NAS Drives - who uses them and what benefits?

EOS_JD

EOS_JD

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Jim
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I've been looking for a backup system and somewhere I can access my files remotely.

I've currently got 13 hard drives and needed something to start sort out my system. My backup is usually manual - a few days after downloading off my cf cards. Just getting lazy!

Now I've bought a Synology DS410 but not 100% what I'll do with it other than stick some drives in it (4x 1Tb).

What's the best solution for backing data up? Should I still save locally? I will have a couple off site too for the important stuff.

I have over 1Tb of images alone from weddings/studio shoots etc. I also have a large music and video collection that would be useful to share around the home - but then I'm not sure what or how to do this.

how do you use your NAS? What is your RAID setup? Is it useful as local backup solution?

Spent the money now wondering what to do with it :)

thanks in advanvce
Jim
 
Anyone?
 
I have 3 NAS drives
main advantages:
- they're on without needing a computer
- everyone can see them
- quiter than a PC/Server
- very small
- dead easy to set up

I have 2 that are just plain drives

the important one is mirrored, so 2 500 Gb drives look like 500 Gb mirrored
the NAS sorts it all out
even emails me when it gets bored
It's an Iomega Storage Center

oh and we use it for backups!
 
first thing, do NOT use RAID as a backup solution as that is not what it is designed for.

ideally you want at least 2 physical copies of your data on 2 separate physical devices and store one of those off site.

i have a synology DS1010+ configured with 3x 2TB drives in RAID5 (giving about 3.2TB usable) and will (only just got it) backup to blu-ray disks which i am going to store off site. i also do have a couple of hard drives at work that have all of my photos.

if youre using a NAS you just plug it into your router then anyone can access it on your home network.
 
I use NAS at home

run RAID1 so both drives are mirrored, mine is connected to my router in the house and only switched on when i need it

i can then access it on my main computer (iMac) or around the house wirelessly on my iPad

works great, its easy to setup and configure to

I only run a 2 bay one at present but if you are running more drives you maybe able to setup better (RAID5 for instance) to give you more space to save work onto
 
I've set up two NAS drives now for friends to run Sonos music storage/retrieval systems but they get used for file storage and backup as well.

I'd have one myself but I've never managed to get my Linux netbook to share yet, when I do I'll take the plunge.
 
My NAS drive unit which replaced one that failed has also failed. The drives are fine but the NAS unit isn't.

These units use a variety Linux and format the drives to suit their own raid controller. So if I want to ever see the data again on those drives I will need to buy an identical NAS unit as that is the only way that they might work as stripe sizes or something varies from controller to controller.

The whole thing has put me off stand alone NAS units and I've gone back to having a PC that gets turned on just for backing up. At least if the PC goes wrong I can pull the drive and read in another computer.

The NAS was just backup so nothing lost... just aggravation.
 
RobertP said:
My NAS drive unit which replaced one that failed has also failed. The drives are fine but the NAS unit isn't.

These units use a variety Linux and format the drives to suit their own raid controller. So if I want to ever see the data again on those drives I will need to buy an identical NAS unit as that is the only way that they might work as stripe sizes or something varies from controller to controller.
Click to expand...

true, but most NAS manufacturers offer at least a 3-5 year warranty so you should be able to get a direct replacement in the event of hardware failure?

but yes like we say at least 2 copies of data for hardware failure/fire/theft etc :)
 
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I run a Synology DS408 with 4x1TB drives (currently migrating to 4x2TB drives but don't want to get them from the same batch). It is running RAID5 and I also keep an external backup in the boot of my car in a Peli case.

It means I can access data from any of the 3 laptops in the house or the desktop and remotely if needed. Also, I had a drive fail last week and just plugged a new one in.
 
Brilliant guys exactly what I was looking to hear. I actually purchased the Synology 410 4x bay drive and I've 2x 1Tb drives in it just now although I've not started putting any data on it yet.

The NAS will be my backup and I will be storing the data on another drive (although not remotely at the moment). I appreciate that I should store off site Neil but not just yet - I know it is a risk - Also I'm not going down the road of DVD/BluRay discs either - just too slow really.

Currently I have about 13x hard drives so may store some data on older drives to store off-site - that's probably my best solution.

What do you use the NAS for generally? THeSynology drives seem to do so much!!

Also with Synology they have Hybrid RAID. Did you consider that or is RAID5 better? 've created my volume but may change before I load the data.

Thanks for the help

Regards
Jim
 
I have my photo data (and my other important data) on my main processing machine. I use Acronis true image to constant backup my data to my NAS (does a check every 5 min when my computer is on and backs up if needed).

I also store my music on my NAS so that I can play it with any computer on my network (though don't setup the itunes server as it seems to make my macs not be able to see the NAS).

