Need a NAS upgrade - Some recommendations please

[nheather]

I currently have a 500GB Buffalo Linkstation live on my home network and I have decided I need an upgrade for two reasons

(i) The Buffalo is beginning to fill up so I need something bigger

(ii) I don't have a backup, and I have just found out that my wife has been using it to store a lot of the accountancy work that she does.

I've considered a couple of cheap options

(a) Replace the disk in the Linkstation with a 1TB or 2TB
(b) Get a potable USB hard disk to backup important stuff

However, recently, I've been thinking that I should put a more robust NAS in place - something with RAID 1.

Would like total storage to be 1TB minimum. Want something quite compact and neat. Doen't need high performance.

After a quick look I've seen things like the Buffalo Linkstation Duo and the Netgear Stora but thought I'd post here for recommendations and advice.

So any recommendations?

Cheers,

Nigel

 

[thiggins]

First, forget replacing the drive in the LinkStation. It's not user serviceable.

I'd get a new Buffalo V series LinkStation, copy the files over from the old LinkStation, then use the old LinkStation as a backup NAS.

 

[nheather]

First, forget replacing the drive in the LinkStation. It's not user serviceable.

Not that I am intending to upgrade the disk any more but out of interest why do you say that.

I appreciate that it isn't just open a hatch, pop a new disk in and away you go.

But for the home 'expert' I thought it was possible to open up the case and to prepare a new drive by ghosting across the first partitions.

Or are you saying that that doesn't work?

Interested in your link though - it looks fast, though I'm not sure that is a big requirement of mine.

What is your opinion of a single drive 1TB or 2TB - okay if not critical data or two many eggs in one basket?

Cheers,

Nigel

 

[thiggins]

Buffalo LinkStations are not designed to be easy to open. If you swap out the drive, the new drive has to have the OS installed. Buffalo support can walk you through the process, but it is not for the average user.

I prefer single drive NASes, but use a pair, with one backing up to the other automatically daily. Never have data you can't afford to lose on a single device.