Best 8 Bay External Raid 0 Storage solely for Backup purposes

[old_rager]

I have just upgraded my internal 8 x 3TB WD Red drives in my system and wanted to look at using these drives in an external 8 Bay enclosure only needing Raid 0 - as it will only be used purely as a backup device. I've looked at RaidSonic's ICY BOX IB-RD3680SU3 - which sort of looks OK. The only thing I'm not sure of is whether it can be stacked with another external enclosure should my backup requirements change. I'm currently running 24TB in a Raid 0 config made up of 2 x 12TB Seagate IronWolf Pro. I have about 4TB free but when that starts to run out, I would like to think I could expand both internal raid array (running off Gigabyte X470 Gaming 7 WIFI mobo) as well as external raid array by adding another enclosure and more disks (I.E., can I get a single raid to extend across multiple external enclosures?!?

 

[4745454b]

Why are you using AID0 for backup? AID0 is the least reliable way to store information. If you actually setup an 8 disk AID0 array, if any of those 8 disks fail you lose ALL the data. Not just the data on that disk.

Looking at the cost of the 8 bay NAS online, I'm inclined to say those are a waste. You are better off building a lite PC and just fill the drive bays. But just stick to non RAID setups. You said this was a backup so it's already your second copy. Just leave RAID out of it.

Edit: Here is the first search result when I searched for an 8bay NAS.

https://www.amazon.com/Synology-DiskStation-Diskless-Network-Attached/dp/B0078RETQE

At $700+ I don't see the value. You can buy a case with 8 bays and load a small dual core chip into it for less than that. Use a copy of Linux and attach it to your network and you should be in business. For a lot less than $700.

 

[RealBeast]

I build my own with Adaptec or LSI cards but would never use RAID0. I use RAID5 often with a global hot spare. You really want at least one drive fault tolerance and a good backup of all the data just in case.

Synology and QNAP are my favorite 8 slot pre-built NAS boxes.

Some of their models do have the ability to add extension boxes, but it is proprietary stuff and would only work with the brand and often only within specific product groups.

I highly recommend the 8TB He8 or He10 HGST drives the next time you need drives, the prices are amazing (like $215 for the SATA He10 right now. I buy a lot of drives from them and they ship fast and well packed.

 

[4745454b]

Are the NAS boxes really $700+? Or did I pick the gold model?

 

[USAFRet]

"...an external 8 Bay enclosure only needing Raid 0 - as it will only be used purely as a backup device..."

Using a RAID 0 for a "backup device" is probably the worst thing you could actually do.
An 8 drive RAID 0 gives you 9 points of fail. The 8 drives, plus the RAID controller. If any of those go south, all data is lost.

A box for "backups" does not need that theoretical RAID 0 speed. It needs to be absolutely reliable.

 

[USAFRet]

Are the NAS boxes really $700+? Or did I pick the gold model?

My 4 bay Qnap was ~$450. An 8 bay would easily be $700, plus drives to fill it.

 

[USAFRet]

I build my own with Adaptec or LSI cards but would never use RAID0. I use RAID5 often with a global hot spare. You really want at least one drive fault tolerance and a good backup of all the data just in case.

Synology and QNAP are my favorite 8 slot pre-built NAS boxes.

That's what my Qnap is.
4 x 4TB, RAID 5, with a USB connected 8TB for a full weekly backup of it.

 

[old_rager]

Why are you using RAID0 for backup?

... You said this was a backup so it's already your second copy. Just leave RAID out of it.

At $700+ I don't see the value.

Hey Buddy, thanks for your reply!

Correct, this is just a copy of what I've already got in my system. These were the drives from my previous system which was actually in a Raid 6 config. Money is difficult to come by these days so I am not looking at spending $'s where it's not needed or where I don't see value.

I'd like to use raid as it presents as a single drive. I thought with my existing 8 x 3TB of HDDs, it will give me the opportunity to get a good backup solution in place. My current system is in a state of flux ATM and do intend to purchase another 2 x 12 TB IronWolf Pro and run it as Raid 5 in conjunction with the 24TB backup solution. I still have my old Adaptec ASR-7805 raid card which I can plugin to my system and spin the old drives up on to create a backup of existing system. Anything that is currently important is synced with my 1TB One Drive - so as an interim, I'm kind of OK. But to answer original question, why Raid? Raid 0 on the backup drive just gives me the ability to have just one drive letter to backup to. Raid solution on primary system will be Raid 5 when I can afford 2 more 12TB drives.

