NAS and the like

[Vybz]

Now i know people still building NAS but what are the main reasons for doing that. Is it just redundancy and storage? With so many cloud based solutions with should there be a need to build one. The reason i am asking this question is because I wanted to build one for years. My main reason was for a plex server and secondary was storage and redundancy. But with android boxes and other streaming services is the whole plex server thing gone to the dogs? and with cloud base storage and redundancy services why have a server?

 

[Malogeek]

Reasons why I have a NAS

1. All my data remains my property and my responsibility, not stored in someone else's servers
2. I'm not transferring terabytes of data to a cloud service
3. I'm not paying massive $$$ to a cloud service to store the terabytes of data
4. I'm not relying on my internet service to stream a high quality 20Mbps HD Audio movie that will only get much larger once I move to 4k
5. I know when I have multiple people in the house accessing the data, there will be no bandwidth issues
6. Streaming services like Netflix etc suck for quality compared to even Bluray

 

[UsandThem]

NAS (and unconnected backup) are a great idea, and I have one of each.

However, for data that is irreplaceable, cloud storage is almost required. What if I lost my house due to a fire, theft, or storm? Sure fireproof safes are good, but they're not invincible.

At the same time, I want immediate access to my backup storage, and don't want to only have slow access to slow cloud data or wait for them to mail a drive. So in my opinion using local storage and cloud storage together is the safest route with the best of both worlds.

 

[Malogeek]

However, for data that is irreplaceable, cloud storage is almost required. What if I lost my house due to a fire, theft, or storm? Sure fireproof safes are good, but they're not invincible.

Yes this is something I didn't touch on, that nothing can replace cloud backup for automated offsite storage of irreplaceable information. For that type of data I still use cloud but for the vast majority of my content (media), it's local only.

 

[francisw19]

I have a NAS on my network just for backing up the PCs in my house. I use it pretty much for the speed and the quantity of data backed up (the same data to the cloud would more than blow my data cap). I do use Backblaze for critical stuff to be backed up off-site (crucial part of any backup solution IMO) just in case something happened to my house.

 

[Red Squirrel]

I personally like control over my data, and it's also cheaper in the long run than paying for a service, especially when you get into the 10+ TB range. Also better performance, since I have gig access to it. I could do faster than gig if I wanted to as well by teaming nics or what not. Some of the stuff I use it for is VMs. VMs would be brutally slow over the internet even with a fast connection. Nothing is going to be as fast as local gig. Well unless you can actually get gig internet, but even then there will always be more latency than local.

That said, cloud can be good for backups, but I still have trouble trusting it as far as privacy etc. Though I could encrypt the data. My personal preference for backups is removable storage that I then bring to work and put in my work drawer. I also have a nightly backup job that backs up to my web server. I don't 100% control that server (ex: it's in a data centre I have no access to and is not my property) but I still have more control than if it was a cloud service. Ex: if I store a file that happens to be copyrighted or something the data centre does not know or care, as they just have access to the hardware.

 

[Vybz]

Thank you guys I think you all answered my questions. Sold it for me. But do you think plex is better than streaming media?

 

[dave_the_nerd]

Thank you guys I think you all answered my questions. Sold it for me. But do you think plex is better than streaming media?

Plex is "streaming media." You're just streaming it from your own server.

Pro: You control it completely. You can mod it. Plugins/channels are cool. Changes in licensing agreements between, say, Starz and Netflix don't effect you - available titles in your Plex server stay available because you load it with media from your own sources. (DVDs and BluRays you rip, etc.)

Con: You now have to admin a Plex server. Available titles are limited (DVDs and BluRays you rip, etc.) so unless you just pirate EVERYTHING, adding new content costs more money.

 

[Vybz]

thank you dave you are right. I will give it a try.