Cheap 2-Bay RAID1 NAS Solution for Backups?

Grazz989 on 28/11/2022 - 12:38

Ahoy!

In the past I've always used simple external HDDs to perform backups. However, I'm now wanting to upgrade to a 2-Bay RAID 1 NAS, which I can attach via Ethernet to my RT-AC68U. I've already got a spare 5400rpm 8TB Barracuda consumer drive, and I'm thinking another cheap 8-10TB drive should be sufficient if they're both in RAID 1. There would be minimal usage of the drives, Maybe a weekly backup or perhaps occasionally retrieving a movie file etc. If I get a 10TB drive, it'd be nice to be able to have a separate 2TB partition rather than waste the extra space.

Any advice on what NAS to buy (bonus points for what software to use to backup a desktop + laptop to it)? Apologies if I've asked a stupid question in the first place, I've never even looked at NAS till today.

Computing NAS

Comments

  • Richardc on 28/11/2022 - 13:07

    For your usage case, why not just connect the drive to your router via USB?

    • Grazz989 on 28/11/2022 - 13:21

      Because I'd like to have two drives in raid 1. There's only one USB slot and I can't be added performing a backup twice, swapping the USB out each time.

  • Odin on 28/11/2022 - 13:24
    +1

    If you don't need constant uptime RAID is a waste of hard drives. Just use an online backup and free up the extra space

  • MelbEng on 28/11/2022 - 13:26

    Try the Synology DS220J if you would like to go low cost. The included DSM operating system includes all the software that you will need now and for the future. Including desktop backups.
    If you use it in RAID, then in a two bay drive, you need two HDDs the same size. In you example, you will not be able to use that extra 2Gb you mentioned, unless you change the 8tb to a 10tb in the future.

    • Grazz989 on 28/11/2022 - 13:43

      $250 is considered low cost? … Wow. I would've thought something like a NAS would be pretty simple - a box with a modest CPU & board with two SATA ports … That's the same cost as one of those refurb dell workstations lol. The software part does sound attractive though …

      • Chandler on 29/11/2022 - 13:57

        Yeah. Purchased NAS units are expensive for the actual hardware you get. You're paying a premium for the good looking case, drive bays, and purpose-built software.

        If you're not set on getting a nice little box, and don't mind rolling your own software (like TrueNAS, UnRaid, or going full DIY with Linux or similar) you are better off getting one of those refurb workstations.

        Also, obligatory #raidisnotabackup

        • Chandler on 29/11/2022 - 13:59

          Looks like Unraid's homepage currently redirects to a sale they've got on at the moment - the page for which is a blast from the past!

          Edit: it's interactive too!

        • Grazz989 on 29/11/2022 - 14:18

          Hmm. UnRaid doesn't seem to have a free casual user option, but TrueNAS does? But it requires 16GB of RAM, which is surprising. Looks like it manages software RAID though, which is nice. I assume booting from a USB stick would be a poor choice, so that means I'd need a workstation with 3 sata ports …

          And yep - This isn't RAID as a backup, but rather I'm backing up other drives onto this NAS solution, and I'd like the NAS solution to be in RAID 1. Knowing my luck by the time I notice that I've accidentally deleted something or a disk goes down, I'll fire up my single external HDD and it'll be dead, lol.

          • Chandler on 29/11/2022 - 16:13
            +1

            @Grazz989:

            I assume booting from a USB stick would be a poor choice

            Not necessarily. Some setups recommend booting off the USB. As long as the USB is backed up or easily replacable, I don't see using a USB to be a bad option. Even if configuration files are stored on the USB, you're not changing them that often so it wouldn't necessarily need to be backed up frequently (I'm yet to setup my own NAS system, so don't take these as instructions!).

            And yep - This isn't RAID as a backup, but rather I'm backing up other drives onto this NAS solution, and I'd like the NAS solution to be in RAID 1.

            I suppose I should qualify that statement more these days: RAID is an availability tool. It is there so that the files you need are there when you need them, even in the event of a disk failure. You use RAID so that if a disk dies you can finish watching that episode/season, or finish editing that file. You're (generally) not going to continue writing data to a failed array - whichi is especially important if you purchased both disks at the same time (as they're likely to fail around the same time).

            If you're using this NAS as a backup point, RAID isn't really benefiting you (as you still have the original data source).

            In my own opinion, backups should be "cold" storage: write-once, read-never occasionally (check your backups!). RAID is best suited for "hot" storage. Media is generally write-once read-many; other data (office files, etc) is generally write-many read-many. If you're going to do RAID, do it where the "original" data is stored - that way you get the protection of RAID with every write. if you're using the NAS as a backup point, you're only going to be writing to it infrequently and you already have another copy (potentially more up to date) of the data.

            I had trouble trying to articulate my point here, so if you need clarification please ask! This is all also my own opinion!

            Knowing my luck by the time I notice that I've accidentally deleted something or a disk goes down, I'll fire up my single external HDD and it'll be dead, lol.

            3-2-1-1-0 (the 3-2-1 rule on steroids)
            0 = zero errors - test your backups!

  • Fuzzy Toaster on 28/11/2022 - 13:41

    QNAP TS-233 , $279 on sale at Mwave. Little more than the cheapest DS220J but much better specs.

    WD Red Plus drives, 5400rpm if below 10TB to keep noise heat and power to a minimum.

    • Grazz989 on 28/11/2022 - 13:46

      Seems a little overkill, if anything. I googled the model and it has ai face recognition? What on earth for?

      • Fuzzy Toaster on 28/11/2022 - 15:50

        I think part of the QNAP surveillance software stuff if you're using that. I've been looking at it because it has four times the RAM and a much better CPU than the cheap Synology, which seemed worth it for $70 extra.

        • kiitos on 30/11/2022 - 08:01

          I thought I was looking at the wrong model since it was only 2GB RAM, then realised the Synology your comparing it to had only 512MB RAM. I guess these can't do what their higher spec models can, like run docker containers.

    • whatswrongwithya on 22/12/2022 - 10:41

      DS218 for DS220j or the one you recommending?

      • Fuzzy Toaster on 22/12/2022 - 15:40

        If you want to host any video streaming server (Plex etc) on it, the DS218 would be much better as it has hardware for transcoding. For just file storage, honestly all three are going to be pretty much the same. I only recommended the TS-233 over the DS220J because for $50 extra, the significant spec increase will make general use nicer and adds a little just-in-case future flexibility.

        (I say $50 extra here and $70 in my other comment because the TS-233 is still on sale but the DS220J is not).

        • whatswrongwithya on 22/12/2022 - 19:26

          I was seriously considering QNAP until i learnt about Deadbolt Ransom hitting Qnap user now and then but as per NASCompares on YT its also a user error failing to understand the complexity of network settings.

          • Fuzzy Toaster on 23/12/2022 - 09:51

            @whatswrongwithya: Yeah everything's a compromise of poweruser customisability and ease of use. You can sometimes have them both (sensible defaults, advanced menu pages) but sometimes they're at odds with each other.

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