloud Home mobile and desktop apps and MyCloud.com to help you quickly find the photos, videos, movies, and documents you need.
Separate closed space for each user
Encourage family members and friends to create individual accounts. Each invited user can set up a separate private space on their device that only they can access. Such user will be able to manage, access and share their content as they wish.
Do it your way
Customize My Cloud™ Home with Dropbox™ or Google Drive, Sonos smart speaker compatibility, Google Chromecast and Plex Media Server™ streaming.
Upload from a cloud service to centrally store all data
All your data can be stored in one place, even the contents of your cloud accounts. Photos, videos, and other files from your cloud accounts, including Dropbox, Box, Google Drive™, Facebook, and more, are automatically downloaded to your My Cloud Home device. 1
Automatically backup data from all home PCs and Macs
My Cloud Home has massive capacity and connects to your network to wirelessly back up data from every computer in your home to one central location. It works seamlessly with Windows backup software and Time Machine.
Password protection
Protect all your content from prying eyes by setting a unique password for your My Cloud Home account, and use passcode and touch ID protection for your My Cloud Home mobile app.
A place to centrally store and organize all your data
Impressive capacity for centralized home storage of photos, videos and files from all your phones, tablets, computers and external drives. Simply connect the device to your Wi-Fi router and complete the setup using your smartphone. Without a computer. No monthly subscription fee.
Desktop synchronization
Keep your favorite folders on your PC and Mac always in sync with your My Cloud Home device.
Seamless video playback from anywhere
With the My Cloud Home mobile and desktop apps and MyCloud.com, you can play your videos on any device, anywhere.
My Cloud Home Duo - twice as reliable
Each My Cloud Home Duo drive features two hard drives in RAID 1, so all your photos, videos, and other files are stored on one drive and automatically copied to a second drive for added peace of mind.
Search function to quickly find the files you need
Easily search the My Cloud Home mobile and desktop apps and MyCloud.com to help you quickly find the photos, videos, movies, and documents you need.
Separate closed space for each user
Encourage family members and friends to create individual accounts. Each invited user can set up a separate private space on their device that only they can access. Such user will be able to manage, access and share their content as they wish.
Do it your way
Customize My Cloud™ Home with Dropbox™ or Google Drive, Sonos smart speaker compatibility, Google Chromecast and Plex Media Server™ streaming.
Upload from a cloud service to centrally store all data
All your data can be stored in one place, even the contents of your cloud accounts. Photos, videos, and other files from your cloud accounts, including Dropbox, Box, Google Drive™, Facebook, and more, are automatically downloaded to your My Cloud Home device. 1
Automatically backup data from all home PCs and Macs
My Cloud Home has massive capacity and connects to your network to wirelessly back up data from every computer in your home to one central location. It works seamlessly with Windows backup software and Time Machine.
Password protection
Protect all your content from prying eyes by setting a unique password for your My Cloud Home account, and use passcode and touch ID protection for your My Cloud Home mobile app.
A place to centrally store and organize all your data
Impressive capacity for centralized home storage of photos, videos and files from all your phones, tablets, computers and external drives. Simply connect the device to your Wi-Fi router and complete the setup using your smartphone. Without a computer. No monthly subscription fee.
Desktop synchronization
Keep your favorite folders on your PC and Mac always in sync with your My Cloud Home device.
Seamless video playback from anywhere
With the My Cloud Home mobile and desktop apps and MyCloud.com, you can play your videos on any device, anywhere.
My Cloud Home Duo - twice as reliable
Each My Cloud Home Duo drive features two hard drives in RAID 1, so all your photos, videos, and other files are stored on one drive and automatically copied to a second drive for added peace of mind.
Search function to quickly find the files you need
Easily search the My Cloud Home mobile and desktop apps and MyCloud.com to help you quickly find the photos, videos, movies, and documents you need.
Separate closed space for each user
Encourage family members and friends to create individual accounts. Each invited user can set up a separate private space on their device that only they can access. Such user will be able to manage, access and share their content as they wish.
Do it your way
Customize My Cloud™ Home with Dropbox™ or Google Drive, Sonos smart speaker compatibility, Google Chromecast and Plex Media Server™ streaming.
Upload from a cloud service to centrally store all data
All your data can be stored in one place, even the contents of your cloud accounts. Photos, videos, and other files from your cloud accounts, including Dropbox, Box, Google Drive™, Facebook, and more, are automatically downloaded to your My Cloud Home device. 1
Automatically backup data from all home PCs and Macs
My Cloud Home has massive capacity and connects to your network to wirelessly back up data from every computer in your home to one central location. It works seamlessly with Windows backup software and Time Machine.
Password protection
Protect all your content from prying eyes by setting a unique password for your My Cloud Home account, and use passcode and touch ID protection for your My Cloud Home mobile app.
A place to centrally store and organize all your data
Impressive capacity for centralized home storage of photos, videos and files from all your phones, tablets, computers and external drives. Simply connect the device to your Wi-Fi router and complete the setup using your smartphone. Without a computer. No monthly subscription fee.
Desktop synchronization
Keep your favorite folders on your PC and Mac always in sync with your My Cloud Home device.
Seamless video playback from anywhere
With the My Cloud Home mobile and desktop apps and MyCloud.com, you can play your videos on any device, anywhere.
My Cloud Home Duo - twice as reliable
Each My Cloud Home Duo drive features two hard drives in RAID 1, so all your photos, videos, and other files are stored on one drive and automatically copied to a second drive for added peace of mind.
Search function to quickly find the files you need
Easily search the My Cloud Home mobile and desktop apps and MyCloud.com to help you quickly find the photos, videos, movies, and documents you need.
Separate closed space for each user
Encourage family members and friends to create individual accounts. Each invited user can set up a separate private space on their device that only they can access. Such user will be able to manage, access and share their content as they wish.
Do it your way
Customize My Cloud™ Home with Dropbox™ or Google Drive, Sonos smart speaker compatibility, Google Chromecast and Plex Media Server™ streaming.
Upload from a cloud service to centrally store all data
All your data can be stored in one place, even the contents of your cloud accounts. Photos, videos, and other files from your cloud accounts, including Dropbox, Box, Google Drive™, Facebook, and more, are automatically downloaded to your My Cloud Home device. 1
Automatically backup data from all home PCs and Macs
My Cloud Home has massive capacity and connects to your network to wirelessly back up data from every computer in your home to one central location. It works seamlessly with Windows backup software and Time Machine.
Password protection
Protect all your content from prying eyes by setting a unique password for your My Cloud Home account, and use passcode and touch ID protection for your My Cloud Home mobile app.
