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Build NAS or go with Linksys, Buffalo, etc

B

BigPete

Senior member
I'm in need of some storage for my home network which will primarily be used for backups. Those backups will most likely be made by Acronis TrueImage. Whether I go with a customer built PC for this purpose or one of the "out of box" solutions it will go in the basement where all my network equipment is so size, noise, etc is not an issue.

I've started looking at stuff on newegg, here is the list:
http://secure.newegg.com/NewVe...WishListNumber=9043388

AMD or Intel a better value here? I would REALLY like to keep this under $300 and if we can get it lower that would be better.

RAID is a must. Family pictures, among other things will be backed up to this. If I lose them, I'll probably be getting a divorce! 😛 Of course, if at all possible I would also be interested in some streaming and sharing (on my network) of MP3's. I really think building a PC for this specific purpose is probably the way to go.

What do you guys think? I really need some help here!
 
If you want to use Acronis True Image for backups why not just get several external USB drives. You can do image backups in rotation, so you'll have redundancy. Simple and inexpensive. If you want something more capable you might want to look into getting a windows home server setup. You can just buy one or build one. Lots on that subject at the networking forum and at microsoft and the associated windows home server forums that you can look for doing a google search or throught the microsoft site.
 
It's for multiple computers so I really do need something more central than external USB drivers. I might also plan on pointing the various computers "My Documents" directory to a share on said server so that everyone knows anything put in there is backed up (provided I go with RAID). I am still tossing around the idea of external drives only because the cost is so low but you give up so much it doesn't seem worth the cost savings.
 
RAID doesn't protect you from accidental deletion or data corruption due to viruses/malware or problems with the partition. For that, you'd want a backup of your data. RAID only protects against hardware failure.

Regarding your wishlist, with one HDD you're not going to be doing RAID. 😉 That motherboard doesn't have integrated video so you'll need a used/cheap video card. I'd choose something else for a power supply because those don't seem the most reliable, and a failed PSU can potentially take out all the drives in a RAID array, as well as the rest of the parts.

If not doing RAID, then you can go for a Shuttle K45 (I've seen them for a couple bucks less). $110 gets you the motherboard, case and power supply. The power supply in these are usually really good quality. Compare that to $119 for your combo of case/power/mobo, so this is not only $10 cheaper, but IMO a more elegant solution. Additionally, it has integrated video, so you don't have to add a card. It is small and attractive, making it more wife-friendly. 🙂 It can hold two SATA or EIDE hard drives, plus a cheap Celeron 4xx series, or Pentium Dual Core E2xxx series, or Core 2 Duo E4xxx series. It has gigabit ethernet too.

As for AMD or Intel, for a cheap NAS it won't matter, as CPU performance wouldn't make any difference in transferring data.

EDIT: Wow, couple replies as I was typing...

Originally posted by: BigPete
It's for multiple computers so I really do need something more central than external USB drivers. I might also plan on pointing the various computers "My Documents" directory to a share on said server so that everyone knows anything put in there is backed up (provided I go with RAID).
Click to expand...

I'd say you would still want to go with a single internal drive, with a periodic backup to an external drive.

Originally posted by: Kirby64
Those parts look like a recipe for early death.
Click to expand...

That's what I thought too, when I saw the PSU choice.
 
Well, what parts would you suggest? What about it looks like a "recipe for early death"? My wish list only includes 1 hard drive, yes. But, I will be adding at least one more in the not too distant future. So, wouldn't my data be ok even if, say, the motherboard took a crapper?

Going with an external hard drive would mean that at least one computer must be relied on to be on and available at all times. What happens if the computer it's connected to is compromised by a virus or something of that nature? It just seems like the cons outweigh the pros when it comes to external hard drives. If I just wanted to backup one workstation, this would be the way to go but would you suggest external hard drives for multiple workstations?

Zap - Thanks for the awesome suggestions!

My wishlist only has 1 HD because I'm just playing around with prices. Even if only went with 1 HD to get started, more will CERTAINLY be added for RAID so unfortunately that Shuttle K45 won't work. I also didn't realize no onboard video for that motherboard so thanks for pointing that out!
 
Work with me folks! The wish list was basically the cheapest I could find for comparison purposes (compared to NAS products from Linksys, Buffalo, etc). I do have a bit of a flex with the pricing and therefore the components I use.

Zap, are you saying I should build a small server and then attach an external drive to that for redundancy instead of using RAID?
 
This HP MediaServer was intended for users like you, i would suggest saving for something like that, or even build something equivalent to it but using the HomeServer software, which when you factor in a build you can't beat that HP for 599.99 or when you find it on sale for 559.99.
 
Originally posted by: Trashman
This HP MediaServer was intended for users like you, i would suggest saving for something like that, or even build something equivalent to it but using the HomeServer software, which when you factor in a build you can't beat that HP for 599.99 or when you find it on sale for 559.99.
Click to expand...

