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NAS recommendations for a small business

M

Migroo

Diamond Member
Hi Guys,

We are a small firm of about 8 people, 6 of whom use a PC / Mac on a daily basis. A few of us have laptops that get synced to our current Windows server.

We are moving offices shortly and the server is not coming with us.

Currently our email traffic is hosted off-site and we can't see the value of the server apart from the NAS duties it performs for us.

Can anyone point me in the direction of what sort of NAS products I should be considering? Although I am aware of (and capable of using) FreeNas, I don't have time to be 'the IT guy' at work so I need something I can buy off the shelf.

We need the ability to restrict access to the NAS files to certain people / computers on the network (incase we have a visitor using our LAN) and we need the ability to sync files with the laptops.

Many thanks!
 
I would suggest a Windows Home Server. The HP vers all have Mac support.
Very easy to setup.

HP StorageWorks X310
http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/us/en...6-4184383.html

HP StorageWorks X510
http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/us/en...&lang=en&cc=us

Just make sure to buy another hard disk to enable folder replication.
Or buy it with a second disk pre-installed.

If you can wait a little while longer, a new ver of Windows Home Server/Small Bisiness Server will be out. It will have native support for OS X Time Machine among other features.
( HP currently supplies a Mac Client connector app for Time Machine )
 
Yeah, Windows Home Server would work well for you. It's very low maintenance, it's easy to add storage as needed, and has built-in folder-level redundancy if you have two or more disks. In addition, you get fully automated disk imaging of your client PCs if you want to use it.
 
Nothinman said:
Is it actually legal to use WHS for business purposes?
Click to expand...
Microsoft's WHS web site:

"Designed for consumers. Loved by small businesses".

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/windowshomeserver/soho/default.mspx

"Peace of mind for your Small or Home Office

Don’t be fooled by the name. Windows Home Server was designed as a solution that is as functional in a small office setting as it is in your home. Windows Home Server is a dependable and affordable way to organize and safeguard your work for up to 10 computers.

Backup for your business

Doing the work of a dedicated IT team without the cost, Windows Home Server can automatically back up 10 computers, and entirely restore them if any should fail. You can quickly retrieve individual files, folders, or your complete computer from previous backups, in case of accidental deletion or loss.

Article: Using Windows Home Server to Back Up Windows Small Business Client Computers
This Microsoft article offers great information regarding how to use Windows Home Server in your Small Office/Home Office.

Windows Home Server sits behind your firewall and has strong password controls to help secure your network. Plus, with network health monitoring, it will tell you the exact condition of any computer on your network in real-time.

Centralize your data

Using Windows Home Server, you can easily manage all your data in one place, freely accessible by all the computers on your network and securely shared with others you trust outside your business.

In the office, simply click on Share Folders to access all your materials. Or, if you’re on the road, browse to your free custom URL (for example, https://contoso.homeserver.com) to quickly search and find your files.

Grow your storage as your business grows

Windows Home Server makes it easy to add more storage space. Simply add an internal or external hard drive and Windows Home Server will take care of the rest—to your business it will appear as a single repository for all your important files.

When you connect multiple hard drives, a duplicate copy of your important files will be saved for added protection. If one hard drive fails, you can simply restore the data mirrored on another hard drive—**it's RAID made simple.

Access your work from virtually anywhere

Windows Home Server includes Internet Information Services (IIS), which allows secure access to your files via the web. This makes it easy to get your important information from outside of your office, through your securely protected personal website."
 
yeah all those multi-purpose *nix boxes (ahem Q..p) get hacked because nobody wants to maintain security on all those applications and idiots put storage on the internet.

Sooner or later whs will suffer the same fate. Do not put storage on a segment that is connected to the net or firewall it. those features are downright scarey.
 
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