A place to centrally store and organize all your data
Impressive capacity for centralized home storage of photos, videos and files from all your phones, tablets, computers and external drives. Simply connect the device to your Wi-Fi router and complete the setup using your smartphone. Without a computer. No monthly subscription fee.
Desktop synchronization
Keep your favorite folders on your PC and Mac always in sync with your My Cloud Home device.
Seamless video playback from anywhere
With the My Cloud Home mobile and desktop apps and MyCloud.com, you can play your videos on any device, anywhere.
My Cloud Home Duo - twice as reliable
Each My Cloud Home Duo drive features two hard drives in RAID 1, so all your photos, videos, and other files are stored on one drive and automatically copied to a second drive for added peace of mind.
Search function to quickly find the files you need
Easily search the My Cloud Home mobile and desktop apps and MyCloud.com to help you quickly find the photos, videos, movies, and documents you need.
Separate closed space for each user
Encourage family members and friends to create individual accounts. Each invited user can set up a separate private space on their device that only they can access. Such user will be able to manage, access and share their content as they wish.
Do it your way
Customize My Cloud™ Home with Dropbox™ or Google Drive, Sonos smart speaker compatibility, Google Chromecast and Plex Media Server™ streaming.
Upload from a cloud service to centrally store all data
All your data can be stored in one place, even the contents of your cloud accounts. Photos, videos, and other files from your cloud accounts, including Dropbox, Box, Google Drive™, Facebook, and more, are automatically downloaded to your My Cloud Home device. 1
Automatically backup data from all home PCs and Macs
My Cloud Home has massive capacity and connects to your network to wirelessly back up data from every computer in your home to one central location. It works seamlessly with Windows backup software and Time Machine.
Password protection
Protect all your content from prying eyes by setting a unique password for your My Cloud Home account, and use passcode and touch ID protection for your My Cloud Home mobile app.
A place to centrally store and organize all your data
Impressive capacity for centralized home storage of photos, videos and files from all your phones, tablets, computers and external drives. Simply connect the device to your Wi-Fi router and complete the setup using your smartphone. Without a computer. No monthly subscription fee.
Desktop synchronization
Keep your favorite folders on your PC and Mac always in sync with your My Cloud Home device.
Seamless video playback from anywhere
With the My Cloud Home mobile and desktop apps and MyCloud.com, you can play your videos on any device, anywhere.
My Cloud Home Duo - twice as reliable
Each My Cloud Home Duo drive features two hard drives in RAID 1, so all your photos, videos, and other files are stored on one drive and automatically copied to a second drive for added peace of mind.
Search function to quickly find the files you need
Easily search the My Cloud Home mobile and desktop apps and MyCloud.com to help you quickly find the photos, videos, movies, and documents you need.
Separate closed space for each user
Encourage family members and friends to create individual accounts. Each invited user can set up a separate private space on their device that only they can access. Such user will be able to manage, access and share their content as they wish.
Do it your way
Customize My Cloud™ Home with Dropbox™ or Google Drive, Sonos smart speaker compatibility, Google Chromecast and Plex Media Server™ streaming.
Upload from a cloud service to centrally store all data
All your data can be stored in one place, even the contents of your cloud accounts. Photos, videos, and other files from your cloud accounts, including Dropbox, Box, Google Drive™, Facebook, and more, are automatically downloaded to your My Cloud Home device. 1
Automatically backup data from all home PCs and Macs
My Cloud Home has massive capacity and connects to your network to wirelessly back up data from every computer in your home to one central location. It works seamlessly with Windows backup software and Time Machine.
Password protection
Protect all your content from prying eyes by setting a unique password for your My Cloud Home account, and use passcode and touch ID protection for your My Cloud Home mobile app.
The article was written for those who are not owners WDMyCloud Mirror or other more advanced models from WesternDigital, which have built-in cloud copy functionality. What should those who are the proud owner of a single-disc WDMyCloud, but I still want to save the documents. You never know, because there is only one disk and anything can happen and, as a rule, at the most inopportune moment.
Much has been written about the functionality and capabilities of WDMyCloud both in RuNet and in particular on Habré. But I still couldn’t find how to save documents to the Cloud, so I decided to fill this gap.
As you know, WDMyCloud is an excellent file storage service; I personally use it for family backup. It’s very convenient when all your files are copied to one place from all your devices, no matter where you are. You can activate the DLNA server on WDMyCloud and watch it on your TV, for example, showing and sharing photos with friends and relatives. Sorting is done conveniently, you can almost immediately find the photo you need. I don’t advertise, I’m just sharing my impressions of this device, which satisfies all my needs and, mind you, for a reasonable price.
First, I’ll tell you a little about how your files are synchronized on WDMyCloud.
There is a program for a computer or laptop WDSync, by installing which you can easily specify which folders to synchronize, add and remove folders for synchronization. The program is quite simple and user friendly.
At the same time, it is not at all necessary that the computer and WDMyCloud be on the same local network, they can be located on different ends of the world and synchronization will work, although for this you need to register on the website http://www.mycloud.com/ and add your device there .
I will not describe the installation process and how to use the program; I will only provide a picture that shows which folders are synchronized by default when installing the program.
For smartphones you need to install the program MyCloud. There is one notable feature: you can copy documents to the cloud from this program; unfortunately, a large volume of files cannot be copied through it. About 20-30 photos and a couple of videos at a time, otherwise the program will freeze or refuse to copy. You can copy the entire folder, but not all files are copied, there may be some kind of bug in the program.
I’ll tell you a little why I chose the cloud. OneDrive than GoogleDrive or DropBox
1. WebDav protocol support. GoogleDrive does not have direct support.
2. Disk capacity. My OneDrive is 1Tb, and it's practically free since I purchased Office 365, another plus in favor of OneDrive.
3. Copying files. When the MyCloud program copies files to the GoogleDrive cloud, then when copying identical files, the program creates the same file with the same name, so you get not one file on the cloud, but two files with the same content; when copying to DropBox, a new file appears with a different name. This situation may arise if you want to update a directory on the cloud, because locally you have new files in this directory and you would like to add them to the directory on the cloud, then you will not only be able to add new files, but also duplicate old ones , which significantly increases the amount of occupied space on cloud storage. I am not happy with this situation. When copying files to OneDrive, duplicates are not created, which is why I chose OneDrive cloud storage.
Essential minus with such copying, this means that when copying the same files repeatedly, the MyCloud program copies all the files each time again, rather than skipping existing files in the cloud, which rather delays the copying process and affects traffic. Not suitable for the synchronization process, but that’s what we are trying to achieve.
