Hi,
 I want to get a small NAS setup so that my wife and I can share our photo collection in one place.

 I started looking at NAS info and I keep finding that the smaller stuff gets more bad reviews than good. I keep getting scared to make a purchase.

 Initially I thought I would buy an enclosure and build a setup but now I realize that almost all those units are more expensive and offer more features than I need.

 I don't want RAID. I don't need automated backup management for 30 employees. I don't expect to stream media like movies or music.




 After refocusing on small turn key NAS packages I considered several popular options:


 I was hot to buy the LaCie Wireless Space but then came to realize the wireless is sort of redundant if you already have a wireless network, which I do.

 I then considered the WD Livebook which seems nice but can only be accessed if and when it's working on the network. There's no plan "B" for getting to the drive space if the device isn't happy on the network.

 I have come to consider the Seagate BlackArmor as a viable choice. It seems marketed to small office but it will work as JBOD, which is what I want, and it has extra connectivity. I even seen some claims that you can replace the hardrives in that unit.


 My problem is that every set of reviews I have read on these turn key items is overwhelmed with disappointed users.

 I am hoping some folks here might have some realistic appraisals of the choices I am considering.


 My main interest is storing all our photo files in one place so that we can more easily manage having a redundant backup system of that space.
 My wife and I will access the data via out Win7 64bit laptops.

 Any tips or advice is appreciated.

 Thanks.

best regards,
mike

As an alternative to your choices above, have you considered a Linux box (regardless of flavor)? Great for recycling an older computer you don't use, easy to set up within your existing network (wired and/or wifi) and in my experience, very reliable.

Any of the small proprietary devices are lacking in serviceability. E.g. - diagnosing (h/w or s/w), finding replacement parts, file recovery, etc. Using a standard pc is better in that regard. Or at least daily back up (incrementally) the entire HD of the device onto one of your other PCs that can then double as a temporary replacement server when your NAS dies. Do you have any particular software in mind for organizing and accessing your photos? That is another story.

Alegria


As an alternative to your choices above, have you considered a Linux box (regardless of flavor)? Great for recycling an older computer you don't use, easy to set up within your existing network (wired and/or wifi) and in my experience, very reliable.

We don't have any desktops on the network so the obvious choice of using a big shared drive on a desktop isn't a immediate option.

I was reading about FreeNAS and considering the possibility of using an old video edit desktop box as a dedicated server, but I am attracted to the very small foot print of a dedicated NAS of some sort.

The reason I have become interested in the Seagate Black Armor is that the hard drives can be replaced etc.

I have also considered that the price of a Seagate Black Armor is less than half of what I'd have to pay to build a DIY NAS assembled out of similar drives.

It seems like it, or something with that form factor, might be an effective stepping stone as my needs evolve.





Right now we use two external drives for our photos. One mirrors the other. My wife and I photograph as a hobby, so there are a lot of photos... more than fit on our laptops, and external hard drives are beginning to seem like a hassle.

The goal is too end up with one of those drive spaces on our wireless network so we can get to the photos with our laptops more conveniently via wireless, and then continue having another space as a back up.



best regards,
mike

I've had my Buffalo Terra Station 4TB (Raid 0, or whatever mirrored is) for about a year now. Seems very reliable.

Thanks for the info.

After consideration I have determined that my best option is to combine this interest with my interest in building a HTPC.

I kept seeing advice that a good homeowner NAS system is simply an old system left on the network. I also saw that backing up from NAS to external harddrives was painfully slow unless you had an expensive NAS.

As my potential NAS budget crawled upwards I realized the cost for a nice case, power supply and NAS controller board, the stuff you get in a $800 NAS package seemed a lot like a small mini PC.

That's when I realized that while I do not want to waste the space to have a dedicated home server, that the HTPC I plan to build, use, and make space for can easily hide an extra hard drive or two and provide the network storage for the extremely limited use I have been planning for.

Drop back and punt!

best regards,
mike