NAS Recommendation

Hey guys!
It's been a while, or even a long time, but I need some advice.

I've been talking to the family members in my home about getting a NAS to have everyone backup and be safe, especially since I already backup daily and somehow managed to lose previous personal data (pictures and videos).

So I've boiled it down to getting a 2TB NAS.
It should preferably be Time Machine compatible, maybe have RAID, probably be upgradeable and anything is open to suggestion as long as it's reasonable.


I've eyed the Iomega i2x-200 2TB NAS, however, I've heard awful things about Iomega...
And I've read alot about Drobo, but I'm pretty much clueless when it comes to larger scale backing up, servers, NAS type stuff...
Budget is quite tight, $300 is kind of pushing it, but I'd say $400-$500 MAX.

Can you guys recommend anything to me?


If it has a Gigabit Ethernet connection I can just initially back up from it or when I have large files?

 

Does your router have a USB connection? If not, take a look at WD network drives. 2TB options are definitely less than $300.

 

Best NAS I have used is the Drobo

 

No it has a serial port and a sewage line.
lol just kidding, I'm kind of low on sleep.

I have the stock AT&T 2WIRE wireless router/modem and a Netgear wireless router, they most likely do not have USB though.

Are you thinking about just attaching an External HDD?
I'm talking 4 laptops here...

Any explanations why?

 

My D-Link DIR-655 has USB to attach an external drive to the router. It's slower than a direct gigabit ethernet connection, but it suffices for a home back up. Drobo is horribly overpriced IMO.

 

I don't think my wireless routers have USB...
I'll check to make sure but I'm sure it's why I looked at getting a NAS in the first place.

What are the Pro's of getting a NAS over a simple NAD?

 

Acer EasyStore perhaps?

 

Easiest setup, VERY reliable and best features ... okay its not the cheapest but worth it.

D-link DNS-323 is also not too bad to work with

 

It's more of a server than NAS...

The D-link DNS-323 is quite old now isn't it?
I've read that it only uses SATA-150's

 

look at the mix and match components from addonics.com. You can build yourself just about any kind of storage box imaginable there.

 

The the 323 is old but no way SATA 150 will saturate gigabit ethernet, drive speed is a bad way to rate NAS units. and if you look at some of the funplugin hacks you can do some fun hacks with that box if you are so inclined.

http://wiki.dns323.info/

 

Ok, I'll consider it.

But would iomega ix2-200 2TB be a safe buy?

I still think Drobo's amazing reviews are quite nice...
I read about some of the things it does, which no other NAS can do.

 

The drobo is out of your price range.

A Windows Home Server is also a great solution. But outside of your price range.

For $300, there aren't a lot of great backup options.

What software solution are you looking to backup your files?

 

I know... It's hard to convince my mom to spend money she doesn't really have on backing up everything, but she fully understands the consequences and possibility of losing her personal and business data...

That's why I'm looking at NAS's... But I'm considering external HDD's too now...


I will be using Time Machine, Windows Backup and whatever to Mirror/Image once a month or so...
Any recommendations on software?


As I said, we have 4 laptops that need to be backed up, and maybe a Media Server set up.

 

the Iomega ix2-200 2TB looks like it will be more than sufficient for your needs.

I'm not sure where you are reading the bad reviews. The reviews I saw on Cnet, gizmodo, and PC world look alright.

 

Or, you can get a NAS adapter like this one and just use any external hard drive with your existing router. That particular one has two USB ports, so you can hook up two sets of drives.

 

I think that 4 computers needing at least 500GB to 1TB of initial backups will take over a day, and mirroring once in a while will take like 2-3 days since we have 4 computers...

I will think about it.


I am probably going to order the iomega ix2-200 2TB...
Hopefully I won't regret it.


What do you guys use?

 

Drobo, QNAP or Netgear would be my choices, but the Iomega also looks like a great package. I like the Netgear solutions -- even the cheapest ReadyNAS Duo has a lot of great features (except it's underpowered CPU) but I have to admit the main reason I use a Netgear NAS is that they can run the Logitech Squeezecenter app. I'm not sure any other NAS can.

 

I think you'll like it and probably the best solution for your price.

 

Positive thinking lol
I'm going for the ix2-200

Once I get it, should I reformat the drives and then partition them?
So I can have 4 backups so each laptop has it's own?

So if one person has a 250GB laptop, give them a 320GB partition?
And if another has 500GB, give them a 750GB partition etc...?

 

I use a Theacus 4100 Pro , easy to set up , lots of great features and fast . . Set up with 4 samsung 7200 rpm 1 tb drives .

 

I'd just stuff all the backups onto one partition. Saves you a headache. Use the builtin backup software to label the backups automatically, if it is anything like Windows Home Server.

 

Any NAS that supports 4 HDD's is just fine.

But since I'm on a tight budget, I'm swimming in cheapo plastic JBOD functioned drives made in a sweatshop with awful hardware picking out a NAS...

 

picked mine up on fleabay for $390.00 , then bought the drives . But you don't have to have 4 drives in it , you can start off small with 1 and add as the money rolls in .

 

$300 is already "pushing it" lol

So $300 for a 2TB iomega ix2-200 is quite pleasing