To summarize, I want to say that this method, “ synchronization» files to the cloud via the MyCloud program no good. How to copy a small number of files - YES, how to synchronize - NO. But it’s still better than nothing at all and you can quickly upload fresh photos to the cloud.
Now I'll show you how it's done. I’ll show you using the OneDrive cloud storage as an example, I already have it installed on my phone, other cloud storages are similar. There are currently three cloud storages in the program: OneDrive, DropBox, GoogleDrive. 
One more thing you should remember. The MyCloud program does not have an autorun function on smartphones, so if you turned off or rebooted your phone, you need to launch the program to start synchronizing files with the WDMyCloud device, or add the application to autorun if your OS supports it.
As an option, you can try synchronizing folders using the OneDrive desktop client. But I’ll tell you right away that this option will not work, since you will not be able to specify a network folder as a synchronization source. This option is rejected. In principle, you can make sure that files are copied from WDMyCloud to the local OneDrive folder, which is already synchronized with the cloud, but this is masochism, I don’t even want to discuss it.
If you have read this far, then you are really interested in how to organize file synchronization from your cloud storage.
The method that I want to propose is not the most ideal, but nevertheless effective and has a right to exist. I will describe the pros and cons of this method below.
Let's start preparing.
1. We will need a computer that is on the same local network as WDMyCloud.
2. Program Allway Sync(http://allwaysync.com), the program is free, has a Russian interface.
Connecting WDMyCloud as a network drive (example for Windows 7: connecting a network drive) 
We have connected our WDMyCloud directory Public like a disk Z:
Now install the Allway Sync program and configure it. When installing the program, do not forget to check the box " Install Service for the synchronizer" This will help us a lot when creating a task scheduler. In the following figure we set up a connection to the OneDrive cloud (step 1). Enter your login password, if everything is correct, you will see the following message: OAuth tokens successfully received.
I don’t need the synchronization to be copied directly to the root directory of the cloud; to do this, click the “ Tune", then the button " Review" and Select a folder, in my case it is " WD MyCloud", if necessary, you can create your own folder, which is very convenient.
Someone may notice that OneDrive cloud storage can be connected as another network drive using the Webdav protocol. And simply use any file manager to copy the data to the cloud. Can. But I once again emphasize that we are setting up synchronization, where, having set it up once, we conveniently forgot about it and only check from time to time how everything is going.
In the next step, we indicated our OneDrive cloud storage on the left, and on the right we connected our WDMyCloud device, which we connected as drive Z:
Now we set up synchronization. 
Click on the button " Change"(marked with a red square), you will see a new window where you can set the synchronization direction. These and other functions can then be changed in the settings of our task.
And so, I chose one-way synchronization, without repeating file deletions and file changes.
What does it mean:
I assume that I will not change documents, and these are primarily photographs and videos, so I will not track file changes.
Since my WDMyCloud collects photos and videos from all devices, I do not delete photos from it, so I assume that my cloud will be one to one with my WDMyCloud
By disabling these two options, I significantly speed up the synchronization process. You may need these functions; here everyone decides for himself what to keep and what not.
Now we set it up so that the program itself works without our participation. To do this, go to the advanced settings of our task. Menu-> Task-> Properties
I highly recommend going through all the settings of the task, each function is described in great detail, everything is in Russian, everything is extremely clear. After we have saved the settings, in the main program window, the inscription should change to “ Auto-sync mode enabled»
We have everything ready, press the button " Analyze", then " Synchronize" The first time the synchronization process will be long, then the program itself will track the changes and copy them to the cloud.
There is one note, I set it up so that the program will check for changes once a day, so the program starts counting after the last successful synchronization, and the time will constantly shift. That is, the task will not be executed at 15:00, when you created this task, but the countdown will begin after the task has been successfully completed.
I don't insist on the program Allway Sync, there are other analogues, but this program seemed to me the easiest to use, has support for the Russian language, and is functional enough for convenient file synchronization as we need it. Another important detail is that the program has auto-start and can run as a service and can launch tasks on a schedule.
Disadvantages of this approach:
Onedrive is smaller than WDMyCloud 1Tb drive<3Tb, т.е. при превышении объема занятого пространства на моем WDMyCloud больше 1Тб, я уже не смогу синхронизировать файлы. К счастью по моим подсчетам ближайшие 2-3 года мне это точно не грозит.
The computer must be turned on, so it is better to use either a desktop or a nettop for this, since the laptop can be constantly on the go.
Tags: WD My Cloud, OneDrive, Allway Sync
Do it your way
Password protection
A place to centrally store and organize all your data
Impressive capacity for centralized home storage of photos, videos and files from all your phones, tablets, computers and external drives. Simply connect the device to your Wi-Fi router and complete the setup using your smartphone. Without a computer. No monthly subscription fee.
Desktop synchronization
Keep your favorite folders on your PC and Mac always in sync with your My Cloud Home device.
Seamless video playback from anywhere
With the My Cloud Home mobile and desktop apps and MyCloud.com, you can play your videos on any device, anywhere.
My Cloud Home Duo - twice as reliable
Each My Cloud Home Duo drive features two hard drives in RAID 1, so all your photos, videos, and other files are stored on one drive and automatically copied to a second drive for added peace of mind.
Search function to quickly find the files you need
Easily search the My Cloud Home mobile and desktop apps and MyCloud.com to help you quickly find the photos, videos, movies, and documents you need.
Separate closed space for each user
Encourage family members and friends to create individual accounts. Each invited user can set up a separate private space on their device that only they can access. Such user will be able to manage, access and share their content as they wish.
Do it your way
Customize My Cloud™ Home with Dropbox™ or Google Drive, Sonos smart speaker compatibility, Google Chromecast and Plex Media Server™ streaming.
Upload from a cloud service to centrally store all data
All your data can be stored in one place, even the contents of your cloud accounts. Photos, videos, and other files from your cloud accounts, including Dropbox, Box, Google Drive™, Facebook, and more, are automatically downloaded to your My Cloud Home device. 1
Automatically backup data from all home PCs and Macs
My Cloud Home has massive capacity and connects to your network to wirelessly back up data from every computer in your home to one central location. It works seamlessly with Windows backup software and Time Machine.
Password protection
Protect all your content from prying eyes by setting a unique password for your My Cloud Home account, and use passcode and touch ID protection for your My Cloud Home mobile app.
