Single Disk NAS vs Multi Disk NAS vs USB HDD

[cadillacmike68]

OK, I'll try not to be too boring here.

I have two single disk NAS:
One an older WD Mybook Live (yeah that old) 2TB. It's from circa 2013-14. It is still working.
The second is a seagate Central 4TB from Dec 2015.

I have 5 USB HDDs (Toshiba, WD, Seagate) from 2-5GB they are spread out among different ThinkPads. I also use USB sticks to replicate certain groups / types of files. The two main computers have their data files on at least four different devices, so the NAS boxes are only part of the system. They are are also good for quickly transferring a group of files to another system without un-mounting and re-mountng a USB HDD or thumb drive.

The controller on the Seagate fried, last night (actually this morning) right after I finished transferring a lot of accounting work files across it to my my T61-8898. It has a blinking green status led - controller as per the consensus- but the HDD is probably still good. I guess 4.5 years on a cheap controller with no internal fan was all there was. Got my files transferred ok. Even if it died while copying they were on another system.

Note: That Seagate was Slower than my WD and Toshiba USB HDDs!

Nothing on it worth trying to get at because everything is already backed up to 3 USB HDDs, the WD NAS, or internal HDDs in various ultrabays.

But this was my big NAS and that WD is pushing on 6-8 years old, so I would like another NAS.

I see these 2,3 or 4 bay NAS boxes, some with and some without disks, but I'm sot sold on the RAID NAS for archival backup. Yeah, If I was actively using the data on the NAS that would be one thing, but I'm not. Further, the controllers seem to be the weak point and then what do you do? you have to get another box.

To me is is easier and far less expensive to just get one or two single disk NAS boxes fitted with a single 4TB HDD and use it along with the USB HDDs that I already use. If it fails just get another and copy from one of the USB HDDs. If the disk fails, even better, put another HDD in the box.

Am I thinking wrong on this?

Should I get a fitted out one or an empty and put thi drive from the Seagate Central in it?

I'm thinking of a Buffalo 4TB with the HDD or a Synology single bay - no disk where I can either put this Seagate drive in or a new Seagate or WD drive.
There is also a WD MyCloud as well, but some of the newest WD MyCloud (Home) SUCK, because they will not allow normal NAS drive mounting.

Here are the two I'm thinking of:
Synology DS120j 1 Bay NAS DiskStation (Diskless), 512MB DDR3L - About $100 I would get a WD or Seagate 4TB NAS drive for about $105
BUFFALO LinkStation 210 4TB Home Office Storage NAS with Hard Drive Included - About $171

The WD is out - it's a used drive of an older model and is more expensive to boot!
WD My Cloud WDBCTL0040HWT 4TB Personal Cloud Storage - About $250 for a used one (nope).

[dr_st]

No, I think you got it pretty much right. RAID Controllers are not supposed to fail, and I suppose they really do not fail often. However, for archival backup - set and forget - separate disks are better, because you can keep them physically apart, which reduces the chance of all copies being destroyed by a single accidental event.

[cadillacmike68]

Thanks for the sanity check.

To be fair to that old Seagate, it was not a true RAID controller. It was a single disk enclosure with no RAID capability, which requires two or more disks. In any event, I'm going to look a both an enclosure with a disk and one without, but still, both single disk units.

[cadillacmike68]

So i pulled the system from where I had it installed and took it apart. I managed to get it apart without breaking anything.

I have this rube goldberg / mickey mouse SATA or IDE to USB connection kit, no case just the connectors and power supply to connect a 2.5 or 3.5 IDE or SATA drive via USB. I used it once to connect a Hitachi Travelstar to get files off of the drive. Never thought I'd be using it again.

I connected it up and the drive works!! There 7 or 8 partitions all RAW or other non-win format, but its fine. (healthy partitions). The drive itself is nice and quiet. It's a 5800RPM - "Desktop" HDD. Fine, it won't be used 24x7. and the Synology HAS box has a power button. something the Seagate Central lacked.

So I'll get one of these:
Synology DS120j single bay enclosure and use the Seagate HDD in it. If and when the old Seagate dies, I'll get a bigger one.

