NAS for 35 Staff SME

[ChrisJude]

Hi,

I need your advice badly as I am thrown into the role of putting up a IT system for my 35 staff with many limitations.

My company's needs:

1) Auto backup/sync from staff's laptops to the NAS (with each staff having individual folders rights)
2) No public cloud storage (e.g. OneDrive, Google Drive, DropBox)
3) NAS public cloud can be turned off
4) Photo and Video streaming from the NAS
5) Auto scheduled backup (daily or once a week) from NAS to external USB 3.0 / eSATA HDD
6) Projected space needed in the next 3 years for is 1TB (currently we are setting aside 400GB and is projected to grow to 1TB at the end of 3 years).
7) Notification via email or system notification to alert hardware, harddrive or external harddrive (backup) failure
8) Encryption of the data to prevent information being leaked if NAS is stolen or hacked into

Limitations:
1) Laptops supplied are Windows 8.1 Pro with local accounts setup
2) Any installation of software must go through approved vendor (we are ok to pay but any post installation of apps configuration need to be friendly to Standard User profile in Windows 8.1 Pro)
3) There is no space for server rack and the only available place is an open glass shelf in an enclosed area (with exhaust fan) with the router, switch and all the cables

Basically I am looking at Synology DS715 with 2x 2TB HDD setup in RAID 1.

Is there any of the needs that cannot be met with DS715? Anything I need to take note of? Any potential questions that I may be missing?

Thanks in advance

 

[thiggins]

The Synology would work fine. So would many other NASes.

One suggestion for the USB backup is to alternate between two drives, and take one offsite or put in a secure, fireproof safe.

 

[stevech]

...
Basically I am looking at Synology DS715 with 2x 2TB HDD setup in RAID 1.


Thanks in advance

I've been very pleased with my 2-bay circa 2012 Synology DS212. In these years, I've only used 1.6TB of the 2x 3TB in the NAS. I chose to not use RAID1 but rather, two independent volumes, two file systems. Better protection since a NAS owner *must* also have a backup (eSATA or USB3) drive(s).
RAID is not a backup. I rate data loss risk from theft or NAS admin mistake greater than drive failure, and that backup is needed none the less. But if you need gobs of TB actual sized volume (with/without RAID's overhead), then go for a multi-bay. Beware probability of drive failure vs. number of RAID-striped drives.
So consider 2-bay vs. big one, depending on your needs.

 

[ChrisJude]

Hi thiggins and stevech,

Thanks for your sharing and advice.

Yes, RAID 1 (or SHR for Synology) is not a backup. I see it more as a real-time redundancy that will keep my NAS working.

For Backup to USB 3.0 drive, what is a good protocol? Once a week (over weekend) onto an external drive (locked together with the NAS) and on the following Monday, copy over to a second external drive (to be kept away some secured place in the office?

Does operation of the auto sync apps need Windows Administrator rights in order to run?

Thanks again

 

[thiggins]

Windows administrator rights don't apply to NASes. If you can log in as administrator, you can set up and run backup.

I would run backup to the USB drive daily. Incremental backup won't take long after the initial run. Drive swap frequency should be as often as you can do reliably. Disconnect the drive from the cable, not the cable from the NAS. This will prevent wearing out the NAS USB connector.

If you have files that are essential to your business and don't change, back them up to a separate drive and store them offsite. Or consider backup to a cloud service after encrypting the files locally.

 

[stevech]

Windows administrator rights don't apply to NASes. If you can log in as administrator, you can set up and run backup.

I would run backup to the USB drive daily. Incremental backup won't take long after the initial run. Drive swap frequency should be as often as you can do reliably. Disconnect the drive from the cable, not the cable from the NAS. This will prevent wearing out the NAS USB connector.

If you have files that are essential to your business and don't change, back them up to a separate drive and store them offsite. Or consider backup to a cloud service after encrypting the files locally.

Agree!

My NAS' backup utility has a schedule to run once a day, late. Then the NAS powers itself off overnight.
The backup target is the second drive in the NAS (I don't use RAID in a 2-bay). I do the USB3 backup once a day too, different time. And I have a 2nd USB3 drive that's out of burglars' view. And SD card slot in the NAS has an ever-present big SD card on which I auto-backup VVIP folders.