Which model of Synology?

[kev7274]

I am debating on which model of Synology I should get. Do I need two bay or four bay?How fast of a processor and how much ram do I actually need for what it will be used for? You can see my dilemma. It's giving me a headache.

It will be used to backup the laptops,music,home videos,pictures,etc. I may put my blurays on it,but I just got an Oppo BDP-93 a few months back,so I don't know if I really need to? Would doing that defeat the purpose of having a Bluray to begin with?What do you think?

Files that I would be using...mp3,wmv,mpeg,mkv possibly,etc.

I also have a WDTV Live Plus that I use for streaming Hulu,Netflix,etc.
What could I use the NAS for that would benefit the WDTV?

Sorry for the questions that most of you will probably know the answers to,but I am just trying to make the best decision possible. I just don't want to not get what I need or get more than I needed.

I went to the local electronics store just to see what they said and the guy said that I should look into the Synology DS412+ or the
Synology DS213+.Now that being said, I know he's just trying to make a sell,so I'm not sure if those choices would be the right one for me.

Any info,recommendations on other models,suggestions,etc will be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

[stevech]

Hulu and Netflix have ways to stop you from recording to your NAS. To do so, you need a set top box with component video out, connected to something like a Hauppauge HD PVR. I have one. I can record to disk from any TV channel. This is called the "analog hole", and content providers want to disable this ASAP.

As to NAS size, most home users can do well with a two drive NAS, say, 2x 2TB drives, with these arranged as RAID1 or, as I do, separate volumes with one being a time backup history of the other.

I chose a DS212 and bought my own disks. It's using their 4.0 software and has been problem free. The DS212j is a bit less expensive. IMO, CPU speed isn't very important for these NASes as they are disk and LAN speed limited in transfers.

If you haven't, try out the on-line demos on their web site.

 

[TonyH]

Hi,
Recently I started out with DS213+ with 2X4TB Seagate drives plus DAS with 2X2TB WD red drives. After everything is configured, I realized I over did it. More than what I needed.
During initial shake up, did not have any trouble or problem. I am now fine tuning the set
up.

 

[travisco_nabisco]

I second the 2-bay Synology over the 4-bay. My 212j is more than fast enough for backups and serving media to my HTPC.

Be sure to compare prices with your local contact and NewEgg.

 

[kev7274]

Thanks for the replies.

So I think I'll go with the 213+ and put a couple of 2TB or 4TB drives in them.
So do you guys think I should go with Raid 1 then?

I was planning on putting my blurays on it,but after thinking about it,I believe I'll just let my Bluray player handle it. That's why I got it anyways.

So there shouldn't be any problems serving my music,videos,pictures,etc?

 

[stevech]

with 4TB, be sure to check the "qualified drive models" with the NAS vendor's web site. Personally, I'd not push the state of the art to 4TB.
Could have software issues, and could suffer early adopter problems.
But that's just me.

 

[kev7274]

with 4TB, be sure to check the "qualified drive models" with the NAS vendor's web site. Personally, I'd not push the state of the art to 4TB.
Could have software issues, and could suffer early adopter problems.
But that's just me.

Good point.I checked the Synology site and it looks like the 3TB is the largest
recommended for the 213+

So the 3TB would give me 3TB in raid 1 it looks like. Looks like the SHR would do the same.

 

[stevech]

I chose not to use RAID1, but instead, use two different volumes. One is the files, the other is a Time Backup, for 90 days of file revisions. Also room for other backups.
RAID1 doesn't help if the file system gets corrupted, or if you "oops" delete a folder.

 

[kev7274]

I chose not to use RAID1, but instead, use two different volumes. One is the files, the other is a Time Backup, for 90 days of file revisions. Also room for other backups.
RAID1 doesn't help if the file system gets corrupted, or if you "oops" delete a folder.

How is the two different volumes setup on the NAS? I ordered the DS213+ and a couple of drives yesterday.

