Using a NAS

[lupi]

I've been looking to expand my number of drives in the media pc. Instead of getting a full size tower case though, I've been thinking about getting a NAS instead. Not worried about setting up a RAId or any of that (have externals to copy back up data to), these are just for keeping as my extra dvr space.

What do I need to be looking for in picking one out?

 

[BonzaiDuck]

I've been looking to expand my number of drives in the media pc. Instead of getting a full size tower case though, I've been thinking about getting a NAS instead. Not worried about setting up a RAId or any of that (have externals to copy back up data to), these are just for keeping as my extra dvr space.

What do I need to be looking for in picking one out?

This is an "HTPC?"

There are a few options. If it's cabled to your LAN (and if you have a LAN), and you mostly want it for "DVR" space, you could simply add a box of drives as a "DAS" instead of a NAS. If the HTPC is already network-connected, you could share that storage across the household anyway.

For a DAS, you may want to read through this thread and explore the links therein.

http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2431884


You could also get a NAS or build one. But why add another administrative chore, when you can fold the DAS into the HTPC duties?

I'll end this by saying that my word is not the last on the matter, and encourage some other hot-dawgs to post their opinions and suggestions.

 

[lupi]

Not an htpc. Current unit serves as recording point for the tuners. Other devices then access the drives stored in it for playback. Since its a mid tower, I'm at the limit for HD space and looking to either swap to a full tower or add drives via another means (such as a nas enclosure).

 

[BonzaiDuck]

Not an htpc. Current unit serves as recording point for the tuners. Other devices then access the drives stored in it for playback. Since its a mid tower, I'm at the limit for HD space and looking to either swap to a full tower or add drives via another means (such as a nas enclosure).

And the processor? I don't see why you can't hook up a DAS as eSATA or even USB3. All you need is either an SATA port that is capable of connection to a port-multiplier, or a USB3 port. You'd then just share the storage across your network as you do with the existing storage. The unit would have its own power-supply.

Maybe I misunderstand something . . .

 

[lupi]

DAS seems to be not much cheaper than a NAS and it would require setting the unit up adjacent to the computer while I could drop the NAS in any of the rooms with a hub.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

DAS seems to be not much cheaper than a NAS and it would require setting the unit up adjacent to the computer while I could drop the NAS in any of the rooms with a hub.

DAS is usually a lot faster though. Dunno if that matters for your application.

 

[Essence_of_War]

What do I need to be looking for in picking one out?

If you're looking for a turn-key product, the biggest considerations are: "number of drive bays", "number and speed of ethernet ports", "USB 2 or 3?" and "total cost".

Usually you want at least 1 GbE port (to plug into router), one usb 3.0 port (for seeding backups and potentially for expandability) and the number of drive-bays should be informed by how much storage you need and what (if any) RAID level you're planning to implement.

Thecus makes a nice 2-bay enclosure that has GigE, a USB 3.0 port, and can do independent drive access for just under 90 USD.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

The Thecus is interesting, but the reviews don't give great confidence.

It's just a networked enclosure for two bays, and at that price, you could get a 4 or 5-drive Addonics MST or mini-storage-tower, with it's own PSU.

But then, you'd need to purchase the Addonics port-multiplier, exactly doubling the initial outlay.

Or, you could get a slightly-pricier DAS ready to go with the same features.

The OP is free to impose his requirements as he chooses, but he has a midtower "in-place" already. These DAS enclosures are pretty small -- just enough to hold the drives, PSU and port-multiplier. I'd say they're marginally smaller than a decent UPS box.

In another thread recently -- try "Power Supplies" -- we explored the possibilities with this, and the question is still open as far as I'm concerned as to whether you could simply buy a USB3 repeater cable to allow placing the DAS at some distance from the midtower -- with the same reliability.

But there should be plenty of NAS solutions. Since I have a server system with 4x 2TB HDDs, though, the DAS solution wouldn't require me to keep it running 24/7. Or if I did, it would still be networked storage at the server.

 

[Essence_of_War]

The Thecus is interesting, but the reviews don't give great confidence.

I don't place much value on newegg user reviews but the guys at smallnetbuilder reviewed the 5-bay version that uses the same AMCC SoC and gave it high marks.

In the turn-key NAS space, $90 for a two-bay enclosure w/ usb 3.0 and GbE is great.

 

[Data-Medics]

For NAS, I'd look into Synology. I've owned several others over the years but after owning a Synology (and now two of them) I'm not going back.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

I don't place much value on newegg user reviews but the guys at smallnetbuilder reviewed the 5-bay version that uses the same AMCC SoC and gave it high marks.

In the turn-key NAS space, $90 for a two-bay enclosure w/ usb 3.0 and GbE is great.

You know, you're right about that. I shouldn't be kicking in my opinions untutored by serious lab reviews.

I just purchased a spare kit of RAM to upgrade another system in the house, and got one of those e-mails encouraging a review. I'd reviewed the same basic RAM model at least once before. I happened to look at the "dissatisfied" cohorts of responses. A lot of neophyte DIY'ers just don't know what they're doing, or they use recycled components that may cause a new product to fail. You have to be able to sort these things out -- to separate the chaff.

And I wouldn't encourage anyone to buy anything without at least looking at the published lab-test reviews.

Also, on the NAS aspect, I can now imagine folks using an older router, or CAT-5 cable of excessive length that has been rolled up and tied together at the center -- any number of things that would degrade LAN performance. Then they complain about "drop-outs" with a NAS device.

 

[alyarb]

embedded NASes are junk. I hope this has changed, but you really want an intel CPU and an intel NIC. I have used Marvell and Broadcom NASes with 4x drives in RAID-0 and could not copy large files over the network at gigabit speeds, and yes, lots of small I/Os and the NAS will lag and take forever to respond. you get what you pay for which is junk controllers with too little DRAM. Buffalo, Thecus, Synology and QNAP don't matter much. Some will include more knick-knacks in the firmware, just make sure it's built upon a current intel platform.

With any intel machine, gigabit is easy to achieve. NAS is convenient but if you are going to cheap out then you should just go with a DAS, you won't be happy with entry level NAS performance.