I also store my most common needed utilities on my NAS (Chrome install file, AVG install file etc....)

Have a look at transmition for your bit torrent needs.

I use Raid 5. And make sure you setup the network recycle bin on the NAS if you are going to use it as anything but pure backup so you can recover files you accidentally delete.
 
FranchiseJuan said:
I have my photo data (and my other important data) on my main processing machine. I use Acronis true image to constant backup my data to my NAS (does a check every 5 min when my computer is on and backs up if needed).

I also store my music on my NAS so that I can play it with any computer on my network (though don't setup the itunes server as it seems to make my macs not be able to see the NAS).

I also store my most common needed utilities on my NAS (Chrome install file, AVG install file etc....)

Have a look at transmition for your bit torrent needs.

I use Raid 5. And make sure you setup the network recycle bin on the NAS if you are going to use it as anything but pure backup so you can recover files you accidentally delete.
Click to expand...

Thanks for that. Kind of what I was thinking to do :)

Is raid 5 better than the Hybrid Raid? Normally I'm good with Tech but this networking stuff has be flummoxed :)
 
EOS_JD said:
Is raid 5 better than the Hybrid Raid? Normally I'm good with Tech but this networking stuff has be flummoxed :)
Click to expand...

I just did Raid 5 by default, as I have Raid 5 in my workstation as well (can't be too careful). If you use the NAS mainly as backup, then it should be plenty fast in that configuration. I hope you have Gigabit networking equipment.
 
My Lacie external RAID drive (FW800/400 & USB) failed this morning. After 30 minutes of messing about I eventually got it back but it first came back as 1 drive then 2. I think at least one of the drives is failing but they are IDE rather than SATA so looks like a complete new unit is coming. Luckily I had a spare drive and I have got the 1/4 million files off the drive onto a drive in one of the Mac Pro's bay.

So I'm doing it to..... Think it would be far more flexible if I get a unit capable of sitting on the network and on a computer.

These drive cases, do they allow simultaneous connection via say FW800 and gigabit networking ??

I want a quiet case capable of taking 2 x 2Tb drives or better still 4 x 2Tb drives with Gigabit or dual gigabit networking, web interface, FW800/400 & for emergencies USB2

If it is a big success it might replace the Xeon proliant server I am running FreeNAS on too.
 
cowasaki said:
My Lacie external RAID drive (FW800/400 & USB) failed this morning. After 30 minutes of messing about I eventually got it back but it first came back as 1 drive then 2. I think at least one of the drives is failing but they are IDE rather than SATA so looks like a complete new unit is coming. Luckily I had a spare drive and I have got the 1/4 million files off the drive onto a drive in one of the Mac Pro's bay.

So I'm doing it to..... Think it would be far more flexible if I get a unit capable of sitting on the network and on a computer.

These drive cases, do they allow simultaneous connection via say FW800 and gigabit networking ??

I want a quiet case capable of taking 2 x 2Tb drives or better still 4 x 2Tb drives with Gigabit or dual gigabit networking, web interface, FW800/400 & for emergencies USB2

If it is a big success it might replace the Xeon proliant server I am running FreeNAS on too.
Click to expand...

You might want to think about a drobo FS or if you really need firewire the S, or if you really want both then the pro. The benifit of a drobo is that it is raid on the fly, meaning you can mix and match drive sizes and still get the most storage space possible. Also you can add drives on the fly to increase the storage space. They are not cheap, but are very good.

For a more treditional NAS a Synology DS 411+ or the 5 bay 1010+. Problem with traditional NAS is that most won't let you just plug in a USB cable to get the data off.
 
Crumbs guys what do you do with 4Tb of storage space (unless you are a business doing weddings or something)?
When I first started with a PC (later than most probably) I put in a new and expensive 2 Gb drive which had the O/S copied to another partition for safety and I never managed to fill the disk.
I know that Micro$oft have increased the size of the O/S plus backup files to about 20 Gb but that still leaves 900 Gb for data in a 1 Tb system. How do you go about checking for duplicate files? Have you ever tried to restore your system when M$oft doesn't work anymore?
My simple belief is that backing up 4Tb is impossible so I work on the principle that I can always rebuild one of my systems from component parts of others.
The only true NAS that I have used was a Buffalo 160Gb single drive that I used as a music server which worked flawlessly for two years with only the occasional reboot for power cuts.
I built my own NAS type box out of PC components for about a third of the cost of a commercial box and I run Ubuntu because I like to have the flexibility of a full O/S. Does everything I need/want and I do not have to pay that nice Mr Gates another licence fee (ever).
 