A place to centrally store and organize all your data
Impressive capacity for centralized home storage of photos, videos and files from all your phones, tablets, computers and external drives. Simply connect the device to your Wi-Fi router and complete the setup using your smartphone. Without a computer. No monthly subscription fee.
Desktop synchronization
Keep your favorite folders on your PC and Mac always in sync with your My Cloud Home device.
Seamless video playback from anywhere
With the My Cloud Home mobile and desktop apps and MyCloud.com, you can play your videos on any device, anywhere.
My Cloud Home Duo - twice as reliable
Each My Cloud Home Duo drive features two hard drives in RAID 1, so all your photos, videos, and other files are stored on one drive and automatically copied to a second drive for added peace of mind.
Search function to quickly find the files you need
Easily search the My Cloud Home mobile and desktop apps and MyCloud.com to help you quickly find the photos, videos, movies, and documents you need.
Separate closed space for each user
Encourage family members and friends to create individual accounts. Each invited user can set up a separate private space on their device that only they can access. Such user will be able to manage, access and share their content as they wish.
Do it your way
Customize My Cloud™ Home with Dropbox™ or Google Drive, Sonos smart speaker compatibility, Google Chromecast and Plex Media Server™ streaming.
Upload from a cloud service to centrally store all data
All your data can be stored in one place, even the contents of your cloud accounts. Photos, videos, and other files from your cloud accounts, including Dropbox, Box, Google Drive™, Facebook, and more, are automatically downloaded to your My Cloud Home device. 1
Automatically backup data from all home PCs and Macs
My Cloud Home has massive capacity and connects to your network to wirelessly back up data from every computer in your home to one central location. It works seamlessly with Windows backup software and Time Machine.
Password protection
Protect all your content from prying eyes by setting a unique password for your My Cloud Home account, and use passcode and touch ID protection for your My Cloud Home mobile app.
A place to centrally store and organize all your data
Impressive capacity for centralized home storage of photos, videos and files from all your phones, tablets, computers and external drives. Simply connect the device to your Wi-Fi router and complete the setup using your smartphone. Without a computer. No monthly subscription fee.
Desktop synchronization
Keep your favorite folders on your PC and Mac always in sync with your My Cloud Home device.
Seamless video playback from anywhere
With the My Cloud Home mobile and desktop apps and MyCloud.com, you can play your videos on any device, anywhere.
My Cloud Home Duo - twice as reliable
Each My Cloud Home Duo drive features two hard drives in RAID 1, so all your photos, videos, and other files are stored on one drive and automatically copied to a second drive for added peace of mind.
Search function to quickly find the files you need
Easily search the My Cloud Home mobile and desktop apps and MyCloud.com to help you quickly find the photos, videos, movies, and documents you need.
Separate closed space for each user
Encourage family members and friends to create individual accounts. Each invited user can set up a separate private space on their device that only they can access. Such user will be able to manage, access and share their content as they wish.
Do it your way
Customize My Cloud™ Home with Dropbox™ or Google Drive, Sonos smart speaker compatibility, Google Chromecast and Plex Media Server™ streaming.
Upload from a cloud service to centrally store all data
All your data can be stored in one place, even the contents of your cloud accounts. Photos, videos, and other files from your cloud accounts, including Dropbox, Box, Google Drive™, Facebook, and more, are automatically downloaded to your My Cloud Home device. 1
Automatically backup data from all home PCs and Macs
My Cloud Home has massive capacity and connects to your network to wirelessly back up data from every computer in your home to one central location. It works seamlessly with Windows backup software and Time Machine.
Password protection
Protect all your content from prying eyes by setting a unique password for your My Cloud Home account, and use passcode and touch ID protection for your My Cloud Home mobile app.
A place to centrally store and organize all your data
Impressive capacity for centralized home storage of photos, videos and files from all your phones, tablets, computers and external drives. Simply connect the device to your Wi-Fi router and complete the setup using your smartphone. Without a computer. No monthly subscription fee.
Desktop synchronization
Keep your favorite folders on your PC and Mac always in sync with your My Cloud Home device.
Seamless video playback from anywhere
With the My Cloud Home mobile and desktop apps and MyCloud.com, you can play your videos on any device, anywhere.
My Cloud Home Duo - twice as reliable
Each My Cloud Home Duo drive features two hard drives in RAID 1, so all your photos, videos, and other files are stored on one drive and automatically copied to a second drive for added peace of mind.
Search function to quickly find the files you need
Easily search the My Cloud Home mobile and desktop apps and MyCloud.com to help you quickly find the photos, videos, movies, and documents you need.
Separate closed space for each user
Encourage family members and friends to create individual accounts. Each invited user can set up a separate private space on their device that only they can access. Such user will be able to manage, access and share their content as they wish.
Do it your way
Customize My Cloud™ Home with Dropbox™ or Google Drive, Sonos smart speaker compatibility, Google Chromecast and Plex Media Server™ streaming.
Upload from a cloud service to centrally store all data
All your data can be stored in one place, even the contents of your cloud accounts. Photos, videos, and other files from your cloud accounts, including Dropbox, Box, Google Drive™, Facebook, and more, are automatically downloaded to your My Cloud Home device. 1
Automatically backup data from all home PCs and Macs
My Cloud Home has massive capacity and connects to your network to wirelessly back up data from every computer in your home to one central location. It works seamlessly with Windows backup software and Time Machine.
Password protection
Protect all your content from prying eyes by setting a unique password for your My Cloud Home account, and use passcode and touch ID protection for your My Cloud Home mobile app.
A place to centrally store and organize all your data
Impressive capacity for centralized home storage of photos, videos and files from all your phones, tablets, computers and external drives. Simply connect the device to your Wi-Fi router and complete the setup using your smartphone. Without a computer. No monthly subscription fee.
Desktop synchronization
Keep your favorite folders on your PC and Mac always in sync with your My Cloud Home device.
Seamless video playback from anywhere
With the My Cloud Home mobile and desktop apps and MyCloud.com, you can play your videos on any device, anywhere.
My Cloud Home Duo - twice as reliable
Each My Cloud Home Duo drive features two hard drives in RAID 1, so all your photos, videos, and other files are stored on one drive and automatically copied to a second drive for added peace of mind.
Search function to quickly find the files you need
Easily search the My Cloud Home mobile and desktop apps and MyCloud.com to help you quickly find the photos, videos, movies, and documents you need.
Separate closed space for each user
Encourage family members and friends to create individual accounts. Each invited user can set up a separate private space on their device that only they can access. Such user will be able to manage, access and share their content as they wish.
