# NAS Suggestions ?



## Earl Bonovich (Nov 15, 2005)

I have decided to finally shut down my Windows 2003 Server in my home.
It has been running basically 24/7 for nearly 7 yeras now... Parts nursed/replaced... and it is at the point that it just a big file server for the house. Used to do print serving, but all my new printers have native network support.

And I can get a WebHosting site for $50 on the year, to give me basically the same thing I use this machine for now...

Anyway...

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Looking to get a medium level NAS for the house, that I can keep in the basement.

Looking for it to support at least TWO drives, so I can mirror content.
Would prefer at least 4 drives, and in a manner that I can start with two drives today, and then add another drive down the road and not have to rebuild it..

Looking to throw 3TB drives in there...
This box is going to be come the host for Music, Pictures, Videos from Cameras (I have about 1.5TB of material from Mini-DV and HD Camecorders)

Looking for it to independently support Windows Sharing, with security options

And a DLNA server is a plus

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So far my search keeps leading me back to Synology devices:

DS411+ 
http://www.synology.com/us/products/DS411+/index.php

DS411+II 
http://www.synology.com/us/products/DS411+II/index.php

DS411j
http://www.synology.com/us/products/DS411j/index.php

I looked at the Drobo's but their price seems to be very high, compard to the Synology systems...

Any other suggestions out there that I should consider?


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## klang (Oct 14, 2003)

I've been running a Netgear ReadyNas NVX for over two years now with never a problem but this system is quite a bit more expensive. It is a business class device. They do have less expensive models.


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## Earl Bonovich (Nov 15, 2005)

How is the user management on that NetGear... found the NV+ for a little less the synology... can't find the NVX right now online.


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## klang (Oct 14, 2003)

Earl Bonovich said:


> How is the user management on that NetGear... found the NV+ for a little less the synology... can't find the NVX right now online.


I don't think the NVX is current anymore. The ULTRA 4 PLUS looks to be the same chassis I have. Management is browser based and was quite easy to set up.

I originally went with ReadyNas because at that time they were the only one besides Apple to support acting as a network Time Machine destination out of the box.


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## Earl Bonovich (Nov 15, 2005)

klang said:


> I don't think the NVX is current anymore. The ULTRA 4 PLUS looks to be the same chassis I have. Management is browser based and was quite easy to set up.
> 
> I originally went with ReadyNas because at that time they were the only one besides Apple to support acting as a network Time Machine destination out of the box.


Yah... I have an actual Apple Airport/Time Machine for that function... 

I have to look at the Ultra 4


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## klang (Oct 14, 2003)

I've currently got four 1TB drives in mine in X-RAID2 configuration yielding 2759 GB of usable space.


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## djlong (Jul 8, 2002)

I'd recommend Windows Home Server 2011. You get a LOT for that. Unfortunately they removed one fantasitc feature that it's predecessor had - Drive Extender.

The good news is that three or four companies are working on add-ons (some should be released any day now as they've been in beta for quote a while) that will provide that feature. It's like RAID-List. A pool of drives mashed tog3ether to look like one 'letter' - with optional file protection that makes sure there's a copy of every file on some other drive so that if you lose one of the drives in the pool, you lose NO files.

The reason you'd need this is that WHS2011 has a quirk in it's backup that limits the size of any folder being backed up to 2TB. So you treat everything except "Videos" normally and use DriveBender or one of the others for "Video"


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## Earl Bonovich (Nov 15, 2005)

I thought about Home Server... 

The hardware I am running my Win2k3 on right now is starting to show it's age... So I would need a new system, and I would never use it as a system... it would just be a file server.

It does give me a lot more flexibiilty.... but it could be using more power/energy then the NAS is expected to...

Maybe I will go take another look.


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## Herdfan (Mar 18, 2006)

I also have a Netgear Ready NAS. So far no complaints, except it is supposed to be DNLA compliant, but I haven't been able to get videos to stream from it to my DirecTV STB's. Could be wrong file format, but I really haven't tried that hard as my Apple TV works just fine for that function.

