DAS attached to Router or full on NAS?

[jaydee]

I am in need of replacing an old server (HP ProLiant N40 with dual 1TB drives in RAID 1) with something that's a bit simpler to manage, less footprint space, less power consumption and more storage.

My needs are pretty simple. I want to centralize all our photos/videos/documents into a single location that can be accessed via a closed network (no outside internet). I'd like to access the photos/videos from an iPad, Windows laptop via WiFi and also from a Windows desktop PC via wired Ethernet. I would like a RAID 1 setup for these files/documents. I will periodically back this up on 25GB BD-R's and store these offsite.

My assumption for awhile was to replace my old server with something like a Synology DS218+ or WD Diskless My Cloud EX2 with 2x 4TB or 6TB HDs. The more I'm thinking about it though, why don't I just get a DAS that can handle multiple hard drives in RAID 1, and attach it directly to the router? I don't need a PLEX server or anything like that.

I'm looking at something like WD 6TB My Book Duo for $280 or Mobius Pro 2-Bay USB-C for $120 (drives to be purchased separately).

Anyone have any thoughts?

 

[mxnerd]

DAS means you attach the disks directly to a computer, so connect it to a seriously under-powered router USB 3.0 port shouldn't be an option.

 

[rchunter]

You should buy a synology or something. Network transfers are going to be way slower than gigabit if you try and run hard drives from a router.

 

[sdifox]

https://www.smallnetbuilder.com/tools/charts/nas/view

Start from there and decide on pricepoint/feature

 

[dave_the_nerd]

Echoing the nas recommendations. Router attached hard drives are never very fast.

Also, a lot of those external raid enclosures don't actually work without additional software on the host. So it might not be compatible with the router.

 

[mv2devnull]

... attach it directly to the router?

I'm looking at something like ... USB-C

You have a router with USB-C?
You have a router that is not already busy routing?

The wireless clients ... connect to WiFi AP, which relays their traffic to wired LAN. File server is simply one device/service on the LAN.

If you plug disks to the router, then they have to be in the same place.
If you have NAS (like your N40), it can be anywhere (where you have LAN).
You can still put a NAS next to the router, if you so wish.

 

[jaydee]

Thanks for the input guys. I'll get the NAS.

Looking at the:
ASUSTOR AS4002T and Synology DS218 in the ~$250 range right now.

Anyone have thoughts on the software/user interface of either? Or other recommendations around that pricepoint?

Leaning towards the ASUSTOR as it has features that I don't need right now, but might be nice in the future (10 Gb Ethernet and USB 3.1). I could go to the $300 pricepoint, but I'm not sure if that's any benefit. The $150 versions come with much slower CPU and only 512MB of RAM (non-upgradeable), which doesn't feel right in 2018.

Someone asked about my router. Right now it's a D-Link DIR-655, so I am looking to upgrade that as well, but I want to get the NAS in first.

Thanks!

 

[Malogeek]

Synology has a great OS with a lot of built-in and available applications/utilities to add to it. In addition there's years of community development as a resource.