I have a couple of USB external HDD's (1TB and 1.5TB) and I want to use them as a NAS for media etc. Can anyone recommend something that I can use to connect them to my network so they can be utilised by my PS3, XBOX, TV's, mobiles etc?

 

I saw something on ebay which looks OK but doesn't appear to work on win7.

 

I want something quite compact, I did see something that ran NAS4FREE but it would appear they have all been sold.

I have a Synology DS213+ and it is stonkingly good.

Very quick & quiet. quite a few good mobile apps for it too.

I run an Axis IP security camera and use it to access & store the images aswell as all the usual stuff.

I have a Zyxel NSA 325 seems to work quite well. Looks as if it has gone up from the £50 I paid for mine though!

+ 1 for anything Synology. About as rock solid as it gets.

 

Quite the opposite of it's Buffalo counterpart. Sometimes I'd like to throw that one out the window

The key here though is not the enclosure type but a type that can use my USB external drives. Getting to silly money if I have to buy enclosure and HDD's.

You can take the hdd out of the usb enclosure and put it in a NAS enclosure?

I know I could but I like the idea of keeping them mobile rather than wreck two perfectly working external HDDS. I will have a look at the Synology range and maybe buy one larger HDD?

Problem with running the drives from USB is going to speed. USB is very slow, even slower when on a NAS since the processor within the NAS tends to be at the budget end of the scale. Much better going internal and getting the full benefit of SATA.

Another problem with USB enclosures is heat, the drives don't like being on 24/7 and will get VERY hot if you do leave them on. Also power, since you'd need three power supplies plugged in. At least its just a single plug if they are internal.

Ideally with a NAS you want at least two identical drives configured for redundancy, so if one disk fails then you don't lose all your data.

Problem with running the drives from USB is going to speed. USB is very slow, even slower when on a NAS since the processor within the NAS tends to be at the budget end of the scale. Much better going internal and getting the full benefit of SATA.

Another problem with USB enclosures is heat, the drives don't like being on 24/7 and will get VERY hot if you do leave them on. Also power, since you'd need three power supplies plugged in. At least its just a single plug if they are internal.

Ideally with a NAS you want at least two identical drives configured for redundancy, so if one disk fails then you don't lose all your data.

I think I need to look at this in more detail.

Heat kills drives.

 

Depends how important your data is or how big a hassel is would be to rebuild it.

 

I'd probably just build my own fileserver using some older PC bits from ebay. Get a case with planety of capacity for fans and a basic SATA RAID card.

 

You do need identical drives to RAID.

Edited 10 February, 201412 yr by Aspman

Do you have a laptop or desktop?

 

I run my desktop as a media server using Serviio as it's on 24/7 anyway. No need for any other devices, jsut got 4.5tb of storage in various hdd's (internal and external) on the desktop.

I'd take the drives out and put them in an HP microserver. Less than £100, quiet, great quality and totally flexible. Run freenas or linux on it and do plenty of stuff besides storage on it too. I know at least a dozen people with them - including my dad even.

Heat kills drives.

 

Depends how important your data is or how big a hassel is would be to rebuild it.

 

I'd probably just build my own fileserver using some older PC bits from ebay. Get a case with planety of capacity for fans and a basic SATA RAID card.

 

You do need identical drives to RAID.

 

Sorry to say that you're incorrect on that last point. If you have 4 different drives from 4 different manufacturers at the same size, then you'll have a percentage back off to account for this.

Something else worth noting is that on the synology at least, you can have drive sizes mixed too and it will create virtual devices of a given size to allow utilisation of the extra space.

 

Certainly spot on about the heat (and also stop/start) cycles killing hard drives though.

Edited 10 February, 201412 yr by cheezemonkhai

+1 for the HP Microserver. Think the cashback offer expired currently but they always seem to run them so you should be able to pick on up for around £140. Comes with 1 x 250gb drive, and as nick said, stick Linux or something on there and you're good to go. Has space for 4 additional internal drives and plenty of USB ports for external ones. I've got server 2012 essentials on there so it backs up all the other pcs in my house to itself. Just installing plex for media management and streaming etc. Pretty pleased with it so far

Current microserver cashback offer is on until end of Feb....

