NAS Device or QNAP

R

runtimDLL

Active Member
Joined
Sep 17, 2009
Messages
85
Reaction score
0
Hi guys,

i work for an architectural firm, and our server (computer acting as file server) crashed yesterday, HDD died.

now the intention is to get a proper server to store data. i imagine 2bays with 2 TB each should suffice. each HDD will be a mirror of the other.

can someone help with a possible solution?

what do we need? NAS device or QNAP?
where to get it from? im in DBN so mitabyte/pc zone are possible options
what are decent prices.

thanks in advance.
 
runtimDLL said:
Hi guys,

i work for an architectural firm, and our server (computer acting as file server) crashed yesterday, HDD died.

now the intention is to get a proper server to store data. i imagine 2bays with 2 TB each should suffice. each HDD will be a mirror of the other.

can someone help with a possible solution?

what do we need? NAS device or QNAP?
where to get it from? im in DBN so mitabyte/pc zone are possible options
what are decent prices.

thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
Depends on your technical skills.
You could probably build an awesome NAS server using an HP microserver plus openFiler
Or you could just buy a purpose built NAS box.
 
we looking at a purpose built NAS box. i hav no time to sit figuring out this network stuff..they pay someone to do it for them.lol
 
I bought a couple of single disk Qnap enclosures for some backups at work and I have to say, I was very impressed with them. Easy to configure and very feature rich for a small device.
 
An off the shelf two bay NAS (ie: QNAP, etc) wins in that it's easy to setup and start using with minimal fuss.

A workstation/server based NAS, running FreeNAS/NAS4Free/etc, has the ZFS filesystem going for it, allows you to move your storage pool to new hardware (if the old hardware ie: mainboard has an issue for any reason), generally offers better performance since you can add loads of RAM for cache and faster processor, scales better if adding storage space, the list goes on in terms of features. The downside is that it takes some know-how to setup and configure.

You should also consider how much performance you're expecting, how many people are accessing the device simultaneously, if you plan to scale to larger storage at a later date, etc.
 
QNap and Synology units are brilliant,make sure you go for Red/Black quality drives in at least a mirror config ( RAID10+ = ideal ). Quote on external USB drives for a rotating offsite backup should the place explode
 
thanks for all the feedback!

@Mal1ce : i think this time theyd prefer to go with a standalone server rather thatn it coupling as a workstation.

@PsyWulf : we definitely looking at atleast mirror mode and currently do have rotating external USB drives offsite

@Keegan : il have a look at the site now.

one query i do have is, what price range should i be looking at, for a 2bay NAS device

Thanks
 
For your needs it sounds you should just pop into Incredible Connection and pick up the first 2 bay NAS from a reputable manufacturer that you see (western digital, etc). I'm more of a fan of the uber server which I painstakingly put together over time, but I normally recommend units like the microserver to my friends and family as it gives the best bang for buck in plenty of scenarios like these. But honestly, if you want plug and play then just get any prebuilt 2 bay nas, the office is paying for it after all.
 
I would also say 4bay NAS. You can start of with 2 HDDs and add more later on. I have a Synology on Synology Hybrid Raid. And I am very happy with it. Got it from Uniterm Direct and I believe they are overstocked so you would probably get a great deal and they give 10% off for MyBB members

http://www.dbg.co.za/index.php?cPath=99_102
 
Using a couple of Synology 4- and 5-bays - most reliable device I have used in a while. There is zero technical skill required (other than setting up it's IP/network details).
 
really helpful..should know by tomorrow what direction we're goin in.

Thanks!
 
The QNAP's are great devices. Network transfer speeds are great and I would recommend using WD Caviar Red (NAS rated drives). They are a bit more expensive but worth it in the long run.

I have a second hand TS-219P II lying around that I am not using. Replaced with a TS-469-PRO. Has fairly low hours on it (no drives). PM me if you are interested.
 
so after contacting a few ppl, theyv come up with this... what do guys think of the price?

Qty Item Description Unit Price Total
1 TS-219PII QNAP 2 BAY NAS,MARVELL 2.0GHZ CPU, DDR3 512MB, R3,388.88 R3,388.88
2 WD20EFR WD 2TB RED NAS 3.5" SATA 6 GB/S 64 MB CACHE R1,269.00 R2,538.00
Subtotal R5,926.88
VAT R829.76
Total Amt R6,756.64

any suggestions where i could source the same for less?
 
runtimDLL said:
so after contacting a few ppl, theyv come up with this... what do guys think of the price?

Qty Item Description Unit Price Total
1 TS-219PII QNAP 2 BAY NAS,MARVELL 2.0GHZ CPU, DDR3 512MB, R3,388.88 R3,388.88
2 WD20EFR WD 2TB RED NAS 3.5" SATA 6 GB/S 64 MB CACHE R1,269.00 R2,538.00
Subtotal R5,926.88
VAT R829.76
Total Amt R6,756.64

any suggestions where i could source the same for less?
Click to expand...

I would see if you can't get a 4 or 5 bay - I think it might probably be 2-3K more, but then you have at least the option of growth and proper RAID in future (i.e. start with Raid-1 and then transition with more drives). I would try and get a comparative quote for the same from Synology.
 
MagicDude4Eva said:
I would see if you can't get a 4 or 5 bay - I think it might probably be 2-3K more, but then you have at least the option of growth and proper RAID in future (i.e. start with Raid-1 and then transition with more drives). I would try and get a comparative quote for the same from Synology.
Click to expand...

+1
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X