NAS device with 1Gb ethernet for SATA drives on Windows network?

[NickC_UK]

What is the best way to get some SATA drives attached to a Windows network as NAS. Are there any small/cheap NAS/SATA adapters or similar devices available.

At the moment I have them attached through an old Buffalo Linkstation but that is a bit limited and doesn't really provide full NAS functionality, also think it is only 10/100Gb ethernet.

I know one option is to install Linux/Samba on an old machine and use that but as it is going to be on 24/7 that seems like a high-power solution. Just wondering if anyone has a suggestion for a more efficient solution.

Thanks

 

[imaheadcase]

You can buy a all-in-one thing like Synology, or you can buy a SFF case, motherboard with CPU built into it and just add hardrives with whatever OS you prefer for NAS operations. Depending on storage needs you have, both are good options. Each has its own plus and minus, if i was going to do it all over again i would of just went synology directions vs the home server I build for ease of use.

As for 24/7 operations, the difference is very little between each. Not sure how power costs in the UK is, but I run 4 machines + my windows home server all year long 24/7 and don't even notice, its like $3 a month if that.

I run a cheap case, asus motherboard, old core 2 duo, 1gig of ram, windows home server with 18TB of drives in it 24/7 and no major problems. Cost around $450 when I built it, does everything I want, backups, offsite backups, streaming movies, sickbeard/SABnzbd, etc.

It all depends on how much time you want to invest in a setup.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

As for 24/7 operations, the difference is very little between each. Not sure how power costs in the UK is, but I run 4 machines + my windows home server all year long 24/7 and don't even notice, its like $3 a month if that.

I run a cheap case, asus motherboard, old core 2 duo, 1gig of ram, windows home server with 18TB of drives in it 24/7 and no major problems. Cost around $450 when I built it, does everything I want, backups, offsite backups, streaming movies, sickbeard/SABnzbd, etc.

It all depends on how much time you want to invest in a setup.

Headcase -- you and I have similar "home" LAN configurations and usage profiles. The issues that surface in questions such as the OP's include "To deploy NAS? Or a home-server box?" You or I want to go from "A to B," but the OP starts from a different "place" -- call it " A' " or A-prime.

If I want to hook up some SATA drives to the configuration I have, my only thoughts are likely to center on an external "NAS-box" with a power-supply and a port-multiplier, which I can then connect directly to my server via eSATA. The server itself provides the Ethernet connection.

Folks whose computers are only networked for the purpose of sharing the internet connection are less likely to accept the maintenance requirement of a server. But in some ways, a NAS device also has some maintenance requirements. "Home server" or "any server" may not be someone's cup of tea.

It's also possible to set up the favored workstation to share files peer-to-peer, making the "maintenance" and power issues less important. One could also work the sort of eSATA extension I already mentioned. An Ethernet-connected NAS takes the burden off such a workstation in terms of network traffic, or allows more restrictions to LAN file-sharing.

Some folks I know use a single, separate USB or eSATA drive for backup, rather than reliance on a server running 24/7. The range of choices depends on needs, wants and tolerance for the "maintenance" activities -- or even the power-draw -- which, as you say, is "small potatoes."

 

[pegasis]

Hello
I think he might be looking for the same thing I am


I have an external USB 3.0 HD and I want to connect it to my router (via USB to ethernet adapter) to make it a NAS.

Are there cheap NAS adapters for this?
it would need to be a female USB 3.0 port to ethernet adapter, providing power to the USB

Not an easy Dog to find :O

 

[pegasis]

like this one perhaps;

http://www.addonics.com/products/nas30u2.php

 

[Gillbot]

Ix4-300d? They can be had diskless cheap if you watch slickdeals or fs/ft.

http://shop.lenovo.com/us/en/servers...oemc/ix4-300d/

 

[BonzaiDuck]

like this one perhaps;

http://www.addonics.com/products/nas30u2.php

Innerestin. I didn't know such a device existed. A bit pricey, though. But if that's what you want and that's what you need . . .

Too bad that one of the two USB ports must be "read-only."

 

[NickC_UK]

Addonics box is quite interesting. Now if only they did that with direct SATA connections rather than USB that would be perfect.

 

[Cerb]

At the moment I have them attached through an old Buffalo Linkstation but that is a bit limited and doesn't really provide full NAS functionality, also think it is only 10/100Gb ethernet.

Can you define what this "full NAS functionality" is, that it is lacking?