nas Planning to build an office NAS for the first time

[Z_Light]

I started work in an office that mostly handles paperwork but they use "a software to manage civil registration system and designed to provide the office of the municipal civil registrar a civil registry document retrieval system" (That's what they wrote on the info about the software), It stores documents using XML. This is just a plan and if it does get followed it will probably happen next year if not longer. It's my first time building a server and a computer, really.

 

Budget (including currency): Not specified, the budget will adjust to the build as long as it's not too expensive (₱ - PHP - Philippine Peso)

Country: The Philippines

Programs or workloads that it will be used for:

The program they use is Philippine Civil Registry Information System (PhilCRIS) and Civil Registry Information System (CRIS), an older version of which needs Windows 7 to run. (Both programs are old though, they really need to update it) You can download the programs yourself if you want to look a it but it doesn't use much processing power. Although CRIS is not up in the official site anymore, I did find someone uploading a copy. Both are designed to work stand alone without a network.

Other details:

They currently have 10 workstations that mostly Windows 10 (New OS, Old Hardware), some use Virtual Machines for Windows XP & 7 while others run on 7 directly, the current "Server" hosting both programs is running on 32-bit Windows 7 Ultimate, it's also the oldest workstation and an employee uses it as their workstation and a 1 TB  external hard drive to manually copy and paste the XML files into. They use the modem/router combo provided by the ISP (HG180U) and a D-Link 10/100 Switch (DES-1016D) with Cat5e cables.

They also have a problem of the internet connection dropping when someone uses the telephone and generally slow internet but I've told them to call the ISP already.

 

Specs of the current server:

Windows 7 Ultimate 32-bit (6.1, Build 7600)

Pentium(R) Dual-Core CPU E6600 @ 3.06 GHz 3.07 GHz

1.00 GB RAM

Intel(R) G41 Express Chipset

 

I don't really know why it's 32-bit.

 

Current Switch in spoiler. It looks bad.

Spoiler

 

What is needed:

The text in the quote is what I wrote before.

Quote

A server that can host both PhilCRIS and CRIS while also acting the backup server for 10 or more workstations using Windows' Backup and Restore. The 1 TB drive they use as backup has only about 5 GB of files from both programs, but they are starting to scan old documents and store them digitally which takes up more space. Currently 6 TB usable storage is probably enough but it needs to be expandable. I know it might be better to have the hosting server be different from the backup server, especially since I'll probably backup the server into itself for "File History", but I don't want it to become too expensive by having two servers. Is it better to keep using one of the workstations as a host for the programs and just use a NAS for the backups? Also, what OS to use?

After further thinking about it, I think the office just needs a NAS with 6 TB or more for backing up files and shared media, and slots for more drives since they also have some old 500 GB drives from old workstations that I may use for more space (Using the old drives is only optional though) and the programs can remain hosted in one of the workstation since a user needs access to it in order to transmit data to another office. So what would be a good NAS to get with what hard drives?

 

Some additional hardware (If needed):

• A network switch that can handle 10+ workstations and a multifunctional printer/scanner.
• A Uninterruptible power supply (UPS) if the NAS doesn't have one already.
• A small enclosed server rack that can house everything with some room for upgrades like room for CCTV gear. Preferably it's the movable one because the office might rearrange. (If it's not a standalone NAS)

Am I missing anything necessary here? Or maybe you have suggestion on how anything should be done. It is preferable that the hardware is available in the country since this is an office that needs to go through a supplier.

 

I am posting this in two forums "New Builds and Planning" and "Servers And NAS", if that is not allowed please tell me.

 

[Electronics Wizardy]

Id virtulie it, so the backup and the app servers(keep them seprate) are in different areas. And you can do snapshots easily.

 

This feels like a huge security hole, so do what you can to migitate it.

 

Id just get a managed gig switch with 24 ports if you can. Managed switches are nice to have

 

Try to get your own router and not use the one from the isp if you can.

 

Probably get new hardware from dell/hp/lenovo if you can. Stay away from diy builds if you can.

 

 

Also consider running these programs all in cloud instances.

 

 

 

[Z_Light]

2 minutes ago, BlueScope819 said:

Honestly the best way to go about this is to just buy an old mid tower Dell Optiplex, slap in 2 2tb HDDs, do a FreeNAS raid on them so that you have 2tb total, set it as a network share, and call it a day. You don't really need much.

 

(prices in USD)

Like $150 for the tower

And $120 for the drives

(you do need an OS drive but you can get like a 120gb SSD for like $20 no big deal)

The thing is, it would actually be easier to buy brand new with warranty since the office needs to go through a supplier.

[Electronics Wizardy]

Just now, BlueScope819 said:

Yeah the drives would be new, that's all that really matters. Just buy the Optiplex or whatever locally, and used. It's gonna cost like 4x more if you go new with what you are looking to do.

but you don't get a warrantly, and you don't want to be the guy that got hardware that has issues. Id just get something here thats new, keep it all newish, supported and under warranty.

[Z_Light]

7 minutes ago, Electronics Wizardy said:

Id virtulie it, so the backup and the app servers(keep them seprate) are in different areas. And you can do snapshots easily.

 

This feels like a huge security hole, so do what you can to migitate it.

 

Id just get a managed gig switch with 24 ports if you can. Managed switches are nice to have

 

Try to get your own router and not use the one from the isp if you can.

 

Probably get new hardware from dell/hp/lenovo if you can. Stay away from diy builds if you can.

 

 

Also consider running these programs all in cloud instances.

 

 

 

Currently, I plan on keeping the workstation as the host and just getting a NAS.

