The touted as robust, external housing of My Passport Ultra seems to me rather thin and fragile, but as I said, I need it only for the home, so I do not care. Rubber feet on the bottom provide not slip and also protect it from scratches.
The hard disk can - after appropriate reformatting - are used without additional connection to the Airport Extreme. An automatic shut-off ensures that the My Passport Ultra automatically goes after a few minutes in the standby mode, recognizable by the slow blinking of the small white LED next to the socket. This not only saves power, but also keeps the noise levels within limits - two considerable factors for me, because the My Passport Ultra's turned permanently with me as a network hard drive. The hard drive is really quiet, you can hear no clickers and no clacking. However, it vibrates when it is switched noticeably, which in unfavorable substrates such as table tops results in an unpleasant noise. They also roars audible, but what I do not feel uncomfortable, but just wanted to say.
For data throughput I can not say anything further, because it is connected via USB 2.0 and connect via WLAN with my machine, which reduces the maximum achievable rates with security.
For reliability I also lack the information, because I have only been a few days. After all, Western Digital offers the My Passport Ultra a three year warranty on the hard disk and housing.
The offered by Western Digital software, see the My Passport Ultra I have also not tried. However, it is not easy to get. For this I had to the manufacturer's support page first create an account, in which, inter alia, a telephone number and address are mandatory. Why WD these details so absolutely necessary, is beyond me. Then the product must be registered with the serial number (Tip: this can be found both on the bottom of the hard disk and on the sticker on the packaging). Only after I arrived in the download section for the software. Since my desire was it however already passed.