Building a Server like HP Media should cost about $400-$450 (with the OS, and 750GB HD).

It would be only the price of th OS if the person has an old P-III (or Celeron) available.

BTW, the Entry Level stand alone NAS' are usually a P-II, low P-III equivalent computers.

 
A few questions / points to think about:

1. What OS do you plan on using? This has consequence for cost and motherboard choice.

2. As mentioned, "RAID alone is not a backup", so you should plan and budget for a separate backup in addition. This becomes tricky when your storage volume gets large. (I have two servers, one which has a full backup of the main server for this purpose.)

3. RAID expansion, esp. one hosting the OS is non-trivial. How would you plan to expand a single drive hosting the OS and hundreds of GB of data to a RAID array down the road? An external backup would certainly make this process easier. With or without it, expansion capability and process is something you should try to plan ahead -- the choices of OS, OS setup, and RAID implementation make big differences.

4. Should you be setting out to build a home server, something which will logically last longer than any other home machine, and host your most valuable information, on the cheapest possible budget?
 
Windows Home server was designed with these concerns taking into consideration.

No need for RAID, there is a self back up in the system.

In addition when more storage is needed another drive can be added, its joins the current storage without any changes in the current system.

No matter how many drives are attached to the system there need for multiple mapping. To the Network the whole core of the storage is projected as one drive called \\WHS\.

I use Windows Home server as part of the Home Network. It has its own back up system, but I like Acronis True Image Better.

So I use True Image with conjunction of the WHS and keep all mt .tib files on the Server.

P.S. Windows Home Server does Not support RAID from the inside. But if One has a real RAID system based on its own RAID card WHS would use it like it uses any Storage drive.
 
get a nas
less power consumption that building your own.
not the only backup, but if made easy its better than nothing. and good inbetween disc burns and such. and well convenience means you have some backup, whcih is better than none😛
 
Originally posted by: BigPete
Well, what parts would you suggest? What about it looks like a "recipe for early death"? My wish list only includes 1 hard drive, yes. But, I will be adding at least one more in the not too distant future. So, wouldn't my data be ok even if, say, the motherboard took a crapper?

Going with an external hard drive would mean that at least one computer must be relied on to be on and available at all times. What happens if the computer it's connected to is compromised by a virus or something of that nature? It just seems like the cons outweigh the pros when it comes to external hard drives. If I just wanted to backup one workstation, this would be the way to go but would you suggest external hard drives for multiple workstations?

Zap - Thanks for the awesome suggestions!

My wishlist only has 1 HD because I'm just playing around with prices. Even if only went with 1 HD to get started, more will CERTAINLY be added for RAID so unfortunately that Shuttle K45 won't work. I also didn't realize no onboard video for that motherboard so thanks for pointing that out!
Click to expand...

The reason why I say it's a recipe for early death is you chose a super cheap power supply that likely uses highly questionable parts, a flimsy case, and a questionable motherboard. The power supply would be the biggest issue. As others have said, if the power supply kicks the bucket, it could easily take your hard drives and everything else with it leaving your backup plan down the tubes.

EDIT:
If you insist on going with this build instead of some of the other options, atleast get a decent power supply. FSP(Fortron) offers a solid PSU for only slightly more expensive than that POS you picked:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16817104951
 
Originally posted by: 0roo0roo
get a nas
less power consumption that building your own.
not the only backup, but if made easy its better than nothing. and good inbetween disc burns and such. and well convenience means you have some backup, whcih is better than none😛
Click to expand...

A computer based on VIA C-7 takes 30 to 40 Watts which just a little more than the Stand-alone NAS'.

If the sub $500 Stand-alone NAS' were working fast and be totally compatible with Windows NTFS it would be a preferred solution.

Unfortunately, this is Not the case of any of them.
 
Originally posted by: BigPete
Zap, are you saying I should build a small server and then attach an external drive to that for redundancy instead of using RAID?
Click to expand...

YES, that's exactly what I'm saying.

Here's the reason: RAID just protects against one thing, and that one thing is hard drive failure. RAID doesn't protect against data loss from any other reason, and there are a myriad of ways to lose data.

The best way to guard against data loss is having at least one physically separate copy of the data.

It doesn't have to be an external USB hard drive, it just has to be a separate copy of the data. You can do tape drives, burn stuff to CD/DVD, make a copy onto another computer, use one of the many "online" data backup/storage services... or use an external USB hard drive. Up to you.

Originally posted by: JackMDS
If the sub $500 Stand-alone NAS' were working fast and be totally compatible with Windows NTFS it would be a preferred solution.

Unfortunately, this is Not the case of any of them.
Click to expand...

I've also come to that solution after reading numerous reviews. Seems like the more affordable NAS units often have pretty terrible networked performance.
 
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