Need help on selecting external storage unit with 4 drives forserver?

[pattyjamas]

Need help on selecting external storage unit with 4 drives for server?


I need a reasonably priced NAS or server attached type storage device
that has removable drives. We have one Windows 2003 server.

I would like to be able to take drives home (at times) for safekeeping
in case of on site disaster affecting select data files, or when any
one drive in unit is full.
Need ability to copy files to a select hard drive with individual
mappings to any of the 4 (or so) physical drives.


This assumes you can turn off Raid and NOT have to address unit as
JBOD-4 drives configured as single spanned drive.

Do not need hot swap capability-want to be able to put in regular
drives, perhaps mix sizes/perhaps not.

Do not want to build my own.

Looked at Lacie Quadra but not sure I can do all of the above. I
realize it does not have an Ethernet port but I can live with that...

Thanks
Patty

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Other background info if needed....

Client already has a backup 3tb LaCie unit and may get a larger one.
This is rack mounted. They have a few terabytes of data.

Only certain files are of a critical nature. So files that are
currently being worked on and files that are old (archive-able) would
be copied to this unit and taken home or offsite. Archive-able files
on a full hard drive would be taken home and left there. A new hard
drive would then be inserted in box.

This is ONLY in case of a building disaster. Already have RAID and
onsite backup plans established.

Files are too large (9-14mb each and thousands of them worked on over
a several month period) to FTP elsewhere, use an online backup or use
tape.

I looked at Drobo and have not written Drobo yet, but some reviews of
Drobo were not that favorable in terms of build quality of unit and
speed.

------------------------------------

 

[Arno Wagner]

Need help on selecting external storage unit with 4 drives for server?

I need a reasonably priced NAS or server attached type storage device
that has removable drives. We have one Windows 2003 server.

I would like to be able to take drives home (at times) for safekeeping
in case of on site disaster affecting select data files, or when any
one drive in unit is full.
Need ability to copy files to a select hard drive with individual
mappings to any of the 4 (or so) physical drives.

This assumes you can turn off Raid and NOT have to address unit as
JBOD-4 drives configured as single spanned drive.

Do not need hot swap capability-want to be able to put in regular
drives, perhaps mix sizes/perhaps not.

Do not want to build my own.

Looked at Lacie Quadra but not sure I can do all of the above. I
realize it does not have an Ethernet port but I can live with that...

Thanks
Patty

So you basically want 4 hot-swappable discrete drives, and just
do not have space to install the drives in the server-case itself?

What about getting a 4 drive external SATA/SAS case with a
multilane connector (or a port-replicator for SAS) and a
matching controller for your server that supports hot-swapping?

Getting a NAS or other "intelligent" device seems to be
counterproductive for what you want to do. Also a RAID controller
would not be needed, just a 4 port controller that supports
hot-swapping with your OS.

Arno

 

[pattyjamas]

So you basically want 4 hot-swappable discrete drives, and just
do not have space to install the drives in the server-case itself?

What about getting a 4 drive external SATA/SAS case with a
multilane connector (or a port-replicator for SAS) and a
matching controller for your server that supports hot-swapping?

Getting a NAS or other "intelligent" device seems to be
counterproductive for what you want to do. Also a RAID controller
would not be needed, just a 4 port controller that supports
hot-swapping with your OS.

Arno- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Thanks Arno
Actually need a DAS sort of. I am learning slowly
Desire non hot swap capability and thus no SAS.

We have space in the server but desire a sep unit since we may at
times take a drive or 2 home in case of water/fire damage to building.
Also will take a drive home for other reasons.

I think IcyDock has something we can use.

Thanks
Patty