Linux server and storage upgrade with NAS?

[geekmiki]

Hi,

I currently have a server running Ubuntu with 5x 2TB drive in RAID5 (with mdadm). The server is running on an AMD Phenom X2 250 with 2GB RAM and is used for storage/sharing (SMB and NFS), Usenet downloads (SABNZBPlus and CouchPotato), streaming HD content to mediacenters, and some other small applications I use via SSH (IRC, FTP, etc.).
I'm satisfied with the performance and the way I use it, but I need to expand the storage capacity. Since the MoBo only has 6 SATA ports, I can't add another disk.

What I'm looking for is buying a NAS, with at least 4 bays, build a RAID 5, mount that share on the Linux server and administrate it from there. I don't really need all the fancy features of NASes (like app-capability, web frontends, etc.), just the basics (NFS, SMB and SSH).

Upgrading the RAID5 disks on the server is not an option, since I have nowhere to store the data that's already there while upgrading.

I need you advice for:
-Is there a better option than having a NAS+Server (while limiting the costs - e.g. not buying a whole new server)?
-If there's not, what NAS would you recommend that has good performance and that would fit this setup?

Thank you in advance!

 

[TonyH]

Hi,

I currently have a server running Ubuntu with 5x 2TB drive in RAID5 (with mdadm). The server is running on an AMD Phenom X2 250 with 2GB RAM and is used for storage/sharing (SMB and NFS), Usenet downloads (SABNZBPlus and CouchPotato), streaming HD content to mediacenters, and some other small applications I use via SSH (IRC, FTP, etc.).
I'm satisfied with the performance and the way I use it, but I need to expand the storage capacity. Since the MoBo only has 6 SATA ports, I can't add another disk.

What I'm looking for is buying a NAS, with at least 4 bays, build a RAID 5, mount that share on the Linux server and administrate it from there. I don't really need all the fancy features of NASes (like app-capability, web frontends, etc.), just the basics (NFS, SMB and SSH).

Upgrading the RAID5 disks on the server is not an option, since I have nowhere to store the data that's already there while upgrading.

I need you advice for:
-Is there a better option than having a NAS+Server (while limiting the costs - e.g. not buying a whole new server)?
-If there's not, what NAS would you recommend that has good performance and that would fit this setup?

Thank you in advance!

 

[stevech]

Hi,

I currently have a server running Ubuntu with 5x 2TB drive in RAID5 (with mdadm). The server is running on an AMD Phenom X2 250 with 2GB RAM and is used for storage/sharing (SMB and NFS), Usenet downloads (SABNZBPlus and CouchPotato), streaming HD content to mediacenters, and some other small applications I use via SSH (IRC, FTP, etc.).
I'm satisfied with the performance and the way I use it, but I need to expand the storage capacity. Since the MoBo only has 6 SATA ports, I can't add another disk.

What I'm looking for is buying a NAS, with at least 4 bays, build a RAID 5, mount that share on the Linux server and administrate it from there. I don't really need all the fancy features of NASes (like app-capability, web frontends, etc.), just the basics (NFS, SMB and SSH).

Upgrading the RAID5 disks on the server is not an option, since I have nowhere to store the data that's already there while upgrading.

I need you advice for:
-Is there a better option than having a NAS+Server (while limiting the costs - e.g. not buying a whole new server)?
-If there's not, what NAS would you recommend that has good performance and that would fit this setup?

Thank you in advance!

Question 1 is how do you or plan to backup? RAID is not a backup. It will get you.

As may others, I suggest Synology or QNAP. Only these.

 

[coxhaus]

I would never run an RAID5 without a backup solution. You are asking for trouble. If you accidently delete a file on the RAID it is gone forever. You need to recover the file from a backup.

Why don’t you just add a RAID card and create another RAID in your server. Maybe migrate to higher density drives. 2TB drives are not very big any more by today’s standards.

 

[stevech]

I would never run an RAID5 without a backup solution. You are asking for trouble. If you accidently delete a file on the RAID it is gone forever. You need to recover the file from a backup.

Why don’t you just add a RAID card and create another RAID in your server. Maybe migrate to higher density drives. 2TB drives are not very big any more by today’s standards.

I have a small 2 x 2TB drive NAS. Two volumes. No RAID by intent. No mirroring by intent as a hosed up file system would duplicate the flaws. Volume 1 has lots of automated backup to volume 2 and USB3.

 

[coxhaus]

Having 2 separate disks does allow you to backup from one to the other. The draw back without RAID is you lose redundancy. When a disk dies you cannot just install another and have the system rebuild automatically. You have to recover from backups.

 

[geekmiki]

I know that not having a backup is bad and a source of potential problems. Because of budget and time reasons I haven't been able to look into before. Now is the moment to potentially improve my setup.

I was actually thinking of adding a simple 4 bay NAS (QNAP/Synology) with 4x3TB disks, backup everything and replace the 2TB disks with 4x4TB disks.

 

[geekmiki]

Well I finally have decided to build a new Freenas server and to use the current RAID5 as a backup. I didn't really want to go that way, but I guess it might be the best choice for me.
In that way everything is covered: RAID, backup and performance.