Peter, thank you very much for that link, it's pretty much exactly the level of sophistication I am looking for in my NAS. I'll put in an order.
Just so other people can benefit, for those of you looking for more advanced features and capacity, I read great things about the Synology DS209+ NAS server. Minus the harddrives, you can find them online new for around $315 US. If it was in my budget, I think that's where my money would go.
I also liked the Drobo setup, but I really am looking for extended capacity rather than true backup capability. The files I'm backing up are really more of a convenience thing rather than a work necessity. That said, the Drobo system seems like it would put my mind at ease if data backup was my main concern.
Thanks for the help everyone.