Do it your way
Customize My Cloud™ Home with Dropbox™ or Google Drive, Sonos smart speaker compatibility, Google Chromecast and Plex Media Server™ streaming.
Upload from a cloud service to centrally store all data
All your data can be stored in one place, even the contents of your cloud accounts. Photos, videos, and other files from your cloud accounts, including Dropbox, Box, Google Drive™, Facebook, and more, are automatically downloaded to your My Cloud Home device. 1
Automatically backup data from all home PCs and Macs
My Cloud Home has massive capacity and connects to your network to wirelessly back up data from every computer in your home to one central location. It works seamlessly with Windows backup software and Time Machine.
Password protection
Protect all your content from prying eyes by setting a unique password for your My Cloud Home account, and use passcode and touch ID protection for your My Cloud Home mobile app.
A place to centrally store and organize all your data
Impressive capacity for centralized home storage of photos, videos and files from all your phones, tablets, computers and external drives. Simply connect the device to your Wi-Fi router and complete the setup using your smartphone. Without a computer. No monthly subscription fee.
Desktop synchronization
Keep your favorite folders on your PC and Mac always in sync with your My Cloud Home device.
Seamless video playback from anywhere
With the My Cloud Home mobile and desktop apps and MyCloud.com, you can play your videos on any device, anywhere.
My Cloud Home Duo - twice as reliable
Each My Cloud Home Duo drive features two hard drives in RAID 1, so all your photos, videos, and other files are stored on one drive and automatically copied to a second drive for added peace of mind.
Search function to quickly find the files you need
Easily search the My Cloud Home mobile and desktop apps and MyCloud.com to help you quickly find the photos, videos, movies, and documents you need.
Separate closed space for each user
Encourage family members and friends to create individual accounts. Each invited user can set up a separate private space on their device that only they can access. Such user will be able to manage, access and share their content as they wish.
Do it your way
Customize My Cloud™ Home with Dropbox™ or Google Drive, Sonos smart speaker compatibility, Google Chromecast and Plex Media Server™ streaming.
Upload from a cloud service to centrally store all data
All your data can be stored in one place, even the contents of your cloud accounts. Photos, videos, and other files from your cloud accounts, including Dropbox, Box, Google Drive™, Facebook, and more, are automatically downloaded to your My Cloud Home device. 1
Automatically backup data from all home PCs and Macs
My Cloud Home has massive capacity and connects to your network to wirelessly back up data from every computer in your home to one central location. It works seamlessly with Windows backup software and Time Machine.
Password protection
Protect all your content from prying eyes by setting a unique password for your My Cloud Home account, and use passcode and touch ID protection for your My Cloud Home mobile app.
A place to centrally store and organize all your data
Impressive capacity for centralized home storage of photos, videos and files from all your phones, tablets, computers and external drives. Simply connect the device to your Wi-Fi router and complete the setup using your smartphone. Without a computer. No monthly subscription fee.
Desktop synchronization
Keep your favorite folders on your PC and Mac always in sync with your My Cloud Home device.
Seamless video playback from anywhere
With the My Cloud Home mobile and desktop apps and MyCloud.com, you can play your videos on any device, anywhere.
My Cloud Home Duo - twice as reliable
Each My Cloud Home Duo drive features two hard drives in RAID 1, so all your photos, videos, and other files are stored on one drive and automatically copied to a second drive for added peace of mind.
Search function to quickly find the files you need
Easily search the My Cloud Home mobile and desktop apps and MyCloud.com to help you quickly find the photos, videos, movies, and documents you need.
Separate closed space for each user
Encourage family members and friends to create individual accounts. Each invited user can set up a separate private space on their device that only they can access. Such user will be able to manage, access and share their content as they wish.
Do it your way
Customize My Cloud™ Home with Dropbox™ or Google Drive, Sonos smart speaker compatibility, Google Chromecast and Plex Media Server™ streaming.
Upload from a cloud service to centrally store all data
All your data can be stored in one place, even the contents of your cloud accounts. Photos, videos, and other files from your cloud accounts, including Dropbox, Box, Google Drive™, Facebook, and more, are automatically downloaded to your My Cloud Home device. 1
Automatically backup data from all home PCs and Macs
My Cloud Home has massive capacity and connects to your network to wirelessly back up data from every computer in your home to one central location. It works seamlessly with Windows backup software and Time Machine.
Password protection
Protect all your content from prying eyes by setting a unique password for your My Cloud Home account, and use passcode and touch ID protection for your My Cloud Home mobile app.
A place to centrally store and organize all your data
Impressive capacity for centralized home storage of photos, videos and files from all your phones, tablets, computers and external drives. Simply connect the device to your Wi-Fi router and complete the setup using your smartphone. Without a computer. No monthly subscription fee.
Desktop synchronization
Keep your favorite folders on your PC and Mac always in sync with your My Cloud Home device.
Seamless video playback from anywhere
With the My Cloud Home mobile and desktop apps and MyCloud.com, you can play your videos on any device, anywhere.
My Cloud Home Duo - twice as reliable
Each My Cloud Home Duo drive features two hard drives in RAID 1, so all your photos, videos, and other files are stored on one drive and automatically copied to a second drive for added peace of mind.
Search function to quickly find the files you need
Easily search the My Cloud Home mobile and desktop apps and MyCloud.com to help you quickly find the photos, videos, movies, and documents you need.
Separate closed space for each user
Encourage family members and friends to create individual accounts. Each invited user can set up a separate private space on their device that only they can access. Such user will be able to manage, access and share their content as they wish.
Do it your way
Customize My Cloud™ Home with Dropbox™ or Google Drive, Sonos smart speaker compatibility, Google Chromecast and Plex Media Server™ streaming.
Upload from a cloud service to centrally store all data
All your data can be stored in one place, even the contents of your cloud accounts. Photos, videos, and other files from your cloud accounts, including Dropbox, Box, Google Drive™, Facebook, and more, are automatically downloaded to your My Cloud Home device. 1
Automatically backup data from all home PCs and Macs
My Cloud Home has massive capacity and connects to your network to wirelessly back up data from every computer in your home to one central location. It works seamlessly with Windows backup software and Time Machine.
Password protection
Protect all your content from prying eyes by setting a unique password for your My Cloud Home account, and use passcode and touch ID protection for your My Cloud Home mobile app.
Hard drive manufacturers have long turned their attention to external drives based on hard drives, which allow them to expand the range of products offered to the market and provide additional profit.