 

[stevech]

Here's a long-winded explanation of my strategy that's evolved over a few years, as a home user:

In setup, you get choices of Synology Hybrid RAID (SHR) which is proprietary and, as I get it, a form of RAID1, conventional RAID, and no RAID, no SHR but rather independent volumes. In RAID/SHR, a volume spans 2+ drives.

My choice (you may elect differently), for a 2-drive NAS, was:
Drive 1 is volume 1
Drive 2 is volume 2
They are totally independent, like a C: and D: drive in MS windows.

I had on hand a 2TB 5400 RPM drive and a 2TB 7200 RPM drive; different vendors. I made the 7200 RPM drive volume 1.
All of my network shares from the NAS are from folders created on volume 1.
There's one main folder on volume 1 that has all my working folders. That folder is shared on the LAN (you may want more if you have wonky kids, etc.). For convenience on PCs, that share is mapped to a windows driver letter with a shortcut on the desktop.

I'm now in the habit of NOT storing files on the PC's disk. This is >KEY< to using a NAS. Or use a program like SecondCopy (centered systems) to automatically sync folders on the PC to clones on the NAS. (Synology has their own similar program, free, but I found it didn't suit my needs and the $30 SecondCopy is far easier to use and more flexible).

Another folder has ISO image copies of all my computer DVDs and CDs. When I need access to one of those DVDs, I mount it as a drive letter on Windows, using the nifty freeware called Gizmo. I tossed out most of the physical DVDs - kept only expensive softwares' DVDs (and I have records of the license keys on the NAS).

Another folder has drive images from PCs in the home, produced by Acronis Tru Image.
And so on.
I don't use Synology's video camera recorder, nor much of the music DLNA or TV/Movie streaming - because we do most of that on the cable TV DVR. But if you rip DVDs, you'd use that and want to back it up too.

So on volume 2, I have no shares out to the network.
I have synology automated backups set to run, and backup most top level folders on vol 1 to clones on vol 2.
And I use Synology's Time Backup, to keep, on vol 2, the last 90 days of file changes in the primary folder. So if I delete a file, or need an older version, there it is.

In the SD card slot of the NAS, I have a big/fast SD card. Automated backups copy really VIP files/folders and the NAS configuration data onto that SD. A backup of that SD is done, to external USB3 drive too.

I use a USB3 drive to backup key folders once a week, and I keep that drive hidden from burglars. My financial records are stored in a virtual drive folder (on the NAS) that is encrypted by SafeHouse (freeware, simpler than TruCrypt). I keep a copy of that file (which is mounted by SafeHouse, under windows, as a drive letter), in other places.

I have tried, but don't use on-line backup services: (a) my upstream cable modem is too slow and (b) I don't trust those services and their vulnerability to a disgruntled employee or a court order causing my data to be out of my control.

Lastly (whew!) I have an old slow single-drive NAS hidden in elsewhere in the house, connected to the LAN. A synology task backs up key files to that NAS.

So that's the gist of my strategy. These protect me from

• Theft of NAS
• Failure of NAD electronics (irrespective of a drive)
• Corruption of the volume 1's file system (with RAID/mirroring, there's no protection)
• Accidental deletion by me
• Drive failures

I think my vulnerabilities, all cured with the above, are- in order of likelihood:

1. User error: deleted something.
2. Burglary
3. File system corruption
4. NAS electronics failure/power supply fault
5. Drive failure (after the infantile failure period)

I'm comfortable that I'll not lose any data - but I could do better about keeping a full backup off-site but not via my pokey cable modem upstream. What I should do is co-op with a friend, mass transfer using a USB drive, then do updates across the internet. CrashPlan won't do NAS backups to their server, but it may do so to my friend's disks.

Much of all this is for family photos, financial records, and my consulting business.


More than you wanted to know, eh?

 

[tim2min]

Hey Steve..just curious....what RAID config did you go with

 

[stevech]

Hey Steve..just curious....what RAID config did you go with

See posting #10 in this thread.
No RAID. Two volumes, in a two-drive DS212.

 

[bodean]

I debating between synology ds212 vs ds213.

 

[stevech]

I debating between synology ds212 vs ds213.

Mostly a cost issue.
CPU speed isn't that important.