You can buy the cheap one with only 1 drive and then add drives when you find them on sale.


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## Earl Bonovich (Nov 15, 2005)

Looking around 2TB are at $79 right now, with free shipping...

So that is a pretty decent price, that I may just get all 4, go with the ~6TB of space...
Which is more then all my HD's compbined right now, so it would cover me for a while.

Then sell off several ot the system I have in place right now...


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## Hey_Hey (Aug 23, 2006)

I recently bought the Synology DS411+II and have found it to be a great box. It is serving media to all kinds of boxes in my house and is also the target of backups for 4 PC's. I posted about it over here : http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?p=2837251#post2837251

I actually wish I had considered the DS1511 instead. It can connect expansion boxes for when I run out of space, which is inevitable.

BTW Go Illini!


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## ejhuzy (Jun 19, 2006)

If you don't mind building your own, I suggest unRAID. It's software raid, but not really raid. It's built for streaming media and does it well. Excellent community that supports it and you can try it for free (with only 2 drives though).

I like it because you get the most out of your HD space with protection.


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## Stuart Sweet (Jun 19, 2006)

If all you want is file service, check out the WD MyBook World Edition. It's nothing more than a network-attached hard drive with just enough Linux to keep it going. It supports basic user management, but very basic. I've had one running in the office as a rolling backup for 2 years.


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## Thaedron (Jun 29, 2007)

I use a QNap NAS device. I originally had a single-bay unit, but have upgraded to a two bay version. It's quick, easy and has several additional features built in that are very well integrated. My specific model is linked below in my 'full setup' link if you're interested in more details.

http://www.qnap.com/USEng/

Their product line stretches from small scale home use, up into small office / home office and even into small enterprise systems.


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## Earl Bonovich (Nov 15, 2005)

Thaedron said:


> I use a QNap NAS device. I originally had a single-bay unit, but have upgraded to a two bay version. It's quick, easy and has several additional features built in that are very well integrated. My specific model is linked below in my 'full setup' link if you're interested in more details.
> 
> http://www.qnap.com/USEng/
> 
> Their product line stretches from small scale home use, up into small office / home office and even into small enterprise systems.


Looks impressive...

How does it handle user level security, for different shares (independent of of a Windows AD)


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## TBoneit (Jul 27, 2006)

I'm using Western Digital and Seagate NAS devices right now They both have models that have 2 or more drives. I like that I can see them on the network and with media player also a WD Live Hub. 

I actually use the Live hub as a NAS with its 1Tb internal and two 2 Tb USB externals. That gives me 5Tb there of if I lose it, Oh well information. I can move to and from the 3 drives that are hooked up as well as the NAS drives.

These are all low power usage too.


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## wingrider01 (Sep 9, 2005)

Been using this one, like the built in Bluray writer for backup

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822319013

http://www.lg.com/us/computer-products/network-storage/index.jsp

Only drawback is that price is without disks


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## Earl Bonovich (Nov 15, 2005)

wingrider01 said:


> Been using this one, like the built in Bluray writer for backup
> 
> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822319013
> 
> ...


Can you access the Blu-Ray player from other devices?

AKA, can I use it as a Blu-Ray drive on a connected computer?


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## P Smith (Jul 25, 2002)

Earl Bonovich said:


> Can you access the Blu-Ray player from other devices?
> 
> AKA, can I use it as a Blu-Ray drive on a connected computer?


Looks like yes, see p.34 here.


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## Earl Bonovich (Nov 15, 2005)

Saw that after I pulled up the length manual for that device....

Opted after all to go with the Synology DS411j after all... NewEgg had it for $350
And WD 2TB drives for $70... so not too bad.

I thought about getting the $69 BluRay drive they had available (Burner)... but opted to wait until I get th enew PC in the Spring, and just put it in there.

Thanks for the input and suggestion... certainly made it a harder choice then it was yesterday morning.


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