In need of external raid box suggestions/help (non NAS/USB)

[Scoobyd00]

Need this for backing up pictures and video files. NAS is to slow, USB seems to be too slow when I back up to an external USB 3 HD.

I was thinking of going to an esata type connection unless there is something that's a better choice.

Will be running raid 1 or maybe raid 1/0. 3-5 drives and would like to stay under 500 for the box alone.

TIA for any input
Scoob

 

[Elixer]

What is wrong with USB 3 NAS/DAS units?
They got devices out there that are USB 3 that would be as fast as the external, something like this https://www.amazon.com/Mediasonic-HF2-SU3S2-Enclosure-Support-transfer/dp/B003X26VV4
or
https://www.amazon.com/Buffalo-DriveStation-2-Drive-Desktop-HD-WH4TU3R1/dp/B00M77UEHS
or
https://www.amazon.com/QNAP-2-Bay-Server-TS-269-PRO-US/dp/B008D74UN0
or others...

Highly depends on your needs, and the features you want from the unit itself.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

USB 3 is the best external connector you can get unless you want to spend $1k+ on the enclosure.

MediaSonic makes some decent USB/eSATA combo enclosures for not too much money:

https://www.amazon.com/Mediasonic-HFR2-SU3S2-PRORAID-Drive-Enclosure/dp/B003YFHEAC

You can always benchmark using both interfaces and just use whichever one is faster.

 

[PliotronX]

I would normally chat up a qnap but the ts-451 lacks esata so monoprice to the rescue.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Do you use a TS-451? What do you think of it?

 

[PliotronX]

If I had the scratch, I would get one but I had recommended it to a client after research and it does not disappoint. The hardware is faster and better built than comparable synology units but I do miss the os that synology has that another client deployed for large backups. QTS is not bad though, it has everything needed to be effective. Not trying to make an LDAP or plex server out of it

 

[VirtualLarry]

Is it deployed in a business or home setting?

The reason that I ask is, I recently deployed one myself, in a home setting, with 4x5TB HDDs in RAID-5.

Trying to consolidate some of my different NASes and servers a bit. Though, it's good to have backup NAS units.

Anyways, have you used "Virtualization Station" yet? Curious how that works out.

 

[Scoobyd00]

Thanks guys for the great suggestions. I think part of my problem is that I have tons of usb items plugged into the computer that it slows down the usb3 file transfer, especially when I hook up a usb3 raid box and copy the files to a usb3 hard drive.

 

[corkyg]

Consider a powered USB3 hub. That can take a load off of your PC.

 

[Elixer]

Consider a powered USB3 hub. That can take a load off of your PC.

The hub still shares all the available bandwidth available to it, so, that wouldn't really help in this case, hubs are only good for port multipliers, and for powered hubs, that just adds another source of power to it.

 

[corkyg]

It relieves the PC's PSU from having to provide power, and in many cases, especially with laptops, makes the USB devices more reliable.