mbscad said:
Crumbs guys what do you do with 4Tb of storage space (unless you are a business doing weddings or something)?
When I first started with a PC (later than most probably) I put in a new and expensive 2 Gb drive which had the O/S copied to another partition for safety and I never managed to fill the disk.
I know that Micro$oft have increased the size of the O/S plus backup files to about 20 Gb but that still leaves 900 Gb for data in a 1 Tb system. How do you go about checking for duplicate files? Have you ever tried to restore your system when M$oft doesn't work anymore?
My simple belief is that backing up 4Tb is impossible so I work on the principle that I can always rebuild one of my systems from component parts of others.
The only true NAS that I have used was a Buffalo 160Gb single drive that I used as a music server which worked flawlessly for two years with only the occasional reboot for power cuts.
I built my own NAS type box out of PC components for about a third of the cost of a commercial box and I run Ubuntu because I like to have the flexibility of a full O/S. Does everything I need/want and I do not have to pay that nice Mr Gates another licence fee (ever).
Click to expand...

As for storage, I shoot stock and travel work mostly at the moment, and on a typical 4 day trip to a city I shoot between 3-4 thousand images, which with the lighroom database can be around 60-70gb. I fill a 1TB drive every year, if not more often.

It goes without saying that I cannot afford to loose any of this. I am kind of anal about backup, so I have a copy on the main workstation (what I work on) an offline backup on hardrives (sits on my desk), a backup on my NAS (done in real time with acronis true image), and I have a online backup (don't want to know how long it took me to upload everything the first time).

As for the OS, I have my OS and drive mirrored once a day onto an offline HDD. This is bootable so that if my main drive fails, I just pull it out and put the backup one in. I also have the OS imaged onto a USB portable drive, which I can restore with the help of the Acronis rescue disk.

I hope that answers your questions (though I don't think there was really a question in there).
 
mbscad said:
Crumbs guys what do you do with 4Tb of storage space (unless you are a business doing weddings or something)?
Click to expand...

tick! (well events not weddings)

that and have you seen the size of blu-ray ISO (ripped from disks i own before anyone starts)?

My simple belief is that backing up 4Tb is impossible
Click to expand...

ah crap, i better tell work to downsize its SAN..

I do not have to pay that nice Mr Gates another licence fee (ever).
Click to expand...

hey leave me out of it.. :p
 
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personally i think lacie are massively overrated. we've had several drives fail here now.

FranchiseJuan said:
For a more treditional NAS a Synology DS 411+ or the 5 bay 1010+. Problem with traditional NAS is that most won't let you just plug in a USB cable to get the data off.
Click to expand...

but if the drive/enclosure is knackered how is plugging in a USB cable going to help? anyway you should be having a 2nd copy of your data at all times so it shouldnt be an issue..
 
mbscad said:
Crumbs guys what do you do with 4Tb of storage space (unless you are a business doing weddings or something)?
When I first started with a PC (later than most probably) I put in a new and expensive 2 Gb drive which had the O/S copied to another partition for safety and I never managed to fill the disk.
Click to expand...

My first drive was 20mb but I still need a lot more storage now! I specced it for 4Tb so I can put 2Tb in now and upgrade the rest later. That is 4 generations of the entire image folder plus docs. Images of every installation disc. The latest version of every piece of software I use. Music etc.
 
neil_g said:
personally i think lacie are massively overrated. we've had several drives fail here now.



but if the drive/enclosure is knackered how is plugging in a USB cable going to help? anyway you should be having a 2nd copy of your data at all times so it shouldnt be an issue..
Click to expand...

I like Lacie, their stuff feels well built and I have never, until now, had a problem with any of their stuff.

This drive has been switched on and running constantly for about 4 years so it is getting a bit tired !

The USB for emergencies is not for if the enclosure goes dodgy :lol: It is if I suddenly need to transfer a load of the stuff off the NAS to a computer with no networking or FW such as a Windows laptop that someone hands to me with no drivers - This happens regularly :help: I have a directory full of Windows video, network etc drivers on it which I can access from the Windows machines but if I don't have network access then USB usually works.
 
mbscad said:
I built my own NAS type box out of PC components for about a third of the cost of a commercial box and I run Ubuntu because I like to have the flexibility of a full O/S. Does everything I need/want and I do not have to pay that nice Mr Gates another licence fee (ever).
Click to expand...

I started a thread on running freeNAS which I am currently doing on a dual Xeon Proliant server but it is not an ideal choice as it is rather power hungry and noisy.

... oh and Bill Gates get very little money from me :) £30 for W7 pro (uni disc), £8.95 for office 14 full version (work disc)
 
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thanks to everyone who's responded. Really appreciated. I'm getting my 1tb image drive ready to transfer the data over - deleting som images I don't need andf bloody deleted some images in error doh!! Trid to recover with no joy! Deleting too much :) Luckily not too important ones.

But looking forward to getting the backup sorted.
 
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