Looking for a NAS

Discussion in 'Network questions and troubleshooting' started by fantaskarsef, Aug 26, 2016.

Tags:
  1. fantaskarsef

    fantaskarsef Ancient Guru

    Messages:
    15,696
    Likes Received:
    9,574
    GPU:
    4090@H2O
    Hey gurus, I'm thinking about buying a NAS for home use. I'd pretty much use it as storage, nothing too special in terms of performance requirements.

    What I'd like to have though is the chance of accessing the files via my normal browser (like network access to another PC's drives), and that programs might be able to be installed on there like Hearthstone's deck tracker, to be run from two different PCs (would that even be possible?)

    I'm new to network storage, so I'd be happy for any input.
     
  2. vase

    vase Guest

    Messages:
    1,652
    Likes Received:
    2
    GPU:
    -
    -> synology , medium performance 2-bay/4-bay

    yes, possible

    possible sure. with a little fizzling.
    but you are aware that any settings those programs do in %appdata% won't be on the NAS anyway. so you have to take care of these with symlinks after they are created... basically it's a bad idea. but as long as those programs aren't very important to you i guess its ok.
    thing is if there is a contesting file access from 2 or more pcs you may run into problems/conflicts. (to clarify: not problems on the NAS... but in the integrity of the logic of the specific program data)
     
    Last edited: Sep 14, 2016
  3. fantaskarsef

    fantaskarsef Ancient Guru

    Messages:
    15,696
    Likes Received:
    9,574
    GPU:
    4090@H2O
    Thanks for the input vase.

    Yeah I've tried to read a bit into the matter, even as I would not really use the decktracker from two PCs at a time, it's still a little bothersome. Actually the installation of the decktracker for instance on two PCs wouldn't bother me, but the stats should be shared over both machinces. I guess it's not that easy to get it work after all hehe
     
  4. vase

    vase Guest

    Messages:
    1,652
    Likes Received:
    2
    GPU:
    -
    i dont know that program.
    but in general (if it is not a tool that stores data account-bound online) you just have to find out where in your user folder (%APPDATA%) the program stores the data you want to synchronize.
    and then you just create a special folder on the NAS and make a symlink or a junction from all PCs to that folder (based in the %APPDATA%\<toolfolder> which you identified).
    that way as long as you don't use the tool on more than one computer at the same moment, it will work without any problems. and you will have the most recent state of data available on all machines which you configured like that.

    just google for "how to creat junction/symlink in windows" and you will find all the neccessary commands. It's pretty easy.
     

  5. fantaskarsef

    fantaskarsef Ancient Guru

    Messages:
    15,696
    Likes Received:
    9,574
    GPU:
    4090@H2O
    Thanks, I will look into it. Yes I think the program might store data locally, but I'll have to check and find out.
     
  6. anticupidon

    anticupidon Ancient Guru

    Messages:
    7,878
    Likes Received:
    4,126
    GPU:
    Polaris/Vega/Navi
    why not going DYI?
    use a spare computer, or build one from parts, get FreeNas or OpenMediaVault and give it a try
     
  7. fantaskarsef

    fantaskarsef Ancient Guru

    Messages:
    15,696
    Likes Received:
    9,574
    GPU:
    4090@H2O
    I technically could, my Core2Quad is still running, then again it's a matter of space to put it somewhere, power it needs, a lack of a free windows license newer than Vista, and I can't even get to share folders between my win8.1 gaming rig and my win7 HTPC, so I don't trust myself with that stuff too much :D
     
  8. anticupidon

    anticupidon Ancient Guru

    Messages:
    7,878
    Likes Received:
    4,126
    GPU:
    Polaris/Vega/Navi
    you could do it, even that it seems so difficult to accomplish
    More, it could be a experience to have before going to the next level, you will learn how things works, what folder is shared, by whom, ACL, permissions and the whole nine yards.
    There are a TON of tutorials and some of them very good .Takes a few hours to become your own NAS builder and have files shared as you wish.
    You can use always a virtual machine as an alternative.Build a virtual NAS and get some experience while at it.Makes a diference when you get a real NAS and you will not start from 0.
     
  9. fantaskarsef

    fantaskarsef Ancient Guru

    Messages:
    15,696
    Likes Received:
    9,574
    GPU:
    4090@H2O
    I would look into it but I'm not sure everything's that easy. I've been trying to get folder sharing working between my HTPC and gaming rig and win7 and win8.1 refuse to work and let me exchange files easily between the two. If so I wouldn't have the idea to use a NAS at all, or I would simply build myself a home server, quite similar to what you mentioned.

    But as I can't access anything useful on my HTPC even though I've read about 20 tutorials and troubleshooting guies on it, I don't have the feeling I should even dive deeper into the matter ;)
     
  10. PrMinisterGR

    PrMinisterGR Ancient Guru

    Messages:
    8,125
    Likes Received:
    969
    GPU:
    Inno3D RTX 3090
    I agree completely with the PC idea. Look at it as a DIY project. I just finished mine, by the way. A small all-in-one Intel Atom PC now serves as a download cache, router, wireless AP and DNS cache/server for my local network. It's not even really possible to buy a router/NAS with the same capabilities.
     

  11. A2Razor

    A2Razor Guest

    Messages:
    543
    Likes Received:
    110
    GPU:
    6800XT, XFX Merc319
    I pretty much will also second the build your own with a PC route. If you want a storage server and you want reliability, you want ECC + RAID1 or RAID10. At least in a small scale 2-4 disk setup.

    Don't gimp your memory, get ECC. RAID without ECC is not reliable in a 24/7 always-on storage server. Sooner or later memory errors will propagate into your data, disks in RAID or not.


    My suggestion would be on something like this:
    HP Microserver w/ ECC memory. (you can find these on sale from time to time really-cheap)
    FreeNAS (FreeBSD storage distro, has a nice web-UI out of the box, supports ZFS and software RAID)
     
  12. allesclar

    allesclar Ancient Guru

    Messages:
    5,769
    Likes Received:
    176
    GPU:
    GeForce GTX 1070
    I use the Netgear Readynas series.

    I have no issues with them and bought them when they were cheap, around £130-£160 each.

    Then added the 2TB hard drives as i needed them.

    Also for redundancy etc with expensive equipment, make sure you have a UPS.
     
  13. swealpha

    swealpha Guest

    Messages:
    4
    Likes Received:
    0
    GPU:
    4gb
    I tried 3 different NAS but ended up with buying a USB 3.0 raided external disk to my HTPC.

    The performance is kinda bad if you are not willing to pay about 700USD+

    This is my own experience.
     
  14. nhlkoho

    nhlkoho Guest

    Messages:
    7,755
    Likes Received:
    366
    GPU:
    RTX 2080ti FE
    QNAP and Synology offer great cheap products. I have the QNAP 4bay enclosure with 4x4TB drives. Works great and is pretty fast.
     
  15. potatochobit

    potatochobit Active Member

    Messages:
    70
    Likes Received:
    3
    GPU:
    R9 290X

Share This Page