Need some selecting between two 4TB external solutions for critical data

[panther309]

Need to get four of one of the selections below. Two will be for continuous storage, the other two for backup. They will contain critical data (photography and design stuff) and will need to be accessed occasionally throughout the week.

Option 1:
External enclosure: http://www.amazon.com/Macally-3-5-Inch-Aluminum-Enclosure-G-S350SU3/dp/B00B7MVLUI/
4TB internal drive: http://www.amazon.com/Western-Digital-Cache-Drive-WD40EFRX/dp/B00EHBERSE/

Option 2:
4TB Lacie all-in-one drive: http://www.amazon.com/LaCie-Quadra-External-Drive-9000258U/dp/B00AK9ZT98/


Going the Lacie route, would cost be about $200 more in total. $1,000 vs $1200

My budget was ~$1000 but if the Lacie option is worth it then I'll find a way perhaps.

Thoughts? Hoping someone can persuade me in one direction as I'm on the fence now.

Ty!

 

[jkauff]

Double post. Sorry.

 

[jkauff]

Option 1 looks good. Red drives have a good reputation, and using your own enclosure will make it easy to replace the drive if it goes bad.

I just bought another WD My Book 4TB, which is a Green drive in a proprietary USB 3.0 enclosure. I have a few of these using the same scheme you have in mind, each data drive paired with a backup drive. My new one cost me $165 with Staples 10% discount coupon. I've been very pleased with the My Books, and if you want to save some money on your backup drives you should consider them.

For your data drives, however, stick with your Option 1. The Green drives take a while to spin up, which will drive you nuts if you're using them for everyday work. I have internal WD Caviar Black drives for my daily work.

With the My Books, you have to send the whole thing back to WD for a warranty replacement if it goes bad. That can take a couple of weeks.

 

[Elixer]

Since you are doing backups, then it doesn't make that much of a difference in which you pick, however, not sure if those external units specify SMART data of the HDs, that could give you a heads up when one is going to go bad on you...(or starts to have bad sectors), and it doesn't look like they have fans to keep the HDs cool.
It might be better to look at a NAS option.

 

[panther309]

Option 1 looks good. Red drives have a good reputation, and using your own enclosure will make it easy to replace the drive if it goes bad.

I just bought another WD My Book 4TB, which is a Green drive in a proprietary USB 3.0 enclosure. I have a few of these using the same scheme you have in mind, each data drive paired with a backup drive. My new one cost me $165 with Staples 10% discount coupon. I've been very pleased with the My Books, and if you want to save some money on your backup drives you should consider them.

For your data drives, however, stick with your Option 1. The Green drives take a while to spin up, which will drive you nuts if you're using them for everyday work. I have internal WD Caviar Black drives for my daily work.

With the My Books, you have to send the whole thing back to WD for a warranty replacement if it goes bad. That can take a couple of weeks.

Thanks jkauff. appreciate the insight.

Since you are doing backups, then it doesn't make that much of a difference in which you pick, however, not sure if those external units specify SMART data of the HDs, that could give you a heads up when one is going to go bad on you...(or starts to have bad sectors), and it doesn't look like they have fans to keep the HDs cool.
It might be better to look at a NAS option.

Good point.. i'll have to see if they support SMART. I'm assuming the Lacie does?

Both the Lacie and WD Red have 3 year warranty. The Macally is only 1 year. So I am considering that.

I already have a nice 4-bay NAS, but i'm selling it because:

1. It can't be connected to my network via ethernet, since my house is not wired and the main router is downstairs.
2. Lightroom catalogs can't be access from a network drive (deal breaker for me)
3. Ethernet is slow compared to DAS USB 3.0 for file storage
4. I plan to get a cheap NAS that *is* directly connected to my network (downstairs) that I can use to access critical files on travel if i ever need to.
5. the cost of the NAS plus four WD reds is $1,300.. just over my budget.

In all seriousness, what benefit is there to even having a NAS in my situation?

Thanks again for all the help everyone!

 

[snouter]

LaCie and critical don't really go together in my world.

Red has a mixed reputation from what I can tell and most of the Red advantage is software based.

FWIW I use a 4GB Western Digital Black as my important drive. 5 year warranty is telling. My older 1GB Black has given me zero issues and is several years old at this point.

NAS can be a little slower than just SATA. For things like Lightroom, that could be annoying.

Trust no drive though. Back-up and back-up again.

 

[panther309]

Thanks snouter. All good points.

I will also have online backups (backblaze) of everything. This solution would just be local backups. So i'm hoping WD Red drives will be OK in this situation.

I just need to figure out what drive is actually in the LaCie quadra. I did read somewhere it is also a WD Red, but I can't find the source.

 

[Berliner]

I just need to figure out what drive is actually in the LaCie quadra.

If LaCie do not specify which drive they use I would not trust any other source of information, if you need it to be correct. Have you tried emailing or calling them about it? That would also be a good way to check how you like their customer service.