You mention the cost? The cost of the 8 bay unit I mentioned above (RaidSonic's ICY BOX IB-RD3680SU3) in Australia is about $378 - which would be less than $300USD I'd imagine. So to have a device where I just stick my drives in, create the array and then connect via USB 3.0 and with some additional syncing software, I would've thought that was quite an inexpensive way of achieving a solution that can also easily be taken off site as well.

Anyways, just wanted to see if anyone else had any better ideas for a simple backup solution that could also be portable. Just trying to get better than 5GBps connectivity speeds...

 

[old_rager]

Using a RAID 0 for a "backup device" is probably the worst thing you could actually do.
An 8 drive RAID 0 gives you 9 points of fail. The 8 drives, plus the RAID controller. If any of those go south, all data is lost.

It's only backup - if I lose a disk, I just replace it, create another array and then perform another backup. My main data will be eventually protected via systems Raid 5 36TB solution over 4 x 12 TB Ironhorse Pro HDDs.

 

[old_rager]

Synology and QNAP are my favorite 8 slot pre-built NAS boxes.

Some of their models do have the ability to add extension boxes, but it is proprietary stuff and would only work with the brand and often only within specific product groups.

Have a look at my response above and also below this response. I'm not after a NAS as I will have all of my storage on my PC (just waiting for Phanteks' recently released Evolv X PC case to be come available - then I can comfortably put the 8 x 3TB drives back into my system with Adaptec ASR-7805 (if I go that option). Or I get an external enclosure for backup purposes only.

I have asked whether RaidSonic who create the ICY BOX IB-RD3680SU3 whether it can be daisy chained with another external enclosure, but I doubt it...

 

[USAFRet]

I just can't see the value of the most hazardous multi-drive configuration for what is supposed to be a safe, reliable function.

A single drive letter? That's exactly what my NAS box does.
The entire volume presents to the PC's as a single "drive", and can be mapped with a single drive letter.

 

[old_rager]

I just can't see the value of the most hazardous multi-drive configuration for what is supposed to be a safe, reliable function.

A single drive letter? That's exactly what my NAS box does.
The entire volume presents to the PC's as a single "drive", and can be mapped with a single drive letter.

Have you also got a backup solution for your NAS? My PC will be running Raid 5 and will be doing everything a NAS can do, but better. All I'm after is a simple cost effective backup solution - for which I would have thought at the cost of $378, was pretty good (as I already have the 8 x 3TB WD NAS drives). Lets not forget that with Seagate IronWolf Pro drives, they are covered with a 2 year data recovery warranty at no extra cost.


My previous system was in a Raid 6 config with out backup - which didn't prove to be too reliable as I lost a few drives. So I think Raid 5 with an effective backup solution should work well?!?

 

[USAFRet]

I just can't see the value of the most hazardous multi-drive configuration for what is supposed to be a safe, reliable function.

A single drive letter? That's exactly what my NAS box does.
The entire volume presents to the PC's as a single "drive", and can be mapped with a single drive letter.

Have you also got a backup solution for your NAS? My PC will be running Raid 5 and will be doing everything a NAS can do, but better. All I'm after is a simple cost effective backup solution - for which I would have thought at the cost of $378, was pretty good (as I already have the 8 x 3TB WD NAS drives). Lets not forget that with Seagate IronWolf Pro drives, they are covered with a 2 year data recovery warranty at no extra cost.


My previous system was in a Raid 6 config with out backup - which didn't prove to be too reliable as I lost a few drives. So I think Raid 5 with an effective backup solution should work well?!?

Yes, a full backup for the NAS.

So...
A 4 bay Qnap TS-453A. 4 x 4TB Ironwolf, RAID 5.
It will survive the loss of a single drive, and keep going with zero loss of data.

The entire NAS volume is backed up weekly to an 8TB drive that lives in a 4 bay MediaSonic USB enclosure.

The PC's are backed up to the NAS nightly or weekly as needs dictate.
For instance, my main PC with its 5 individual drives (no RAID), nightly. The HTPC, weekly.

The NAS runs its own backup to the 8TB weekly, every Wednesday.
Drive sizes can be scaled up for your own needs.

