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Recommend a NAS

A

aceO07

Diamond Member
I currently using a machine with Win NT4 as a file server. It's been great for many many years. 40GB SCSI drive, 15 users (windows xp, 2000).

However, it's been running low on space and instead of adding another drive, I was thinking of upgrading to a NAS. Budget is $600-$800. The other option is just to add another drive($200) to the current file server. The NAS upgrade would give (hopefully) more reliability(new hardware + raid) and more space.

Here's what I've like to have on a NAS, ranked by priority:
1. Reliability 24/7 (Currently setup has been great)
2. Easy to configure and manage. add/remove users, security..
3. Easy to setup and access on client computers. Be as transparent as possible.
4. Fast file transfer, or as fast as it currently is on the current old server.
5. Easy recovery if NAS hardware(not drives) craps out? Is that even possible with NAS?
6. Raid 5. Or Raid 1.
7. Hot swapping and ability to upgrade space.

1-4 are the important issues, 5-7 would be nice to have.

Lots of space isn't really a big concern. A diskless NAS would probably work and I could add as little space as possible. The currently 1TB options are really overkill.

I was thinking of the http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16822329023 but I don't know if any users of that NAS are using it under the same situation as I will be (office file server).
 
This one is about $100 lower in price than the Infrant one you have listed.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16822106001

It's an Intel , so it "should" be very reliable.

* Data file sharing among Windows, Linux OS, and Macintosh users, with user name, password protection, and managed access in local workgroups.

* Data Protection (RAID Levels 5, 10, and 1).

* Easy-to-use set up wizard.

* The backup and recovery application provides system backup, remote boot and recovery for Windows clients.

* Can act as a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server.

* Can act as a DHCP client for easy network configuration.

* User-friendly Web interface for setting up users and access rights.

* Built-in FTP server provides convenient high-speed file transfers.

* Web-based management provides system information for disk usage, service status, RAID, system log and current connections.

* Can be used as linear storage or set up as RAID 0.

* Supports up to four 3.5" SATA-I Hard Disk from 80 GB to 500 GB

* Maximum Capacity: Up to 2.0 TB
 
Thanks. That was another one that I was considering. I'm worried about one review that mentioned the need to install software on client machines. Also another review mentioned it did not use a fixed IP. I'm not sure if those 2 issues should concern me or if they also exist on the Infrant. Whatever I pick, it should be as simple to set up and use as possible while having useful features.
 
Originally posted by: aceO07
5. Easy recovery if NAS hardware (not drives) craps out? Is that even possible with NAS?
Click to expand...
The only "easy" recovery will be if you have backups of your data.

If you don't already have a backup system, please consider one. A pair of hot-swap SATA drives in removable housings for your Server. For around $350 you can have a pair of 320GB SATA drives that can hold at least five copies of your entire Server. I normally recommend backing up the entire Server daily and swapping out the backup drives weekly. Keep at least one of the drives offsite to protect against disaster at the workplace.
 
Originally posted by: RebateMonger
Originally posted by: aceO07
5. Easy recovery if NAS hardware (not drives) craps out? Is that even possible with NAS?
Click to expand...
The only "easy" recovery will be if you have backups of your data.

If you don't already have a backup system, please consider one. A pair of hot-swap SATA drives in removable housings for your Server. For around $350 you can have a pair of 320GB SATA drives that can hold at least five copies of your entire Server. I normally recommend backing up the entire Server daily and swapping out the backup drives weekly. Keep at least one of the drives offsite to protect against disaster at the workplace.
Click to expand...

Yes, you are right. I do have the file server backed up on a weekly basis and archived.

To clarify, I was curious to see if it was possible to get another file server back up with the working harddrives if the other NAS hardware failed. Unrealistic without another file server around and the appriopriate hardward to access the drives... 😛

I guess I can leave the old file server around and link it to the backup drive so there'll still be a file server if the NAS files.
 
Most SOHO and consumer NAS boxes run some flavor of linux. If the hardware dies, the hard drives can be put into a linux machine and usually read ok. Your Windows file server is NTFS and will not read the file system of a hard drive in most NAS boxes. How big of company is this, your budget seems kind of small for an office type file server. How many computers would you have connecting to it concurrently?
 
Originally posted by: kevnich2
Most SOHO and consumer NAS boxes run some flavor of linux. If the hardware dies, the hard drives can be put into a linux machine and usually read ok. Your Windows file server is NTFS and will not read the file system of a hard drive in most NAS boxes. How big of company is this, your budget seems kind of small for an office type file server. How many computers would you have connecting to it concurrently?
Click to expand...

I wasn't expressing concern about the Windows file server failing. It was about the NAS failing. With the hardware that we don't have (raid5) it would be hard to bring up the files on the NAS without buying new NAS and reusing the drives.

However, I can just use the old file server as a rough solution and link it to the backup storage and use that until new hardware comes in.

We'll have 15-20 users access this file server. We probably don't even need a NAS. It's just something that I'd like to look in since we currently need to spend money on the current file server for more storage. With the NAS features, it'd be a nice upgrade for whatever we might do in the future.
 
I understand that, that's what I was commenting about. NAS drives cannot be read in windows based machines (unless the NAS box is of course windows based or use NTFS file system). I would say in your situation it would be wise to look at an entirely new file server (Windows 2003 based) due to newer hardware, but this is dependant on your budget. Do you have a domain server or is this just peer to peer networking?
 
Originally posted by: kevnich2
I understand that, that's what I was commenting about. NAS drives cannot be read in windows based machines (unless the NAS box is of course windows based or use NTFS file system). I would say in your situation it would be wise to look at an entirely new file server (Windows 2003 based) due to newer hardware, but this is dependant on your budget. Do you have a domain server or is this just peer to peer networking?
Click to expand...

I think most NAS use ext2/ext3, which is possible to access in Windows.

It's a domain server. The cost of a new server with raid and OS would probably exceed the amount that I had set. The same problem would arise if I got a new file server, as there wouldn't be another set of hardware that's around that can support it if i. I guess either way, I wouldn't be covered.

The cheapest option for me is to get another drive. If I go that route, then it's more of a quick fix.
 
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