In the home devices segment, WD previously offered two models with one and two hard drives, respectively. It’s interesting that they turned out to be real “long-livers” - the My Book Live review was published by us three years ago, and we tested the two-disc My Book Live Duo a year later.
At the beginning of 2014, the company decided to significantly update this line, and today we will get acquainted with one of the three new products. Note that the changes affected both the hardware platform of the device and the built-in software.
WD My Cloud is available on the market in versions with a 2, 3 or 4 TB hard drive. The device has a white body color and a design familiar from previous models. It uses a dual-core processor and has a USB 3.0 port. In terms of firmware, the company tried to simplify work with the drive and implement simple remote access setup.
Delivery set and appearance
The device comes in a beautifully designed cardboard box in blue tones. It's a pity that there was no place for a plastic handle for easy transportation. The packaging contains a photo of the drive, technical specifications, system requirements and delivery kit. Note that in our case, only a short list of device features was Russified.
In the box, the user will find the drive itself, an external 12 V 1.5 A power supply with replaceable plugs, a network patch cord, warranty service conditions, a getting started leaflet and a description of the process of transferring data from the user’s existing USB drive to a network device.
On the company's website you can download firmware updates, utilities for Windows and Mac OS, and an electronic version of the user manual. The device has a two-year warranty.
The drive is compatible with Windows XP and Mac OS 10.6 and older operating systems. To access data, you can use all popular versions of browsers, including FireFox, Chrome, Internet Explorer, Safari.
The case in its design and dimensions (49x140x170 mm) differs little from its predecessors. It is designed for vertical installation only. For this model, white plastic was chosen as the main material. The surfaces of this color are glossy. The top, back and bottom surfaces are light silver and matte. Note that they are covered with passive ventilation holes. There is no fan inside the case.
Four rubber feet provide stability to the drive. On the front side there is a small silver insert with a logo, model name and a multi-color status indicator, which glows blue when in working order. Interestingly, there is an option to turn it off in the settings.
On the back there is a hidden reset button, a USB 3.0 port, a gigabit network port with built-in indicators, a power supply input and a Kensington lock. Note that there is no power switch, and the case does not allow user access to the disk. But if desired or necessary, you can open it.
Design and hardware characteristics
The drive is based on the Mindspeed Comcerto 2000 platform. It uses SoC M86261, which has two ARMv7 cores operating at 650 MHz. The RAM capacity is 256 MB, and a 512 MB flash memory chip is provided for the firmware image. A SATA controller, network adapter and USB 3.0 controller are included in the main processor.
All components are assembled on one printed circuit board. The processor has only a metal cover. There is no obvious console connector on the board, but there are many unlabeled pads. We note that there is space for installing a miniPCIe connector; perhaps the manufacturer plans to use it to install a wireless module.
The board is fixed to the hard drive and this “sandwich” is installed in a plastic case using rubber inserts. Our copy was equipped with a WD20EFRX hard drive of the WD Red series with a capacity of 2 TB. Thanks to the cold nature of this series, the drive uses passive cooling. Unfortunately, the Web interface does not provide an indication of the temperature value, but, judging by the documentation, in case of overheating the user receives a warning. Testing has shown that at room temperature and high load, the hard drive does not heat up above 45 degrees.
The data partition uses the EXT4 file system, and the operating system is located on a separate 2 GB hard drive partition.
The most significant difference from its predecessor is the presence of a USB 3.0 port. In addition, it is worth noting the higher performance of the platform, although you need to look at the real speed numbers, since it also depends on the firmware.
The last drawback noted in the previous article - the lack of a power switch on the case - has migrated to the new product. Of course, network drives do not require frequent power off, however, in our opinion, it was worth implementing this feature, since it is not always convenient to use network access from a PC or mobile device for this operation.
The drive was tested with firmware version v03.04.01-219.
Assembly and configuration
After connecting the network cable and turning on the power, the device automatically receives an address from the router and becomes available on the network under the host name wdmycloud. Access to data over the local network works immediately without any settings. But to fully use the device’s functions and access settings, you will need to register and create an account in the appropriate service. However, the process is simplified as much as possible - you just need to indicate your first name, last name and email address, open the sent link to confirm your email address and come up with a password. A similar procedure can be carried out through a Web browser for Android or iOS. In addition, you can use the special WD My Cloud Setup utility for Windows and Mac OS for setup.
Additionally, the company offers the WD Discovery program for Windows, which can help with searching for a device on the network and performing some operations with it (for example, opening shared resources) and a similar in function, but slightly outdated, WD Quick View for Windows/Mac OS. In general, the use of external utilities is not required to implement device functions.
The web interface for setting up the device has changed compared to previous models, but in general its organization remains similar. The quality of localization is not bad, although errors do occur. Many items have built-in tips and a general help system. The interface works on standard ports 80 and 443 (HTTPS); unfortunately, they cannot be changed.
On the start page, the user has access to basic information about the status of the drive, including free space, a general diagnostic result, data on the number of users and shared resources. From most points there are links to the corresponding pages with extended data (for example, the distribution of recorded files by type).
At the top of the window there are icons for going to settings for users, resources, cloud services, Safepoints and system settings. The drive allows you to program the required number of users. The lack of group support and domain integration for the home model is not significant. The automatic creation of a resource with a username and full access for everyone seemed a little strange.
By default, the drive has Public, SmartWare and TimeMachineBackup shared folders; in addition, the administrator can create new ones. All these resources are initially configured for access without restrictions. If necessary, you can disable this mode (except for the Public folder) and grant certain rights to each user. The folder options also have a switch to include files from them in the indexing of DLNA and iTunes servers.
Since the device has only one hard drive, the question of creating a backup copy of it will be of interest to many users. For this, the company has provided Safepoints technology - creating copies of data from the device on local USB drives or shared resources on the local network, such as other network drives. In this case, not only user data is recorded, but also the settings of the device itself. The service has the ability to create several copying tasks, in each of which you can select a recipient and set a schedule (manual mode, daily, weekly or monthly). But you cannot select only part of the source data. The first copy is complete, and subsequent copies affect only changed files. Note that no special formats are used to store data, so if necessary, you can access copies using standard methods and get the files you need.
All other, less frequently used system settings are collected in the “Settings” section. The “Basic” page allows you to change the device’s network name, set the built-in clock, disable support for cloud access and the Time Machine service, configure the disk to turn off when there is no user activity, and turn off the LED indicator. However, it is worth noting that if the hard drive is disconnected, there may be problems with remote access from the mobile application - the disk does not always turn on.
