NAS advice please

feralferg · December 19, 2021

Team,

Like a lot of folks I got the message from WD that my original "My Cloud Mirror" wouldn't roll onto their OS V5 and when support finishes in Apr 22 for OS V3 I should disconnect it from the internet. I'm happy I can still link it hardcopy to a desktop to extract use it as a data store but still want some relatively elegant/simple to use NAS solution for back up and online remote access. WD apparently are going to offer a 20% discount code on a new WD NAS but not sure if I stay a WD customer or defect to a new OEM. (I contemplated a personal NAS build using my old AMD desktop running Linux but with kids/dogs/etc I am very time poor to manage it. Also need to make sure it is well supported when I travel for work it just delivers). For the moment the best fit is a turn key OEM NAS solution. Storage requirement is not huge and haven't filled the 2Tb on the old WD system I have, so am thinking of something in the 4Tb space with Raid 1 set up.

Suggestions through personal experience (good and bad) welcome.

Thanks in advance.

Fergus

wseaton · December 19, 2021

All the OEM NAS boxes have their fans and critics. For small biz and home office suggestions though I have good experience with Synology and continue to use and recommend them. I like the ease of the snap ins and in literally a few minutes can configure cloud backups to BackBlaze, or plug in a USB external and use it for backups. I can't preach enough that home and small business owners need some type of layered backup with different credentials to cover your butt in the case of being Crypto'd. All the units I've deployed have handled drive failures in RAID 1 like a pro and drive replacements were pain free along with rebuilds.

However, if you need > 1Gb this get's pricey quick.

Not sure about "online remote access". This has been a BIG problem with virtually every mainstream NAS vendor and I will no longer support internet exposed NAS boxes given the entire industry has had massive problems with this. Get a firewall with built in VPN and access it that way, IMO.