Help! NAS or server?

I`ve got up to £600 to spend on NAS (Don`t really want to spend more than £400ish on the actual NAS, leaving me with £200 for the drives) and I don`t really have a clue!

I want to be able to configure the system in RAID 5.

I want to be able to use it as a print server.

It needs to be able to backup several computers.

I want to be able to set up password protected folders to enable the collection and deposit of potentially confidential projects - the persons must only be able to access their own specific folder.

It must be easy to configure and use - I don`t want to have to spend ages fiddling and other users might not have much in the way of IT skills.

I`ve looked at the four bay NAS units on Scan, but which to choose?

QNAP seem to be highly regarded, but I`m not sure that the lower models will be too slow.

The Drobos don`t appear to have LAN connections.

Edgestore NAS400?

Synology DS409+?

Netgear RND4000?


And then there`s the idea of buying a ProLiant server from Ebuyer and running Freenas......

But then are we back to fiddling and presumably higher electricity costs?

My brain is hurting, please help!

Are there no NAS gurus?

The last thread I ventured into went on for weeks;

http://forums.hexus.net/hexus-hardwa...erver-nas.html

This subject comes up almost weekly, have a look around ;)

Thanks