 

I'll start looking for a switch and router, but the priority is the NAS.

 

I'm definitely getting new hardware.

 

I still need better understanding of the programs they are using and how they use it. I really can't get reliable information on the person handling the server, the one who uses it as a workstation. (I got confused for a second when I asked them to open the folder where the files are stored when they opened it through the recycle bin when the windows explorer icon is right above it)

 

 

2 minutes ago, BlueScope819 said:

Yeah the drives would be new, that's all that really matters. Just buy the Optiplex or whatever locally, and used. It's gonna cost like 4x more if you go new with what you are looking to do.

What Electronics Wizardy said.

1 minute ago, Electronics Wizardy said:

but you don't get a warrantly, and you don't want to be the guy that got hardware that has issues. Id just get something here thats new, keep it all newish, supported and under warranty.

 

[Electronics Wizardy]

1 minute ago, Z_Light said:

I'll start looking for a switch and router, but the priority is the NAS.

For backups, look into using veeam instead or simmilara. 

 

Much better cetreal management, and I have had much fewer weird issue with it compared to the built in windows backup.

 

How many tb do you need? How much space are you using o the workstations you want to backup? How long do you want to keep backups?

[Z_Light]

5 minutes ago, Electronics Wizardy said:

For backups, look into using veeam instead or simmilara. 

 

Much better cetreal management, and I have had much fewer weird issue with it compared to the built in windows backup.

 

How many tb do you need? How much space are you using o the workstations you want to backup? How long do you want to keep backups?

I'll look into other programs for backup.

 

I said 6 TB or more, I'm planning to backup other workstations too since a lot of them are old.

[Electronics Wizardy]

1 minute ago, Z_Light said:

I'll look into other programs for backup.

 

I said 6 TB or more, I'm planning to backup other workstations too since a lot of them are old.

How much space are you using on each system? 6tb gonna go pretty fast, Id probably go 10tb+ if you can.

 

What os do you want to run on the nas? 

 

Synology has some reasonbly nice software and is pretty easy to use, id consider one of those.

[Z_Light]

4 minutes ago, Electronics Wizardy said:

How much space are you using on each system? 6tb gonna go pretty fast, Id probably go 10tb+ if you can.

 

What os do you want to run on the nas? 

 

Synology has some reasonbly nice software and is pretty easy to use, id consider one of those.

They don't use that much space. The current host is only using around 25 GB.

 

I was actually looking into Synology before posting here.

[Electronics Wizardy]

Just now, Z_Light said:

They don't use that much space. The current host is only using around 25 GB.

 

I was actually looking into Synology before posting here.

Yea Id probably decide on the backup software you want to use. Get something centrally managed, makes it much easier to keep up with it. Worst case is backups just stop and you don't know until you need them.

 

BUt the synologys have a pretty good backup softwre built in you can use, and are pretty cheap.

 

6tb is probably enough then, but incrementla can take a good amount of space, and really depends on how long you want to keep it.

[Z_Light]

7 minutes ago, Electronics Wizardy said:

Yea Id probably decide on the backup software you want to use. Get something centrally managed, makes it much easier to keep up with it. Worst case is backups just stop and you don't know until you need them.

 

BUt the synologys have a pretty good backup softwre built in you can use, and are pretty cheap.

 

6tb is probably enough then, but incrementla can take a good amount of space, and really depends on how long you want to keep it.

Does Synology come with drives? If not then what drives? I'm scrolling through their products.

 

Also apologies for slow replies. I've mentioned in the post that internet connection keeps dropping.

[Electronics Wizardy]

2 minutes ago, Z_Light said:

Does Synology come with drives? If not then what drives? I'm scrolling through their products.

 

Also apologies for slow replies. I've mentioned in the post that internet connection keeps dropping.

No drives are included, you need to buy your own.

 

Probably start off with 6tb or 8tb seagate ironwolfs.

 

Also what is your offsite backup plan? Don't want all the backups in one location. Consider cloud storage or a offsite nas.

[Z_Light]

8 minutes ago, Electronics Wizardy said:

No drives are included, you need to buy your own.

 

Probably start off with 6tb or 8tb seagate ironwolfs.

 

Also what is your offsite backup plan? Don't want all the backups in one location. Consider cloud storage or a offsite nas.

Seagate Ironwolfs, okay.

 

I don't have a plan yet. The only offsite backup, if you can call it that, is the program they use transmits information to another office. It has to be done manually and I think they only do it once a month.

~At least the office is across the street of the fire station~

[Electronics Wizardy]

3 minutes ago, Z_Light said:

Seagate Ironwolfs, okay.

 

I don't have a plan yet. The only offsite backup, if you can call it that, is the program they use transmits information to another office. It has to be done manually and I think they only do it once a month.

~At least the office is across the street of the fire station~

Yea moving hard drives between offices will work.

 

Just check what level of risk you want is. If something happened to the building is losing upto a months worth or data ok? There is no one answer, just check budgets and risk. You can also setup some smaller shared to be synced realtime online for example for more important data

 

Ironwolfs are my top pick, but there are lots of different models, and pricing varies.

[Z_Light]

5 minutes ago, Electronics Wizardy said:

Yea moving hard drives between offices will work.

 

Just check what level of risk you want is. If something happened to the building is losing upto a months worth or data ok? There is no one answer, just check budgets and risk. You can also setup some smaller shared to be synced realtime online for example for more important data

 

Ironwolfs are my top pick, but there are lots of different models, and pricing varies.

I could probably use a free Google Drive to act as cloud storage for the program only.