Backup storage options

[Medikit]

I'd like to have a central storage for all of my photos (daughter is now 1 year old and the photos/movies are starting to build up). I'm looking for something rock solid stable in the order of 1-3 terabytes. The photos will also be located on my HDD on my primary computer. I also plan on backing up images of my laptop and primary computer on this drive. If anyone has any advice, hardware recommendations, or could point me in the direct of an article to read I would be really appreciative.

I'm running Windows 8 on my desktop and Windows 7 on my laptops.

 

[Coup27]

Get a NAS drive, join all the computers to the same workgroup, join the NAS to the workgroup and then map a network drive letter to each PC that you want to access the NAS.

That's all there is to it really.

If you want the NAS to be disaster proof, look at an IOSafe N2 NAS RAID. It will have dual hard drives for RAID1 protection and will be fire and water proof incase of a flood or fire at your house. Alternatively you could just get a normal RAID1 NAS.

 

[Medikit]

Okay, I'm looking into the Synology DiskStation DS213 and the DS713+.

I'm trying to decide if it is better for me to buy a NAS or just build my own, I already have a mini-itx box and an extra Windows 7 license. Don't have very much experience with other operating systems but wouldn't mind learning.

 

[KentState]

Okay, I'm looking into the Synology DiskStation DS213.

I'm trying to decide if it is better for me to buy a NAS or just build my own, I already have a mini-itx box and an extra Windows 7 license. Don't have very much experience with other operating systems but wouldn't mind learning.

I have two Synology NAS' right now, a 1511+ and 212j. The DS212j would do what you need. It uses so little power at idle and even in use (17 watts + HDD). In a RAID 1 configuration, using Seagate 3TB drives, I can easily max the 1GB interface which should be sufficient for streaming to multiple devices.

If you can use your existing box, then that's a good route to go, otherwise the Synology is simple and efficient.

 

[Coup27]

If all you want to do is simple folder and file sharing between multiple Windows devices then don't need anything more than Windows itself. Share some folders, map some drive letters and you're done. You can use the onboard RAID of the motherboard to enable RAID1 and to backup the file server you could use a USB3 external disk with free file sync software such as Puresync

The Synology does so much more however, and looking at the price of one even taking into account the Windows licence you have and the HDDs (which you have to buy for either option), I don't think you are going to be able to put together a custom build that small, neat and for that price as well. Plus it would be another machine in your ecosystem which would require updating, rebooting, keeping virus free and generally a bit more maintainence than a small NAS box like the DS212j.

Edit: Didn't realise you had the hardware as well as the Windows licence.

 

[Medikit]

I have two Synology NAS' right now, a 1511+ and 212j. The DS212j would do what you need. It uses so little power at idle and even in use (17 watts + HDD). In a RAID 1 configuration, using Seagate 3TB drives, I can easily max the 1GB interface which should be sufficient for streaming to multiple devices.

If you can use your existing box, then that's a good route to go, otherwise the Synology is simple and efficient.

The 212j is pretty tempting, what will I be missing without USB 3.0 or eSATA?

 

[KentState]

The 212j is pretty tempting, what will I be missing without USB 3.0 or eSATA?

USB 3.0 depends on if you will be using a thumb drive to transfer files to/from the NAS and need the speed. I use the 3.0 port on my desktop/laptop so it doesn't matter to me. eSATA can come in handy if you want to attach another HD directly to the NAS. On my 1511+, i use the eSATA connection for nightly backups to an external hard drive.

 

[Medikit]

Thank you everyone for your help. I purchased the Synology DiskStation DS213 and a couple WD red 2.0 TB drives. Look forward to working with it when it arrives.

 

[KentState]

Let me know if you have any questions. I've messed with most of the features of the Synology devices.

 

[Emulex]

how's it compare to proliant microserver nl40?