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Mark Knecht wrote: |
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> On Thu, Dec 8, 2022 at 5:38 AM Dale <rdalek1967@×××××.com |
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> <mailto:rdalek1967@×××××.com>> wrote: |
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> > |
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> > Howdy, |
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> > |
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> > I've pretty much reached a limit on my backups. I'm up to a 16TB hard |
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> > drive for one and even that won't last long. Larger drives are much |
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> > more costly. A must have NAS is quickly approaching. I've been |
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> > searching around and find some things confusing. I'm hoping someone can |
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> > clear up that confusion. I'm also debating what path to travel down. |
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> > I'd also like to keep costs down as well. That said, I don't mind |
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> > paying a little more for one that would offer a much better option. |
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> > |
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> > Path one, buy a NAS, possibly used, that has no drives. If possible, I |
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> > may even replace the OS that comes on it or upgrade if I can. I'm not |
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> > looking for fancy, or even RAID. Just looking for a two bay NAS that |
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> > will work. First, what is a DAS? Is that totally different than a |
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> > NAS? From what I've found, a DAS is not what I'm looking for since I |
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> > want a ethernet connection and the ability to control things over the |
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> > network. It seems DAS lacks that feature but not real sure. I'm not |
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> > sure I can upgrade the software/OS on a DAS either. |
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> > |
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> > Next thing. Let's say a NAS comes with two 4TB drives for a total of |
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> > 8TB of capacity from the factory, using LVM or similar software I |
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> > assume. Is that limited to that capacity or can I for example replace |
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> > one or both drives with for example 14TB drives for a total of 28TBs of |
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> > capacity? If one does that, let's say it uses LVM, can I somehow move |
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> > data as well or is that beyond the abilities of a NAS? Could it be done |
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> > inside my computer for example? Does this vary by brand or even model? |
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> > |
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> > Path two, I've researched building a NAS using a Raspberry Pi 4 8GB as |
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> > another option. They come as parts, cases too, but the newer and faster |
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> > models of Raspberry Pi 4 with more ram seem to work pretty well. The |
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> > old slower models with small amounts of ram don't fair as well. While I |
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> > want a descent speed, I'm not looking for or expecting it to be |
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> > blazingly fast. I just wonder, if from a upgrade and expansion point of |
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> > view, if building a NAS would be better. I've also noticed, it seems |
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> > all Raspberry things come with a display port. That means I could hook |
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> > up a monitor and mouse/keyboard when needed. That could be a bonus. |
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> > Heck, I may can even put some sort of Gentoo on that thing. :-D |
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> > |
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> > One reason I'm wanting to go this route, I'm trying to keep it small and |
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> > able to fit inside my fire safe. I plan to buy a media type safe that |
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> > is larger but right now, it needs to fit inside my current safe. Most |
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> > of the 2 bay NAS or a Raspberry Pi based NAS are fairly small. They not |
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> > much bigger than the three external hard drives and a couple bare drives |
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> > that currently occupy my safe. |
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> > |
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> > One thing I'd like to have no matter what path I go down, the ability to |
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> > encrypt the data. My current backup drives are encrypted and I'd like |
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> > to keep it that way. If that is possible to do. I suspect the |
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> > Raspberry option would since I'd control the OS/software placed on it. |
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> > I could be wrong tho. |
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> > |
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> > One last thing. Are there any NAS type boxes that I should absolutely |
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> > avoid if I go that route? Maybe it is a model that has serious |
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> > limitations or has other problems. I think the DAS thing may be one for |
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> > me to avoid but I'm not for sure what limits it has. Google didn't help |
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> > a lot. It also could be as simple as, avoid any model that says this in |
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> > the description or uses some type of software that is bad or limits |
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> > options. |
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> > |
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> > Thoughts? Info to share? Ideas on a best path forward? Buy already |
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> > built or build? |
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> > |
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> > Thanks. |
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> > |
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> > Dale |
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> > |
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> > :-) :-) |
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> |
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> DAS is direct-attached-storage. I don't think you want that. |
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> |
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> Synology (sp?) is sort of a big name in home & small office NAS boxes. |
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> You can buy the boxes with or without drives. I suspect you won't like |
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> the prices. |
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> |
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> I wonder if you might consider what data on your backups needs to be |
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> immediately available and which doesn't. Possibly buy an 8TB USB |
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> drive, take a bunch of the lower priority data off of your current |
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> backup thus system freeing space and move on from there? |
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> |
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> I built my NAS devices using old computers ala Wol's suggestion to me |
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> maybe a year ago. They work for me but don't have the fastest network |
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> interfaces. |
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> |
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> Raspberry Pi 4 B's are hard to get and expensive right now. Still, |
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> they are nice little devices but you would probably be limited to USB |
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> hard drive storage. |
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I was thinking DAS was not a good option. It seems like a feature |
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removed and cheaper version of NAS. |
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I think I've seen a couple Synology NAS boxes but I think even used they |
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were a bit pricey. Still, used could make that a option. Maybe. It |
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could fall into the category of pay a little more for a much better |
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option, even if it is used. |
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I've considered using older systems I have for NAS but they are large. |
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Way to large. It would require a lot of effort to shrink them down if |
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it is even possible. A NAS is smaller and designed for what I need as |
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well. This is what I found that goes with the Raspberry Pi. |
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https://shop.allnetchina.cn/collections/sata-hat/products/dual-sata-hat-open-frame-for-raspberry-pi-4 |
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There is a two bay and a four bay version. I think the case is the same |
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for both so I may go with four for future expansion. Price isn't bad |
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for that part but as you say, Raspberry Pi board is a bit pricey. Thing |
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is, given the amount of control I'd have over it, it could be a better |
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option long term. I might add, I think this board is somewhat new. I |
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meant to include a link to it but forget. It could be that you are not |
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aware of that, or many other people either. Also, I'd like to buy it |
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from a more local vendor. I've bought things from China through Ebay |
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but it has a guarantee and refund option that is fairly good. It's a |
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option I've had to exercise a time or two. |
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Part of me wants to buy a used but well featured NAS box. Part of me |
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thinks a Raspberry would be better and have upgrade options in the |
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future as well. I'm pretty sure I could have encryption on a Raspberry |
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NAS as well. I'm not sure if a prebuilt NAS box has encryption or not. |
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Hope for some good ideas tho. I'd like to avoid buying something that |
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won't come close to serving even current needs or just plain doesn't work. |
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Dale |
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:-) :-) |