Read more here: http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/id-3383768/backup-situation-home.html

 

[failboat]

The icy box thing is basically a case extension with a raid card inside it.

a 2nd NAS would make it available on network if the 1st one goes down.
you can also do things like getting it on a separate network and using scheduled firewall rules to allow backups.
it's best to have something offline in case a malicious software spreads across LAN.

if it's all business data that you have a great financial stake in, then getting some local IT/security advise would be worth it.

 

[FireWire2]

For a cost-effective solution, I would suggest.
ANY low-cost mini tower and 300W PSU similar to this
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811147248
and https://www.amazon.com/eSATA-hardware-RAID0-CLONE-Controller/dp/B005G5L98G
Cost you less than $180.00

You can have a RAID0/5 with this
Or SPAN volume indiscriminate HDD side for your back up

 

[old_rager]

I build my own with Adaptec or LSI cards but would never use RAID0. I use RAID5 often with a global hot spare. You really want at least one drive fault tolerance and a good backup of all the data just in case.

Synology and QNAP are my favorite 8 slot pre-built NAS boxes.

Some of their models do have the ability to add extension boxes, but it is proprietary stuff and would only work with the brand and often only within specific product groups.

I highly recommend the 8TB He8 or He10 HGST drives the next time you need drives, the prices are amazing (like $215 for the SATA He10 right now. I buy a lot of drives from them and they ship fast and well packed.

 

[old_rager]

As a result of upgrading my existing PC, I've actually ended up with a 2nd complete PC which I will use to store the 8 x 3TB WD Red drives in purely for backup purposes. I know Raid 0 is not the best thing to have, but with 24TB of active storage (currently only with 22GB of free storage), I need every GB of the 8 x TB drives. Until I come into more money, it will have to do for the time being - but all comments most definitely appreciated!!! Big thankyou to all!!!

 

[USAFRet]

As a result of upgrading my existing PC, I've actually ended up with a 2nd complete PC which I will use to store the 8 x 3TB WD Red drives in purely for backup purposes. I know Raid 0 is not the best thing to have, but with 24TB of active storage (currently only with 22GB of free storage), I need every GB of the 8 x TB drives. Until I come into more money, it will have to do for the time being - but all comments most definitely appreciated!!! Big thankyou to all!!!

3TB * 8 = 24TB
3TB * 8 + RAID 0 = 24TB

The RAID 0 adds zero accessible drive space, and adds multiple levels of fail.

 

[old_rager]

3TB * 8 = 24TB
3TB * 8 + RAID 0 = 24TB

The RAID 0 adds zero accessible drive space, and adds multiple levels of fail.

Can you have 8 x 3TB presented as a single drive without the use of raid?

 

[USAFRet]

Can you have 8 x 3TB presented as a single drive without the use of raid?

JBOD is exactly that.

It depends on what your device can present as.

I have a 4 bay QNAP NAS, and also a 4 bay external USB QNAP thing.

The drives internal in the NAS are 4x4TB, RAID 5.
The 4 drives in the external thing are 4x3TB, JBOD.
I also have a 4 bay MediaSonic that can do te same.

 

[mdd1963]

If backups are worth having, i.e., hoping they are likely to function someday to do a restore from, then you do not want RAID 0......ever.

 

[hang-the-9]

Raid 0 for a backup setup reminds me of this Dilbert cartoon

 

[4745454b]

True backups shouldn't be running. They are attached and then used. Afterwards they are removed from the system AND BUILDING. I knew this and 8mo ago got burned badly by not following this. My family and I were recently in a massive wildfire and lost everything we had. I lost not only my PC, but the spare drives holding my data which were stored in the hall closet. I knew I should have had the drives in my locker/drawer at work. Instead I thought keeping them close would be ok. Wrong. I'm going to have to rebuild not only my life and personal posessions, but also every bit of data somehow.

I'm not sure why single drive letter is a requirement. I would just get a USB external bay and just plug the drives in one at a time and back up. Sell your 8 3TB drives for $50 each and use the $400 to buy a couple of 8TB drives. They go for $150 online and buying three of those won't cost much more then $400. You'll go from 8 points of failure to 3. DON'T store them in your house. Trust me. Crazy stuff happens. Protect your family photos and life. Back things up. And keep it offsite.