Need NAS Recommendation

[Vulpix]

You should create 2 arrays. Each array only choose 2 hard disks, then you should be able to create 2 separate RAID 1 array. It is definitely not unique to Synology, unless the NAS you have encountered do not allow you to create multiple arrays. I have been using minimum SOHO or Enterprise level RAID controllers/solutions, I can't comment for entry tier systems like DLink or Buffalo solutions.

You should start charging for this kinda advice.

 

[cupcorn]

I would like to know is it really that simple to use? I'm making my way to memory world tomorow for the DS413 but is it right that if I set up 2x3TB now for SHR, and add one or 2 more 3TB say 6 months later, its just a matter of slaving n the drives and the system will do it automatically?

At the end of the day I don't want to have to spend time changing settings and stuff...

 

[Vulpix]

I would like to know is it really that simple to use? I'm making my way to memory world tomorow for the DS413 but is it right that if I set up 2x3TB now for SHR, and add one or 2 more 3TB say 6 months later, its just a matter of slaving n the drives and the system will do it automatically?

At the end of the day I don't want to have to spend time changing settings and stuff...

Yesh and yesh. I did that as a wee lad before, slowly add drives to my 411j and it works like magic.

 

[cupcorn]

Just to be sure it can provide full duplicate backup without data loss?

 

[davidktw]

I would like to know is it really that simple to use? I'm making my way to memory world tomorow for the DS413 but is it right that if I set up 2x3TB now for SHR, and add one or 2 more 3TB say 6 months later, its just a matter of slaving n the drives and the system will do it automatically?

At the end of the day I don't want to have to spend time changing settings and stuff...

SHR or no SHR, you still can perform RAID migration. No need to be too confused over it. You are not the first one using Synology. Before you start storing important data into the NAS, test it out. Understand what happens when you take out a disk. Do the service go offline ? Continue copy data inside, put back the disk u took out. See what happens.

Get yourself familiarise with the operational workings of a NAS. Reliability is not because you bought the product. Reliability is because you understand the product and know how to manage it.

 

[davidktw]

You should start charging for this kinda advice.

If I start charging for such consultancy, I'm sure only a few can afford and sharing will most likely be non-existent.

 

[Vulpix]

If I start charging for such consultancy, I'm sure only a few can afford and sharing will most likely be non-existent.

Wah sibeh power.

 

[davidktw]

Just to be sure it can provide full duplicate backup without data loss?

Of course, you can schedule backup jobs to synchronize with another Synology NAS, to rsync to another server, backup to AWS S3/Glacier, backup volume or selected directories from one folder to another in another disk. Synology has a wide range of backup solution.

If you buy the latest top-end solution such as the DS1512+, you can even have High Availability storage between 2 same model Synology NAS for redundancy

Don't worry about solution in this aspect, it's quite extensive

 

[davidktw]

Wah sibeh power.

Not power.... What I'm trying to say is the whole point discussing in this open forum is to share what we know. If we want to fix a price to such knowledge, then you won't even find us discussing in the first place

Actually it's true if today I'm providing consultancy to other enterprises, the rate is quite high. Such can be niche knowledge in the IT industry. However, we are not really on niche storage solution discussion. Synology is not exactly the kind of Enterprise solution we are talking about, but I must say it's quite powerful. Via the capability of Linux and other popular packages such as Heartbeat, DRBD etc, they are bridging up the gap between features set in the consumer space and the Enterprise space. The value is mostly provided from the opensource Linux and the surrounding Free Software Foundation.

 

[Vulpix]

Not power.... What I'm trying to say is the whole point discussing in this open forum is to share what we know. If we want to fix a price to such knowledge, then you won't even find us discussing in the first place

Actually it's true if today I'm providing consultancy to other enterprises, the rate is quite high. Such can be niche knowledge in the IT industry. However, we are not really on niche storage solution discussion. Synology is not exactly the kind of Enterprise solution we are talking about, but I must say it's quite powerful. Via the capability of Linux and other popular packages such as Heartbeat, DRBD etc, they are bridging up the gap between features set in the consumer space and the Enterprise space. The value is mostly provided from the opensource Linux and the surrounding Free Software Foundation.

I'm quite thankful you are sharing your vast knowledge in the consumer NAS threads. I started to read up a bit about linux commands here and there, but damn, these things are harder to remember than DOS commands. The NAS units these days also getting damn powerful, like the one from QNAP with HDMI port.

 

[fribro]

So far how's it? Any problems?

No problems so far. But if got problems you are on your own cause not much users here.

 

[quekky]

With 2 disks, your only option for RAID is either RAID 0(stripping) or RAID 1(mirror). With 3 disks, it will be RAID 1(mirror) + hot spare or RAID 5. 4 disks - 2x RAID 1, RAID 5, RAID 6, RAID 10, RAID 0

Besides RAID 5 and 6, all others cannot be expanded and still in the same form. If you started with RAID 1 of 2 disks, adding addition 1 disks will require RAID migration from 1 to 5. That will require a lengthy process of transforming all the data into RAID 5. It's going to be a lengthy process. Adding addition disks to existing RAID 5 require recovering/resilvering the new disk. It's lengthy in time too, but still retain to be RAID 5.

