What do you use your NAS for?

[GregN]

When writing for SNB, I often try to figure out what info the reader is most interested in, what they are looking to find. This of course begs the question, how are users using the Tech I write about.

So, what the hell, why not ask? (anonymously - the poll is completely blind)

Thanks.

 

[GregN]

Naspt

This is more like a phone poll, less than 10% responding. Not sure why more folks aren't responding. Let me try to explain better what I'm looking for.

What I'm trying to figure out, ultimately is which NASPT benchmark best fits the common usage models. These are:

HD Video Playback
2x HD Playback
4x HD playback
Hd Video Record
HD Playback and Record
Content Creation
Office Productivity
File Copy to NAS
File Copy From NAS
Dir Copy to NAS
Dir Copy From NAS
Photo Album

When looking at the Back Blaze model of a NAS, and looking at filesystem (ZFS, XFS, Ext3&4 ) the question of random vs sequential IO is core to getting a feeling for performance. If Sequential IO is the primary way folks interact with a NAS, then RAID vs JBOD is significant, whereas Random IO will hit the disk array differently.

The other two poll questions ( planned ) are how many users or tasks run concurrently against your NAS, and what is the average size of a NAS. These three questions will give a nice picture of where the performance sweet spot lies.

I'm trying to get a feel for the DIY NAS that has the best dollar to performance figure for most users.

Can you help me out here?

 

[RazorBlade]

Although I have a server running and not a NAS, I would say that I use it for data storage in general. I have two desktop PC's en a laptop and all are equiped with just a relatively small SSD. For the laptop I have also a 1 TB 2.5" USB disk as well, but when I am inside my house, everything is stored on my server. I also use my server to stream movies to my mediaplayer.

 

[bodean]

I chose Both Media and Systematic Backups

 

[stevech]

I use mine for primary file storage and backups.
I now have a habit of putting apps on PCs but most all data goes on the NAS. Data = work/home documents, scanned personal documents, software I develop, financial records (encrypted by SafeHouse), photos, etc.

 

[tipstir]

Like a corporate enterprise mine is setup as the main central location of all system files. Every PC on my network here all general downloads are not saved on the PC themselves they are saved on there own folder ID computer name for downloads on the NAS.

System Setup (files used to setup a new system or rebuild old one)

Backup folders for programs I deem that require it.

Also Doc, pictures, pdf (print jobs that are not printer but saved as pdf)

Intranet (Web Server) internal Web Site is accessed on all PCs including tablets both OS Android and Windows.

Media side of it:
All Music (itune shared folder)
All Videos including music an etc

Everything controlled this way so all streaming can be access. Really works well.

 

[BigAl.nz]

Synology

I have a Synology RS2212 (10 bay) in Raid 10.

I have several IP cameras writing to it. It seems to handle the big multiple and 24/7 write/delete operations just fine.

The most important aspect is random and sequential read speeds when playing video back.

 

[theonlyski]

When writing for SNB, I often try to figure out what info the reader is most interested in, what they are looking to find. This of course begs the question, how are users using the Tech I write about.

I am running my NAS as a media server (PLEX), Web server, SMB server, FTP server and DNS server (that blocks ads for any device in my network). Also does some PPTP VPN connections that I have set up for certain people to watch streaming tv-shows from outside the country.

The NAS is a Ubuntu server running as a VM on the ESXi host (quad core i5, 16GB RAM, about 7tb storage).

ESXi host is also running a firewall VM that talks to the dual port gigabit NIC and keeps my network nice and secure, while allowing line speed gigabit throughput (minus overhead of course).

I didn't see an option for that in the poll.

 

[ttran55]

I built my freeNas for data storage and dLNA server.
2TB raid 1 for important files and 6TB for movies and music.
Video files from camcorder and raw photos are quite large so I want fast transfer speed.

 

[PrivateJoker]

I'm a Synology user who uses it mostly for file sharing, individual machine backups, some limited media sharing/streaming too (only video really, I do music and photos through other means). I wired my whole house with around 30 pulls of Cat5e and one of the biggest reasons was I wanted to be able to do fast backups and file sharing (and occasional media sharing, even if that's limited to streaming/sharing between TiVOs) and wanted it to be as fast and reliable as possible for those tasks, and even my little Synology 212+ can do those tasks pretty quick over the LAN and WLAN when I need it to.

But also the obvious reason. . .chicks dig them.

 

[coxhaus]

I run Microsoft Home Server as my NAS. I built the server for high speed. I run a RAID5 card with 6 hard drives and have hot swap. I can achieve almost 300 meg/sec through put. It takes multiple clients at the same to get that kind of through put.

I mainly use mine for documents, pictures and music storage. I also back up all my workstations and laptops so I can do a quick restore. I have a very large USB drive attached to the server which works for back ups for the server and hopefully restores. I have never had to restore. I run a rack mount 1400 APC battery backup for power problems.