Additional RAM useful at all for NAS?

[exar333]

Just picked-up a QNAP TS-251 1GB NAS with 2x4TB Seagate NAS HDDs. Wondering if upgrading the RAM makes any 'real' difference? After searching online, I seem to get differing opinions on the subject.

Main purposes:
-Plex Server
-Some (not a lot) of transcoding on-the-fly
-Cloud data access
-Other (local file backup, local file share, etc)

Is it worth-it to upgrade to 4 or 8GB RAM? Thoughts?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Elixer]

Highly depends on what filesystem the NAS is using, and how many people are using it at the same time.

 

[exar333]

Highly depends on what filesystem the NAS is using, and how many people are using it at the same time.

EXT4 and generally 1-2 users.

 

[Emulex]

probably worth it to stuff a 2gb dimm in there!

 

[exar333]

probably worth it to stuff a 2gb dimm in there!

Thanks. Found a 2x2GB kit for $20 on eBay. Might as well throw it in before I put the drives in (and then have to take them out again).

 

[tweakboy]

Nice response Elixer..

 

[BonzaiDuck]

Thanks. Found a 2x2GB kit for $20 on eBay. Might as well throw it in before I put the drives in (and then have to take them out again).

That's the key phrase, I think. I'm a bystander in all this NAS business, unless you count my WHS-2011 box as a "NAS." To me, it could boil down to dollars spent and benefits realized.

My server uses an old motherboard with a 680i chipset and a C2Q processor -- and even that is overkill. Since there are at least a couple LGA-775 systems still used by the family, I simply "found" a spare-a-pair of DDR2 RAM to add to the 4GB already in the mobo, and I'm pretty darn sure that 8GB is more than necessary -- much more . . .

At least, whether I junk the "server" approach or continue with it, I can simply move the HDDs to either a replacement-server or a NAS.

 

[taq8ojh]

No RAM in the world will save you if your NAS has crappy CPU.

 

[Compman55]

I once read in article 1GB per 1TB of storage. I am not sure why it would equate to this unless there were tons of users.

For home I can see 2-4TB being the norm for a 24/7 NAS. All NAS for home should be planned to use as low of power as possible. More ram = more power consumption.

 

[VirtualLarry]

I once read in article 1GB per 1TB of storage.

That's specifically for ZFS and FreeNAS.

 

[imaheadcase]

Ram is not a issue for NAS, its only a issue for if you have multiple users. A synology with 1 gig of ram can play 2 1080p streams just fine. My "old" windows home server only had 512megs and was just fine with SABnzbd/sickbeard as well as streaming.

 

[exar333]

No RAM in the world will save you if your NAS has crappy CPU.

The 251 has a Bay Trail Celeron (J1800) which, for a 2-disk NAS, is pretty darn good. Should be plenty...

 

[exar333]

That's specifically for ZFS and FreeNAS.

That's what I read too, but with some of the new virtualization functionality rolling-out and supported (especially with BT VT-x and VT-d extensions) more RAM could be useful. I guess I figured if I was spending over $500 on a NAS+ Drives, an extra $20-25 couldn't hurt.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

It can't hurt. I can fanboi ZFS when it's appropriate, but even Windows Server is smart enough to use extra RAM as read/write cache when working as a file server.