The network connection settings are standard - there is DHCP support and you can switch the device to manual IP address assignment mode. The device does not support Jumbo Frames. On the same page you can change the name of the working group, enable support for the FTP protocol and access to the console via SSH. Please note that the FTP server only works with authorization; anonymous access is not provided. Note the support for passive mode and UTF8 encoding. Unfortunately, there is no way to change port numbers.
It is worth noting that the system supports not only SMB/CIFS and FTP protocols, but also AFP and NFS. The first will be useful for users of Apple computers, and the second may be useful for Linux supporters. True, there are no settings for them; in particular, NFS access works immediately to the entire drive without any restrictions. According to information from the company, the ability to configure this protocol is implemented in older models of the series.
The traditional set of system options includes resetting, saving and restoring the configuration, turning off and rebooting the drive, updating the firmware (from a file and in automatic mode). There is also a device diagnostic function. Most likely, in this case we are talking about using the capabilities of S.M.A.R.T. technology, but you cannot view the current state of the parameters from the Web interface.
The drive does not provide for storing a complete and detailed event log, but you can see a list of recent notifications by looking at the bell icon at the top of the page. You can use email to send messages to the administrator. You can add up to five recipient addresses to the list and select the same warning level for all. Conveniently, there is no need to configure a server to send messages - the device uses the manufacturer’s own services.
Remote access
To implement remote access to files from a PC, the wd2go.com portal is used, through which you can see all the devices registered in your account. Interestingly, the actual work with documents is done by mounting folders to the local computer via the WebDAV protocol, and not directly through the browser. The advantage of this solution is their direct accessibility from any program on the PC. However, in our opinion, this option still does not allow using a remote disk with the same load as a local one. Perhaps it would be worth implementing the version of a file manager in the browser or special clients familiar from other devices.
As another remote access solution, there is the proprietary WD My Cloud program for Windows and Mac OS operating systems. It is a file manager for a network drive that works with both local and remote connections. There is no need to change settings when changing the connection type; you can use most standard operations, upload new files to the device using Drag-and-Drop, and create direct links to download documents for quick information exchange. Additional options include the option to turn off the drive's power.
If the router has an external address and supports UPnP for port translation, the speed of remote work with the drive is determined only by the capabilities of the user’s Internet channel. If these conditions are not met, then the device works through the company’s servers and the speed is significantly lower. In tests we saw numbers up to several megabits per second. So if you plan to intensively use the device remotely, we recommend trying to implement the first option. The connection status can be checked via the Web interface.
It is also worth noting that the model in question does not have the standard ability to access device settings via the Internet. Despite the configured port translation rules and the functionality of the cloud service, the Web interface remains inaccessible.
To solve the problem of access from mobile devices based on Android and iOS, the manufacturer offers two proprietary programs - WD My Cloud and WD Photos. You can add a new device to them in another way - create a special temporary code of a dozen digits through the drive’s Web interface and then enter it in the program. When you create a code, it is automatically linked to a specific user, so that he does not have to use any accounts to work from a smartphone or tablet.
The first utility is interesting because it supports not only WD network drives, but also cloud services Dropbox, Google Drive and SkyDrive. They can participate on equal terms in most document transactions. For example, with WD My Cloud, you can copy files from Google's cloud service to your NAS. It is also possible to exchange data with the local storage of a mobile device.
The program supports opening multimedia files directly from cloud storage. To do this, programs installed on the device are used, and for unsupported formats, you can try first downloading the file to a local disk and then using external utilities. There is also an operation for downloading documents from a smartphone or tablet. In the case of Android, you can use this operation for any files, and for iOS, only photos and videos from the standard gallery are downloaded.
WD Photos is generally similar to the utility described above, but only works with photos. It is possible to download files from the mobile device gallery to the device, but the program selects the download folder itself. At the same time, for the Android platform, the utility also supports automatic sending of new pictures and videos to the drive.
The WD 2go program can be used to work on the Windows Phone platform, but we did not have the opportunity to test it in action.
Please note that the performance of remote access services depends on the state of the manufacturer’s servers. Without their participation, the described utilities do not work. So, to increase the reliability of the connection, it is worth providing backup options, for example, through a VPN server in the router or an FTP server in the network storage device.
External devices
The drive is equipped with one USB 3.0 port, which significantly expands its capabilities compared to its predecessor. This port can be used to connect external drives to expand the available capacity or back up data. There is no support for printers or other devices in this model. Together with an active USB hub, you can connect up to seven external drives.
Disks can have multiple partitions. File systems supported are FAT32, NTFS, EXT2/3/4, HFS+, XFS. After connecting, each section is published on the network under its own name and access for all users without restrictions. It is also included in the media server indexing. This can be changed if necessary. After reconnecting the disk, the rights are retained.
To safely disconnect external drives, there is a corresponding item in the Web interface.
Additional features and enhancements
The network storage device has built-in DLNA and iTunes servers. The user can select the folders required for indexing, as well as disable services if they are not required. Scanning of new files is performed automatically, but manual launch of this procedure is also possible.
The DLNA server is provided by TwonkyMedia 7.2.6. Note that the user has access to his settings interface, which can also be used to access media files from the browser. The list of indexed formats includes jpeg, bmp, tiff, png, mp3, m4a, aac, flac, avi, m2ts, m4v, mkv, mov, mp4, mpeg, ts and other popular options. For different types of content, indexing is provided by date, album, tags and folders. Testing together with an LG smart TV showed that this service can be used to watch high-quality FullHD video, including BD-remix format. The iTunes service uses music recordings in mp3, m4a, aac and other formats. With the current version of the program on a PC, the service was quite functional. The server settings have the ability to selectively block client access to files.
The drive supports work with standard Windows 7/8 and Mac OS (Time Machine) backup systems. Additionally, for Windows operating systems, the WD SmartWare program is offered, which has two options for selecting source data, scheduling settings, and a mode for constantly tracking changes, similar to Time Machine. Note that My Cloud buyers are provided with three licenses for the professional version of the utility, which features DropBox support and an expanded range of compatible external hard drives.
Like its predecessor, the model of the network drive under consideration provides access to the console of the embedded operating system via ssh. If you have some experience, this allows you to expand the set of functions of the device, for example, install a transmission module for downloading files from p2p networks.
Performance
Network access speed testing was carried out using the Intel NASPT program. We used our standard templates and a standard WD20EFRX hard drive. The client was a modern PC running a 64-bit version of Windows 8.1 and an Intel I350-T2 network card. The devices were connected via a D-Link DGS-3200-10 switch. Additionally, the graph shows the performance results of the WD10EFRX hard drive adapter connected to the drive via USB 3.0-SATA with NTFS and EXT4 file systems.
