NAS info needed

[BubbleTrouble]

I would like to buy a NAS and been looking at QNAP ts-221 or Synology DS214. My requirements are being able to backup my data in an encrypted format to it using acronis, streaming videos, using it to store recorded maternial from motion detections using IP camera. Also want to access the NAS securely. Comments on this and their feasibility much appreciated?

How easy is it to install 3.5" SATA hard drives into these NAS?
can either of these be models be setup so that I can securely access them using them to create a VPN tunnel? will i need to port forward on my router to point port 1723 or whatever ports L2TP or OpenVPN need to the private IP of the NAS?

Is it better to use L2TP or openvpn on the NAS in built vpn server? how easy is it to configure? do i need to buy a domain name and then buy an SSl cert also?

 

[kanewolf]

I have two Synology units and Acronis backs up to both of them. Encryption occurs on the host with Acronis so that is a non-issue. Disk installation is pretty easy. Some NAS units have sleds the disks instal onto and some are direct mount after removing the cover. Synology has a VPN server app that is available for installation. It makes the NAS a VPN endpoint and according to the "about" blurb, both L2TP and OpenVPN are supported. I have not personally used the VPN functionallity.

 

[BubbleTrouble]

Thanks! that is very helpful information

I'm still doing my research as have to also convince my significant other its a good investment.

We have three PCs and also run our own part time business while working full time. My idea was to back up our data to NAS (where we each have our own folder on the NAS) and also have an external USB drive which we use for monthly encrypted backups which we store off-site
For our small business related work we use filesync to sync the files between us. all my other stuff like photos and other data is sync'd between my two PCs.

Do you think this is a decent enough backup method?

 

[kanewolf]

I just started using the Amazon Glacier plug-in that Synology has available to do off site backups. 130GB took 4 days to upload at 5mbit .....

 

[thiggins]

If you plan to record directly to the NAS, make sure your cameras can record to a network share.

 

[stevech]

We have three PCs and also run our own part time business while working full time. My idea was to back up our data to NAS (where we each have our own folder on the NAS) and also have an external USB drive which we use for monthly encrypted backups which we store off-site
For our small business related work we use filesync to sync the files between us. all my other stuff like photos and other data is sync'd between my two PCs.

Do you think this is a decent enough backup method?

I think not. I have my Synology run an incremental backup every day to an external USB3 drive that's out of sight of thieves. Theft of NAS is more likely than hardware fault, IMO.

And VIP data goes to an SD card always in the NAS.
I use SafeHouse software on a PC for sensitive data. Encrypted logical volume. Backup that daily too. And I have a 2nd volume in the Synology NAS that has a time backup - versions going back several months. Help with oops, I hosed up that document. Oops I deleted something.
I think the most likely risks are human error and file system corruption due to NAS mainboard or power supply fault. Rather than disk drives. For this reason, I use volume per drive not RAID.

On-line backup. I don't use. Don't trust their controls on decryption keys that US companies must have for court orders, versus disgruntled employees/contractors. I do use OpenDrive for sharing benign files/photos. Their custom plan is cheaper. Amazon S3 and Glacier (retrieval) are too expensive for personal use.