Simple Mass Storage Solution

YEdwardP · August 4, 2015

Hello everyone,

I am currently working in a laboratory where we received a new microscope that generates hundreds of gigabytes per session. The lab manager has asked met to investigate multi-terabyte storage solutions.

What we are looking for is something that interfaces through USB 3.0, requires a minimum amount of setting up and maintenance and should store in the 20 terabyte range.

The closest match I found so far was the LaCie 4big Quadra

https://www.lacie.com/us/products/product.htm?id=10601

However, I am having a hard time finding competing products. I am seeing a lot of NAS servers, and while I realize those could be a good solution, the people who will manage the microscope are not all that familiar with setting up and maintaining such systems. Given that I won't be around at the lab forever, I'd like to leave them with something as close to plug-and-play as possible.

So my question is: do you know any competing products to the LaCie 4big Quadra? Basically, anything else that behaves exactly like an external hard drive with 20+ terabytes of storage.

Thank you all very much.

ALwin · August 5, 2015

Do a Google search for 20TB or larger USB RAID drives. The Lacie is a good option, I have a 12TB USB 3.0 version I use for backup storage at home.

Otherwise you can choose to buy build one or look for a company that can custom build one for you. The media industry has ties to companies like this as they require large storage, multi user access, high performance NAS, SAN, file servers, etc.

You could build a PC with 5x 6TB HDDs in RAID 5 for a total of 24 TB usable storage, the professor doesn't have to be powerful, you won't need a good GPU either, install I guess FreeNas and attach it to the network via gigabit or 10gbe LAN.