And life goes on (presumably).

[RealBlackStuff]

Another cheap option would be a 2-bay dock: https://www.ebay.ie/itm/274341469191
It can copy independently as well.

[cadillacmike68]

That dock looks interesting but it isn't Ethernet connected. I need at least one hi capacity NAS that All the computers can see at once. It helps with transferring or syncing files.

[Utwig]

Look into DIYing a ZFS NAS

[RealBlackStuff]

My ASUS RT-AC68U router has two USB ports.
I have a printer and a 2TB Toshiba Canvio HDD attached to them.
I can send/retrieve data to/from that HDD via wifi.
It's not the fastest, but I don't care.
So far (3 years by now) it has never failed me.
It only comes on when you access it and goes back to 'sleep' after a few minutes of non-use.

[cadillacmike68]

Look into DIYing a ZFS NAS

That's a multi disk redundant system solution, not what I'm looking for.

[w0qj]

1. We just use USB external hard drive backup; pure and simple!

Seagate Backup Plus 5 TB, the 2018 models with CMR (Conventional Magnetic Recording).
Spent a pretty penny hunting down a few of them before they were removed from circulation.

Specifically, we avoided the SMR (Shingle Magnetic Recording) models 2019 and onwards of Seagate Backup Plus.
The SMR model is at least twice as slow!

2. We hesitate to use external SSD enclosures for offline archival storage for extended periods;
we are not sure for how long (months?) can SSD sitting on the shelf without losing its charge and corrupting your data.

[cadillacmike68]

My ASUS RT-AC68U router has two USB ports.
I have a printer and a 2TB Toshiba Canvio HDD attached to them.
I can send/retrieve data to/from that HDD via wifi.
It's not the fastest, but I don't care.
So far (3 years by now) it has never failed me.
It only comes on when you access it and goes back to 'sleep' after a few minutes of non-use.

Interesting. I have a single USB 3.0 on the back of the router. I could put one of the USB HDDs on it. I'll try that. The printers are all network connected so I'd only need the single USB.

Note: Can't see anything on my Arris. From my checking, the USB is only for charging a phone or tablet, or to connect a MOCA adapter for FIOS TV. No worries, I'll get the new NAS set up this weekend.

Toshiba Canvio. Nice little drives. Quiet, reliable. I have two 2TB and a 4TB and use them to store Acronis backups and for data file replications (backup).

[RealBlackStuff]

What is the USB port on my Arris for?
The SBG7400AC2 USB 2.0 port supports connected hard drives with SAMBA and DLNA Media Sharing. In addition to supporting USB 2.0 hard drives, the USB port can be used as a charging connection for mobile devices.

https://arris.secure.force.com/consumer ... tedArticle

[cadillacmike68]

^^ Different Router. That explains it.

Mine is a NVG468MQ. These ones provisioned by Frontier FIOS have disabled the USB port for anything except the TV connection or charging a phone / tablet. I've been trying to get them on the phone to clarify, but no such luck. Its a nice waste of a superspeed USB 3.0 port.

[cadillacmike68]

The Buffalo NAS (single bay unit) arrived and I got it set up.

What a PITA to get the private folders set up.

First, my winblows id has a space in it, Yes, windows accepts it, but then nothing else will, so getting a private share set up and getting access to it is the biggest pain.

Then there is another private folder - Different from my userid for confidential files. That one is even worse to get set up. Took WAY too much time.

Rebuilt the drive by copying directories over from my other backup drives to this one; about 3/4 of the way done - Finished the next day

The Synology NAS (single bay - empty) also arrived. Ordered a 6TB HGST Ultrastar for it. It's a nicer unit, has a FAN!, and a shut off switch. The buffalo has an on/off as well. Waiting on the drive. I'll put the Seagate into a Sabrent USB HDD enclosure. I can then either piggyback it to one of the NAS boxes or use it stand alone. It also has an on/ off switch.
UPDATE:

The 6TB Hitachi arrived as did the Sabrent USb enclosure. I'll try to get them running teI get a few more tax prep items completed.

The Buffalo is performing adequately. I think it is a Little faster than the old Seagate Central.