 

http://www.serversplus.com/microserver_cashback

Hmm very tempted by the Microserver offer - would run the PC 24/7 as a server but it is pretty power hungry being an I7 with 660TI, 8GB ram, 1TB HDD and 2 19" LCD screens.

 

A separate NAS with low power draw would be great - probably utilising the external drive I have atm (1TB ripped from its current case) with one other added soon after purchase.

 

I take it Freenas is easy to operate? It looks it from googling freenas and I would be more interested in the cost free option than giving MS more money.

HP Microservers pop up on the deals web sites quite often but it's not an intense task so picking up a second hand server chassis from Ebay might work.

 

Wasn't sure about the identical drives or of approximate size was good enough. Thought identical was the best bet.

 

Mmmm Mini rack under the stairs with a patch panel and tumble dryer style ventilation

 

 

 

ACHTUNG! Alles touristen und non-technischen peepers!

  Das machine control is nicht fur gerfinger-poken und
  mittengrabben. Oderwise is easy schnappen der springenwerk,
  blowen fuse, und poppencorken mit spitzensparken.
  Der machine is diggen by experten only. Is nicht fur
  geverken by das dummkopfen. Das rubbernecken sightseenen
  keepen das cotten picken hands in das pockets,
  so relaxen und watchen das blinkenlights.

Freenas is really easy to operate yeah. My dad ran freenas to start with on his but then came to appreciate the flexibility of running Ubuntu on it.

 

I run Ubuntu on mine too with ZFS on 3TB Seagate drives. I run Plex, sabnzb, couch potato, sick beard etc on it too.

Current microserver cashback offer is on until end of Feb....

http://www.serversplus.com/microserver_cashback

Bloody typical - got mine in the Jan offer but they only had £50 cashback :(

With an extra 50 off, it's a steal... Tempted to get a second one!

Edited 11 February, 201412 yr by rhodeski

The work offices here is based in an old house which used to be owned by Hall and Woodhouse brewery. The old gatekeepers lodge which is now offices has all its facilities still in place, so downstairs in the middle of the kitchen is a 12U rack cabinet full of network and fire suppression kit.

I use an old HP mediasmart EX495 server which used to run Windows Home Server, its now been upgraded to 4x 1.5TB discs and a 64GB SSD connected via E-SATA. Also upgraded the ram to 4GB and the operating system is now Windows Server 2012 R2. The discs are configured using Microsoft Storage Spaces and it works well. Running on that I have Plex Media Server, and that allows me to stream media to anywhere in the world with a internet connection.

Freenas is really easy to operate yeah. My dad ran freenas to start with on his but then came to appreciate the flexibility of running Ubuntu on it.

 

I run Ubuntu on mine too with ZFS on 3TB Seagate drives. I run Plex, sabnzb, couch potato, sick beard etc on it too.

Nick how easy is it to set up Ubuntu, I see I can download for free. Are there any tutorials as I haven't tinkered with a server before?

 

I am hoping to run the OS on the supplied 250Gb and then use 2 x 2Tb does that sound OK to you?

Nick how easy is it to set up Ubuntu, I see I can download for free. Are there any tutorials as I haven't tinkered with a server before?

I am hoping to run the OS on the supplied 250Gb and then use 2 x 2Tb does that sound OK to you?

Ubuntu with a GUI is easier for the novice but carries a performance overhead. The server version is command line only, but if you have some time and are prepared to do some reading you should be able to work it out.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

Thanks, I am happy to learn. It's only for home use pictures, music etc I may use it for CCTV if I decide to get the cameras.

I am currently using a HP Microserver N54L for my moddest requirements.  It is running Ubuntu 12.04 server edition, on the original 250Gb HDD.  No other drives added yet, but i will need to source one soon.  I have installed Webmin for making managing my server easier.  I am currently using it for storing backups, Plex Media Server (films and photos) and Minecraft server, as well as OpenVPN for remote access. All in a very nice solution, the PMS is a cracking piece of software.  Integrates with my Samsung smart TV very well (using the PMS app).  Hope that helps.

I think I will follow this guide

 

http://www.geeklee.co.uk/2013/11/25/headless-plex-media-server-on-hp-microserver/