Personal NAS / or WD MyCloud?

[SteveB_NI]

Hi all, looking for some advice for a complete newbie to NAS storage methods.

 

For someone who uses many smaller USB connected hard drives I have recommended they look into using a NAS, or some sort of network accessible storage system within their house. They save a lot of data, so overall I'd say they need at least 8TB of storage to futureproof themselves.

 

From my research - am I right in recommending the Netgear ReadyNas 104, 4 bay NAS, initially populated with either 2x 4TB western digital red drives, or if budget allows 2x 6TB WD reds?

 

Also - someone else has now recommended the Western Digital Mycloud 3TB, from which apparently you can connect further hard drives via USB?

 

If I go with the ReadyNAS solution - can a remote PC be set up to access these hard drives like a folder share - i.e. from their desktop? Need something relatively simple for him to use.

 

Thanks

[Chuckster]

ReadyNas can easily be accessible from any browser by accessing its IP address. Here, you can set all your folder shares and permissions.

 

You might want to investigate it further because I cannot see on the Netgear website if it indeed supports RAID or not.

 

ReadyNAS RBU Series - RN10400 | Connected Storage | Home | NETGEAR

 

A dead simple one to use is Buffalo LinkStation. I have one at work just to synchronise some backups to it.

 

I did have a HP MicroServer at home that was populated with 4 x 1TB HDDs. I installed FreeNas on to it and then a few years later it was OpenMediaVault.

[Chuckster]

Alternatively you could look at Run your Own Personal Cloud

 

That would make your life much simpler.

[Oaktech]

I've got a 10200 at home with 2x WD red in it in a raid 1 which has been excellent - I sent back a synology after 6 weeks for breaking/making the raid about 12 times for no apparent reason.

[SteveB_NI]

I was tempted to set him up with a raid system but then again a lot of his data is simply stored, and not necessary require all to be backed up. Therefore the main use of the ReadyNas 10400 will be to enable him access wirelessly to all 4 hard drives if possible - I could advise him to manually ensure a duplicate of anything he definitely needs to be backed up.