Please help a NAS noob :)

[PoisonJam]

I currently have a PC with an SSD and storage drive. What I want to achieve with a NAS:

• Move all of my music, photos and docs to the NAS and get rid of the storage drive from my PC just leaving the SSD. Can I just map folders on the NAS as network drives and navigate in Windows explorer?
• I think instead of RAID1 I'd rather have a routine (daily?) automated back-up from one drive to another. I'd rather have this as if the RAID array/controller etc. fails I can access the files just putting the HDD into my PC? NASes just use NTFS, right?
• Stream lossless music to a Logitech Squeezebox Duet
• Stream low-bandwidth video (no HD, I'm happy using Blu-ray discs)
• Set up access permissions for different computers on the network
• Access files on the NAS from work (FTP would be fine)
• Fileshare photos with family over the web

I think I'm set on a QNAP TS-212 or Synology DS211j for the features/performance/price and I will be using 200mbps powerline networking across the house for overhead bandwidth.

Is this all do-able? My biggest concern is will access to files (images, powerpoint, excel docs) from my desktop be quick enough?
Is replacing my storage drive with a NAS really feasible?.

 

[GregN]

• Move all of my music, photos and docs to the NAS and get rid of the storage drive from my PC just leaving the SSD. Can I just map folders on the NAS as network drives and navigate in Windows explorer? YES
• I think instead of RAID1 I'd rather have a routine (daily?) automated back-up from one drive to another. I'd rather have this as if the RAID array/controller etc. fails I can access the files just putting the HDD into my PC? NASes just use NTFS, right? No, see below*
• Stream lossless music to a Logitech Squeezebox Duet YES,QNAP runs Squeezebox
• Stream low-bandwidth video (no HD, I'm happy using Blu-ray discs) YES, using their DLNA Media Server
• Set up access permissions for different computers on the network YES, in a fashion
• Access files on the NAS from work (FTP would be fine) YES, you can to setup FTP on most NASes
• Fileshare photos with family over the web Probably, depends on how. Are you doing this now?
  
  

*Most NASes run Linux, and use EXT3/EXT4 as the filesystem, something called Samba does the translation. If you are running Windows on your PC it will not be as easy as plug and play. I'd recommend backup software.

You should look at the QNAP user interface demo, to get a feel for capabilities.

 

[PoisonJam]

*Most NASes run Linux, and use EXT3/EXT4 as the filesystem, something called Samba does the translation. If you are running Windows on your PC it will not be as easy as plug and play. I'd recommend backup software.

Thanks a lot for your response, GregN.

I'll check out that demo

With regards to your suggestion of back-up software, how would that work? My main concern is being able to access the data easily should the RAID array (if I were to go that route) or NAS physically fail.

With the back-up software - where would it back up to? External USB drive attached to the NAS?

 

[GregN]

With the back-up software - where would it back up to? External USB drive attached to the NAS?

Darn, wasn't clear, my fault. I suggest using a backup archiver that generates a single file as a backup.

You can than use software like ext2read to extract that backup from your NAS JBOD disk, in the unlikely event your QNAP goes belly up, and you need to do an emergency restore before you replace it.

Idea being that a single large file is less of a problem to deal with than a bunch of smaller files.

Another approach is to boot using a Linux Live CD and copy your backup onto a windows partition.

 

[PoisonJam]

Back again! Just moved into my new flat so I can buy something soon.

I have been considering the Netgear ReadyNAS Ultra 2 instead now as transfer rates seem to be a lot better. I believe an upside to this is I will be able to access data on the drives readily from my W7 box just by putting connecting it via SATA?

Do you think this step up is a good move? Also, is the Plus version (dual-core Atom) worth the extra?