Starting out with Data backup

[fuzedzn]

So, although probably years too late, im finally starting to look at what options I have for data backup...

I have a couple of 4tb HDD's in the PC which i use to archive projects, mainly some photography but recently wedding films for couples (already finished).

In total I have around 20tb of data currently but that is always expanding so looking for around 32tb of backup for now.

What are my best options? I'd like to keep space as small as possible so probably a prebuilt NAS like synology but any tips on models, drives, etc? or if it's possible to build a really compact, "cheap" DIY NAS?

Let me know what your recommendations would be :)

[Electronics Wizardy]

I'd be tempted to get something like a synology here. Fairly cheap and easily to use. something like a ds423 would likely be fine as you don't need much performance.

 

You can go diy though, and get a size that almost as small. You can get small cases with hot swap bays.

[Jiggs224u]

Synology is a good platform.  Lots of folks use TrueNAS for the OS if you're running it on your own server other than Synology.  If you already have an older system or server you could install TrueNAS and then get about six 16tb drives and run a ZFS setup with some redundancy.  That way if a drive fails you're still not losing all of your backed up data.  Look up TrueNAS with ZFS.  Also look up IT mode for the storage controller.  These will get you hunting down the correct trails.

[fuzedzn]

1 hour ago, Electronics Wizardy said:

I'd be tempted to get something like a synology here. Fairly cheap and easily to use. something like a ds423 would likely be fine as you don't need much performance.

 

You can go diy though, and get a size that almost as small. You can get small cases with hot swap bays.

How does the DS423 differ to the DS423+?  And can these type of NAS systems have any size drives in? I see Jiggs224u below suggested 16tb drives, can these Synology ones support drives that big as well?

[Electronics Wizardy]

Just now, fuzedzn said:

How does the DS423 differ to the DS423+?  And can these type of NAS systems have any size drives in? I see Jiggs224u below suggested 16tb drives, can these Synology ones support drives that big as well?

The plus model is higher end and has m.2 drive slots, and a faster processor. Its probably not needed for just backups here.

 

You can fit big hdds without issues, 16+ tb drives will work fine.

[fuzedzn]

1 hour ago, Jiggs224u said:

Synology is a good platform.  Lots of folks use TrueNAS for the OS if you're running it on your own server other than Synology.  If you already have an older system or server you could install TrueNAS and then get about six 16tb drives and run a ZFS setup with some redundancy.  That way if a drive fails you're still not losing all of your backed up data.  Look up TrueNAS with ZFS.  Also look up IT mode for the storage controller.  These will get you hunting down the correct trails.

Hmmm, looking at TrueNAS with ZFS is already frying my brain ahaha! Think it might be a bit much to get started with, though I suppose slightly cheaper if I used some old parts laying around...

 

[fuzedzn]

23 minutes ago, Electronics Wizardy said:

The plus model is higher end and has m.2 drive slots, and a faster processor. Its probably not needed for just backups here.

 

You can fit big hdds without issues, 16+ tb drives will work fine.

Ok great! 

And as for drives, I see there are NAS specific drives, main ones seem to be the Seagate Ironwolf pro's and WD Red Pro drives... Any preferences between them or anything?

[Electronics Wizardy]

31 minutes ago, fuzedzn said:

Ok great! 

And as for drives, I see there are NAS specific drives, main ones seem to be the Seagate Ironwolf pro's and WD Red Pro drives... Any preferences between them or anything?

Id get the red plus instead of pro drives here, I don't see a reason to pay for the pro model for this use case.

 

I'd get the cheapest of those two for the size you want.

[Jiggs224u]

15 hours ago, Electronics Wizardy said:

Id get the red plus instead of pro drives here, I don't see a reason to pay for the pro model for this use case.

 

I'd get the cheapest of those two for the size you want.

Just make sure you get the 7200 rpm red drives.  They come in 5400 too.  7200's will just be a lil faster.

[Jiggs224u]

16 hours ago, fuzedzn said:

Hmmm, looking at TrueNAS with ZFS is already frying my brain ahaha! Think it might be a bit much to get started with, though I suppose slightly cheaper if I used some old parts laying around...

 

It is a lot to take in at first for sure.

[Electronics Wizardy]

2 hours ago, Jiggs224u said:

Just make sure you get the 7200 rpm red drives.  They come in 5400 too.  7200's will just be a lil faster.

I'd probably try to get the 5400 rpm drives here. There lower power and quieter and the speed probably won't matter normally as your network limited anyways.

[Jiggs224u]

23 minutes ago, Electronics Wizardy said:

I'd probably try to get the 5400 rpm drives here. There lower power and quieter and the speed probably won't matter normally as your network limited anyways.

Typically the 7200's are about 30 percent faster than a 5400 drive.  If OP doesn't care about speed i'd go with the 5400's.  A 7200rpm drive will not saturate a 1gig network though so I don't understand where you're going with the network limited?

[Electronics Wizardy]

Just now, Jiggs224u said:

Typically the 7200's are about 30 percent faster than a 5400 drive.  If OP doesn't care about speed i'd go with the 5400's.  A 7200rpm drive will not saturate a 1gig network though so I don't understand where you're going with the network limited?

In my testing the performance difference is more like 15%.

 

A 5400rpm drive wil typically easily saturate a 1gbe connection. Typically these drive are rated at 200+ mB/s and a standard 1gbe network limits you to about 112mB/s

[fuzedzn]

3 hours ago, Jiggs224u said:

Just make sure you get the 7200 rpm red drives.  They come in 5400 too.  7200's will just be a lil faster.

 

42 minutes ago, Electronics Wizardy said:

I'd probably try to get the 5400 rpm drives here. There lower power and quieter and the speed probably won't matter normally as your network limited anyways.

Well, the Red Plus drives are 7200RPM, only the normal Red drives are 5400 but only go up to 6TB sizes (though, Red Plus is max 14TB and it looks like only select retailers in UK actually do the 14tb drive)

[Jiggs224u]

Yes, the red + only go to 14TB.  The red pro's go to 22TB.  The 16TB red pro ones are part #WD161KFGX.  Maybe try to see if you can get those in UK?  Maybe directly through the western digital store?  That's where i'm looking at the drives.