External Device Management

[sookibong]

So I think sometime this summer I will be ready to take the dive into tablets. I'm looking to eliminate my reliance on my PC as much as possible (ideally just going to wipe it out and only install a few select programs). I'm wondering if there are any Android apps (root or not) that allow me to manage an external hard drive through my device. That way I would be able to eliminate my PC for file transferring by USB or SD.