DS212j volume setup

[summerdream]

Just got my DS212j today and put in 2TB+1TB drive I had. Here is how I want the setup to be
2TB: Volume1 [Basic RAID type](my primary storage)
1TB: Volume2 250GB [Basic RAID type](for Macbook Pro's Time Machine backup)
Volume3 750GB [Basic RAID type] (will use Synology's built-in Time Backup to selectively backup important contents from Volume1, in case I accidentally delete files on Volume1).

My setup is similar to stevech's except that I need an extra volume for Time Machine backup.

My question is will I be able to create 2 volumes on one disk? The way I have in my mind is to create a disk group on 1TB drive, then create 2 volumes on this disk group, but problem is that my DSM4 doesn't have a disk group tab. Am I doing something wrong?

My next question is if my setup works. In situation of disk failure, will I still be able to read contents from the other disk (i.e. if 2TB drive fails, can I read Volume2&Volume3 on 1TB drive; and if 1TB drive fails, can I read Volume1 on 2TB drive).

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

 

[stevech]

I use time machine in DSM.. no dedicated volume needed. Just a share on any volume.

 

[summerdream]

The reason I created a dedicated volume for time machine is that shared folder doesn't support quota. I want to limit time machine to a certain size, it seems I won't be able to do so without the help of separate volume.

I use time machine in DSM.. no dedicated volume needed. Just a share on any volume.

 

[stevech]

I don't think it will work properly - giving time machine a quota. You configure time machine as to how many days-back it should keep. Then the required storage for that time period just has to accommodate, else there's an error because Time Machine will complain that it lacks the storage to meet your chosen time span.

 

[summerdream]

Time Machine has the ability to delete oldest backup to accomodate new backup when the disk is full.

I ended up with a different approach: instead of using a shared folder/volume quota, I create a user for time machine backup and give the user quota. I will see how if this work when the space usage by TM user is close to the quota.

 

[stevech]

I hope this means the oldest file that does have a newer version!

 

[summerdream]

Just want to make sure I understand this correctly: do you mean if I have a file from the first TM backup and the file doesn't undergo any change over time, when disk gets full and TM starts to wipe out 1st backup, would the file still be there?

I hope this means the oldest file that does have a newer version!

 

[stevech]

I don't know what strategy it uses if you setup a quota for time machine. Common sense is delete the oldest file where there are younger revisions of that file. But they may have some other strategy.

I've found that over months of use, Time Machine's storage size does not grow much. I have no quota on its destination folder. But I don't store lots of big multimedia files. And Time Machine backs up only selected important folders such as finances, job, family photos, etc.