Server or NAS?

[j00fek]

i have been looking hard at the NAS market these days since i got rid of my servers. been looking into getting either a Infrant ReadyNAS NV

or a TheCUS N5200 depending on how you want to expand it for later dates is up to you what you buy. even tho i need storage asap, im torn on what to do, build a new server or go with NAS. space wise is not a problem but a nice small box would be fine in my setting at home.

not sure if this is right but would the nas save on the powerbill more than a new server with low power psu, cpu etc?

if anyone can chime in id appreciate it

 

[nweaver]

doesnt' Via have a low power x86 box? I always lean toward server, with *nix installed, for more versatility.

 

[n0cmonkey]

Originally posted by: nweaver
doesnt' Via have a low power x86 box? I always lean toward server, with *nix installed, for more versatility.

Yeah, their C3/C7 CPUs are pretty low power. I'm not sure about the TheCUS N5200, but other models use ARM processors and Linux, so they should be pretty low power but powerful enough machines. Some can even run OpenBSD.

 

[j00fek]

the thecus uses a celeron-m, not sure if its a low power cpu. i have been looking into the via solutions as well, but the boards dont have enough
expansion capability for more raid cards (ill have 2 1ide and 1sata if i go via).

 

[rivan]

Are there any more budget-friendly, basic NAS setups available/coming? I'd love to have a couple hundred mirrored gigs that didn't need to be more than easily accessible for stuff like my music library.

 

[j00fek]

Originally posted by: rivan
Are there any more budget-friendly, basic NAS setups available/coming? I'd love to have a couple hundred mirrored gigs that didn't need to be more than easily accessible for stuff like my music library.

might want to look into this

 

[rivan]

edt: nevermind - it's likely there are some posts covering this already. I'll search

 

[cleverhandle]

Originally posted by: n0cmonkey
Yeah, their C3/C7 CPUs are pretty low power. I'm not sure about the TheCUS N5200, but other models use ARM processors and Linux, so they should be pretty low power but powerful enough machines.

If you don't mind tinkering, it's also worth checking out silentpcreview.com for low-power, near-silent solutions. People there have managed to run an underclocked Socket 754 Sempron 2600 (?) at 0.88V. Even underclocked, that's still significantly faster than the Via processors, plus it's cheaper because you're buying a commodity processor and motherboard rather than the relatively expensive Via all-in-one package.

 

[skyking]

Originally posted by: cleverhandle

Originally posted by: n0cmonkey
Yeah, their C3/C7 CPUs are pretty low power. I'm not sure about the TheCUS N5200, but other models use ARM processors and Linux, so they should be pretty low power but powerful enough machines.

If you don't mind tinkering, it's also worth checking out silentpcreview.com for low-power, near-silent solutions. People there have managed to run an underclocked Socket 754 Sempron 2600 (?) at 0.88V. Even underclocked, that's still significantly faster than the Via processors, plus it's cheaper because you're buying a commodity processor and motherboard rather than the relatively expensive Via all-in-one package.

The versatility is amazing! I have toyed with undervolting and underclocking the socket-A processors, and you can get the heat down considerably.

 

[n0cmonkey]

Originally posted by: cleverhandle

Originally posted by: n0cmonkey
Yeah, their C3/C7 CPUs are pretty low power. I'm not sure about the TheCUS N5200, but other models use ARM processors and Linux, so they should be pretty low power but powerful enough machines.

If you don't mind tinkering, it's also worth checking out silentpcreview.com for low-power, near-silent solutions. People there have managed to run an underclocked Socket 754 Sempron 2600 (?) at 0.88V. Even underclocked, that's still significantly faster than the Via processors, plus it's cheaper because you're buying a commodity processor and motherboard rather than the relatively expensive Via all-in-one package.

Unless you want to do high level encryption, then the VIA processors blow just about everything else away.

 

[Madwand1]

Most consumer NAS boxes perform very poorly; the Thecus N5200 seems to be the best of the bunch and a cut above. I'd build my own to get something faster, though probably at higher cost.

 

[Goosemaster]

Originally posted by: Madwand1
Most consumer NAS boxes perform very poorly; the Thecus N5200 seems to be the best of the bunch and a cut above. I'd build my own to get something faster, though probably at higher cost.

I agree. I currently just use a fileserver running dual 866mhz and it makes out whatever I throw at it

not low power at all though

 

[j00fek]

Originally posted by: Madwand1
Most consumer NAS boxes perform very poorly; the Thecus N5200 seems to be the best of the bunch and a cut above. I'd build my own to get something faster, though probably at higher cost.

after reading all the reviews i can get, im going with the traditional fileserver setup. the n5200 would perform better aginst all the others due to the celeron proc but there are many other things that could arise that im not to keen on at this point. as i have priced most things out for the new box, it seems a little more to put it together but more versitilty for what i have to do.