Adding a new harddisk will not have any effect. Changing the array is not an automatic procedure, but it's not difficult, just follow a quick clicking of options on the web console and the rest will be waiting time.

Synology can upgrade from 2 disk raid 1 to 3 disk raid 5

see here
How to expand the RAID Volume with additional disks - SynologyWiki

but dunno how long it takes

to whoever is asking, just use SHR, no need to worry so much. basically in the backend it's the same as raid 1 or raid 5/6 and stripping all of them together, depending on what hdd you throw to it

 

[cupcorn]

Thanks David! Hey you are staff from synology?

 

[davidktw]

Thanks David! Hey you are staff from synology?

Nope I'm not, I merely own a DS1511+ that have not really shutdown except during maintenance for nearly 2 years. Survived 2 cases of harddisks failure and 1 case of migration from RAID 5 to 6.

 

[yukita]

Nope I'm not, I merely own a DS1511+ that have not really shutdown except during maintenance for nearly 2 years. Survived 2 cases of harddisks failure and 1 case of migration from RAID 5 to 6.

I start using synology since 2009 at office, got 2 unit DS 509+ with 5x1.5TB seagate hardisk, doing daily write about 300GB per day per NAS for more than 3 years. slightly after 3 years, the hardisk die one by one. coming 4 years one of the NAS fail also. so left only one.... quality wise very good. just imagine the amount of data written to each nas almost 3.3 Petabyte aka 3.300TB or 3.300.000GB

 

[yukita]

I start using synology since 2009 at office, got 2 unit DS 509+ with 5x1.5TB seagate hardisk, doing daily write about 300GB per day per NAS for more than 3 years. slightly after 3 years, the hardisk die one by one. coming 4 years one of the NAS fail also. so left only one.... quality wise very good. just imagine the amount of data written to each nas almost 3.3 Petabyte aka 3.300TB or 3.300.000GB

i dont think home user will write so much in one day lol....

 

[cupcorn]

Ok I have bought the NAS DS413 and 2 red 3TB HDD (gonna expand to 4 later on)

I have a problem now - I find it very complicated and not having alot of instructions for a newbie. I installed the drives and ran the dsm program and setup some folders. Appreciate if someone can point me to the questions below:

Playing media:
1) I used the file manager and transferred my video files onto it.
2) Then I installed Synalogy media server and video station to play the files on my pc and tv. But I realized (playing on pc) it only works on VLC and does not seem to be able to fast forward
3) Did I miss out anything or did anything wrong?

Backing up files:
1) I tried to transfer some files to the DS
2) the transfer stopped because some of my document files have names over 250 characters. I can't seem to resume the transfer and need to restart.
3) How can I backup files more effectively? Are there any package I can use?

Thanks for the help!

 

[Vulpix]

Backing up files:
1) I tried to transfer some files to the DS
2) the transfer stopped because some of my document files have names over 250 characters. I can't seem to resume the transfer and need to restart.
3) How can I backup files more effectively? Are there any package I can use?

Thanks for the help!

How did you transfer files to your DS? Copy paste via explorer?

 

[cupcorn]

How did you transfer files to your DS? Copy paste via explorer?

erm yes... I created a folder and just drag and drop thefiles. I was told when I bought that it is that easy? haha

 

[davidktw]

Ok I have bought the NAS DS413 and 2 red 3TB HDD (gonna expand to 4 later on)

I have a problem now - I find it very complicated and not having alot of instructions for a newbie. I installed the drives and ran the dsm program and setup some folders. Appreciate if someone can point me to the questions below:

Please read up from here How to share data locally using the Synology server as a File Server - SynologyWiki

That will get you started with CIFS over SAMBA for Windows users.

Playing media:
1) I used the file manager and transferred my video files onto it.
2) Then I installed Synalogy media server and video station to play the files on my pc and tv. But I realized (playing on pc) it only works on VLC and does not seem to be able to fast forward
3) Did I miss out anything or did anything wrong?

Use your VLC or your other media player and access the movie files via the shared folder established earlier.

Backing up files:
1) I tried to transfer some files to the DS
2) the transfer stopped because some of my document files have names over 250 characters. I can't seem to resume the transfer and need to restart.
3) How can I backup files more effectively? Are there any package I can use?

Thanks for the help!

Backup can be done via other backup application such as Comodo Backup, or Windows backup, or Data Replicator 3 which you can download from Synology at Download Center - Synology Inc. Network Attached Storage - NEW NAS Experience

For mac, setup Synology as Time Machine target and it will work out of the box without any installation.