spectrum48k

Need to install some backup on a small LAN to backup two Win2k3 servers.

Was thinking of putting 2 IDE drives into a NAS and use that.

Can anyone recommend something ?

swaussie

If you have the space in the server you could go with a cheapish option and buy an IDE/SATA raid card a couple of disks and have it all internal. Otherwise I think there are a multitude of options now for NAS depending on your budget, speed, features etc. Buffalo and Linksys are known brands and Intel are also offering a decent soho solution in the SS4000.

spectrum48k

thanks for the info.

can't fit anything in the server - its rack mount, so will check out the NAS brands you mention.

ChrisB

NOT the NetGear SC101.

Iain Young

Out of interest, what's wrong with the Netgear? I was contemplating getting one of those for a photo / file server at home...

jowl

Very slow access. Windows only (and proprietary). Runs hot.

I use a a Bufallo Linkstation 250gb. Around £150 at the time but come down in price. The now do higher capacitys too (as well as lower!)

It's Mac/Pc/Linux (it's based on a small linux system). Good network speed, has a print server and the ability to add an external USB drive. Also built in ftp if you need it.

finally it can be hacked/firmware re-flashed to add features if you desire.

There are also timer controls - eg mine shut down between midnight and 7am.

Iain Young

Fair enough. I'll scrub that from the list then. I was thinking of maybe going up to 1Tb. Any idea what the LaCie drive are like?

LaCie - Ethernet Disk - Gigabit Ethernet interface

jowl

No idea on that particular Lacie.

Spec looks pretty good though! Looks like it's based on Windows rather than Linux - not sure whether thats a good or bad thing!

For that money, have you considered building your own? I would like to eventually set up a raid system (probably raid 5)

Iain Young

I thought about it, but I want something small (in dimensions), quiet, and low power, (i.e. I don't want a chunky pc sitting in the house using all my electricity, heating everything up, and eating up room which I don't have).

Not sure what the best solution is at the moment.

p.s. sorry for the thread hijack spectrum48k, but it is sorta related

Hanslow

I got a 300GB Maxtor NAS drive from Staples. They keep selling them off for 99 quid if you can find one. Upgraded to the latest firmware and it does UPnP for media streaming and stuff. I know you can daisy chain USB drives to it, but don't think you can by ethernet. You could plug multiple ones into a switch though.

Might be worth a look.

Think they had 200GB drives for 79 quid too.

There was a thread on it here : Maxtor Shared Storage 300Gb NAS (Network HDD) - £89.91 - MoneySavingExpert.com Forums

kernel

I've got a 1TB Buffalo TeraStation (750GB after you Raid 5 it) and well happy with it. It has a major flaw in that the drives can not be swapped out without taking it all apart. There is the Pro model now though that does that if it's important to you. Performance is fine for my usage. I had the NLSU2 Linksys thing before which was painfully slow.

KiwiGTI

Depending on your level and the importance of the data maybe you should look at these :

HP ProLiant DL100 G2 Data Protection Storage Server - Overview & features

or the NetApps or EMC or Dell etc

Most of the others are just toys and will be slow, especially all those brands like Linksys, Buffalo etc

spectrum48k

Thanks all, Kiwi that's probably a little over-spec for our needs. Will take a look at all the brands mentioned.

jowl

I know what you mean. I was planning a relativley small, but good quality PSU and setting the machine to power down for about half a day!!

That Maxtor offer from Staples looks pretty good....but not enough for your needs?

There was another one in a thread where the enclosure wasn't cheap but you could add drives as you go. I'll try and find the link

Edit: Here wo go: The Infrant ReadyNAS NV from NAS Data Storage

Iain Young

Unfortunately staples don't seem to do the maxtor any more (it's not on their website, and the Swindon branch haven't got anything like it).

The 1TB Buffalo TeraStation that Pete mentioned sounds like a possibility though, (I'm not worried about speed, just a good size of reliable storage - it's only for photos).

That enclosure looks nice jowl, but I think it might be a bit expensive for what I'm going to be using it for...

mike1210

TrustedReviews - Infrant Technologies ReadyNAS NV 1.0TB

TrustedReviews - Buffalo Technology TeraStation - NAS Box

http://www.infrant.com/download/ReadyNAS_NV+.pdf


to check

Dream Weaver

Loads of reviews at Tom's Hardware UK and Ireland

I narrowed it down to the Synology D106e, though i'm holding off on them for now.

RoosterRoo

Have a look at
Computer hardware and software at amazing prices, available online from Scan Computers UK

Gets good reviews, might look into one myself.

Nobbie

I'm assuming your looking for a pure data back/redundancy, as opposed to a fire/flood/disaster backup. If not then your gonna wanna be putting the nas on another site, or getting 2 and using them as alternate backup sets.

cottonfoo

Indeed, if these are for backup purposes then the drives inside them are no more reliable than the drives in your PC. I'd say, the larger capacity drives give more room for failure too, since you stand to lose more in one go if it packs in.

spectrum48k

Yes, we'll have the 2 drives in the NAS, mirrored. At least the NAS I was looking at had up to 2 drives in it, capable of mirroring. Think it was the Netgear someone in this thread slaughtered!

We also have external usb hard drives we use to take off site.

Its only a small LAN and this fits our needs.

cottonfoo

If it's for a company I'd seriously consider getting something without Netgear written on it, they're just for light home use

spectrum48k

I need 1 NAS, preferrably with 2x 80GB drives inside - one mirrored to the other

And I need 2x corresponding external usb disks

ChrisB

Just to add on the SC101...

The proprietary software is needed to map "shares" to a drive letter on your PC - it doesn't support UNCs.
On all the versions of firmware I tried, with a pair of HDs as a mirror, if you opened Word / Excel doc's straight from it, 90% of them would end up corrupted. The NetGear forum had a lot of people suffering from this.

The N5200 RouStor got a good review from PC Pro recently.

ChrisB

Just found a little group test on Anandtech.com

Nobbie

LaCie Ethernet Disk mini 250GB £135, but not mirrored.
LaCie Big Disk Extreme with Triple Interface £200 Mirrored, but not ethernet, but its not hard to network up through anything really.

It would be easier if you tell us what your problem is/why you think you want a nas box, and what the environemnt it, and what you want it to do.