Working with an internal hard drive is expected to be faster than working with an external one, but the differences are relatively small. All options provide single-threaded read speeds of 80-90 MB/s, which can be considered an excellent result for this class of models. Sequential recording is slower - at a speed of 40-60 MB/s. However, these figures are also typical for the initial segment of network drives with one or two hard drives. Patterns involving random writes are significantly slower, but in home use cases they are rare enough that this won't be a big problem.
Additionally, we checked the operation of the FTP server. Apparently this service has a lower priority, so you can write data to it at a speed of about 25 MB/s, and read files at a speed of about 45 MB/s. Similar results were obtained in the test of working with a computer running Mac OS X.
Compared to the previous generation of devices, performance has increased significantly. However, you need to understand that in single-tasking test scenarios only one processor core is running, and the second will help cope with multitasking load more efficiently.
conclusions
The entry-level network drive WD My Cloud is a successful continuation of the popular series and may be interesting in several respects. First of all, it is worth noting the relatively low cost of the device. If we compare it with the hard drive itself, it turns out that at the time of writing, on average, an additional 1,400 rubles were asked for a “box” for 2 and 3 TB models, and for a 4 TB modification, the difference is less than 1,000 rubles. Like its predecessor, the reviewed drive boasts a beautiful and practical case, the quality of which has no complaints. By the way, it is worth noting that there is no fan, which is the key to quiet operation.
The hardware platform received a new dual-core processor, which increased the speed of work in scenarios for reading and writing files over the network. But a more significant change seems to be the USB 3.0 port installed on the device, which allows, if necessary, to increase the storage capacity and expand its capabilities.
The new firmware version supports SMB/CIFS, AFP, FTP and NFS network access protocols. In addition, it implements a new way to remotely work with the device from computers and mobile devices. Branded software clients also play a significant role in this. We haven’t forgotten about DLNA and iTunes media services.
Despite the relatively small set of features compared to more expensive devices in the home segment, WD My Cloud can be useful for the mass home user who requires accessible storage for work files, backups and a multimedia library. At the same time, simple setup of remote access allows you not only to use the drive remotely with mobile devices, but also to exchange files with friends.
We thank the company and agency 2L
for the network storage device provided for testing
We thank the company
for the equipment provided for testing
We thank the company
for the switch provided for testing
Western Digital invited me to try out the 4TB My Cloud cloud network storage device.
On the computer, My Cloud is visible as another regular disk. In addition, it can be accessed from anywhere on the Internet through a browser. It is possible to automatically backup files from your computer and smartphone to this disk. My Cloud also works as a DLNA server, iTunes server and Time Machine for Apple devices.
The kit includes a drive, a 12 V 1.5 A power supply, and an Ethernet cable.
On the front panel of the drive there is only a two-color status LED, on the rear panel there are power connectors, 1 Gbit Ethernet, USB 3.0 for connecting additional external drives, a Reset button hole and a Kensington lock.
The drive comes with perhaps the shortest instructions I've ever seen.
All you need to do to set up the drive is turn it on, connect to your local network and register on the MyCloud website. There is no need to configure anything, no need to register IP addresses. Everything happens automatically. Magic!
Immediately after installation, a WDMYCLOUD device appears on the network with shared access to the Public, SmartWare, and TimeMachineBackup folders. Of course, you can create a folder with any other name. If you assign a network drive to one of these folders, another drive letter will appear on your computer, and you can access that drive just like a regular drive.
First of all, I checked how fast the network drive works when connected directly to a computer via a gigabit network.
Everything is fine - access speed is about 100 Megabytes per second. An external drive is only slightly slower than a local hard drive.
When you connect a flash drive or external hard drive to the USB connector, another shared folder appears.
I tested the speed of accessing a USB 3.0 2TB external hard drive via a drive over the network.
On the left is the speed when directly connected to a computer’s USB 3.0, on the right is via a MyCloud drive.
The speed when working through the drive decreases, but still remains quite high.
For the sake of experimentation, I connected two external hard drives to the drive via a USB 3.0 hub. It works, but there is a slight lack of power - one of the external drives sometimes stops. If you use a powered hub, everything will work fine.
Drive web interface.
The cloud interface on mycloud.com is very simple.
But despite its simplicity, it has everything you need - you can upload files to the drive, you can download files from the drive, and if there are several files, they are automatically packed into a zip archive and the archive file is downloaded. There is a convenient viewing of photos.
The MyCloud mobile application allows you to access any files stored on the drive from your smartphone, and also automatically backs up all photos and videos from your smartphone to the drive. If the automatic copy function is enabled, as soon as the smartphone connects to WiFi, all new photos and videos are downloaded to the drive.
The PC application “WD Sync” allows you to synchronize any folders on your computer with the drive. Firstly, this makes it possible to always have an automatic backup copy of all important data, secondly, to have access to file versions and deleted files, and thirdly, to have access from the Internet to copies of the necessary files from the computer even when the computer is turned off.
MyCloud drive can work as DLNA and iTunes servers, as well as TimeMachine for Apple devices. MyCloud has a backup system to another similar drive, a system for automatically downloading any files from the Internet according to a schedule. Enthusiasts even install the Transmission torrent client into the drive.
MyCloud storage is designed for continuous 24/7 operation. Surprisingly, it does not have a shutdown function at all, and it perceives every disconnection from the outlet as an emergency and runs diagnostics when turned on again.
During operation, the upper part of the drive case heats up to 42° (at a room temperature of 26°).
In normal mode, the 4 terabyte MyCloud drive consumes 7 watts from the network. At the most expensive tariff (5.03 rubles/kWh), using the drive will cost 308 rubles per year or 25.7 rubles per month.
In power saving mode, when the drive is not accessed for a long time, it stops the hard drive and begins to consume 3 W. In this case, electricity to power it at the same tariff will cost 11 rubles per month.
I have two-tariff metering and an electric stove, so WD MyCloud will “spend” only 6 rubles a month on me.
WD MyCloud is available with 2, 3, 4 and 6 TB disks and costs from 9100/10100/11990/20000 rubles, respectively. The best price/volume ratio right now is the 4 terabyte model, which I tested.
Surprisingly, the price of WD MyCloud is only a thousand rubles more than the price of a WD Red drive installed in the drive. Thus, a full-fledged fast NAS with cloud capabilities costs almost nothing.
The WD MyCloud drive left a good impression - inexpensive, fast, and has a lot of additional features.
© 2016 Alexey Nadezhin
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