Cheap NAS for backup only or keep using ext HD?

[canhcutvl]

Hi all,

I have just known about NAS very recently so my apology if the questions look silly.

Current Situation:

I have 1 ext 250GB Seagate 4yr old & 1 ext 1TB WD 2 yr old.

They are nearly at their max capacity now and no data duplicate aka no backup whatsoever.

There are important data there but half of them are nothing serious except I feel so sad if I have to delete them myself

I have a growing fear that the important data will get lost 1 day of any of these disks die, then I heard abt NAS. But it seems like it has more than my need.

My questions are:

1/. I only want to have a cheap way to backup growing data (2TB). I don't need ftp or public access or server, just purely backup, the storage don't need to be on all the time. Normal read/write speed is fine I don't need super fast speed also.

So from your experience will it be better, in term of Price + Reliability, to build a NAS or just to buy another ext HD?

Space is also concerned but not so serious (I stay in a rent room).

Thanks beforehand

 

[GhislainG]

Buy another external hard disk or two if your data is important and you want to keep duplicate copies.

 

[AidanJC]

NAS drives are a good option if you don't want to be connecting external drives all of the time! You can configure automatic backups to occur at a scheduled time and date.

Something like this is great

http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=617&products_id=19315

That's only the enclosure itself, but you will need to purchase drives on your own, but even they are getting cheaper. Obviously don't buy from there if you're not based in Australia, but even so. I know it says up to 3TB, but i seriously doubt they would have a space limit in place.. So you may be able to get upto 6TB, or even 8 with some 4TB hard drives coming out.

This looks like a great buy! Make sure to configure it in RAID 0 to ensure maximum performance over a network.

 

[Proximon]

I disagree slightly.

The advantage of a cheap NAS is that it lets you separate the backup from the PC. By keeping it in a different part of your home, you reduce the likelihood that a catastrophe to your PC will also effect your backup.

Win 7 Professional makes this very easy as it allows automatic backups via network... with Home Premium you will need some 3rd party software.

I like some of the D-link NAS boxes for this sort of thing
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822155019
Not terribly fast so the initial backup will take many hours... but subsequent incremental backups will be a breeze.

 

[Proximon]

Now that's interesting. We recommended the same NAS independently

 

[canhcutvl]

oh 1 thing to note tho my room is upstair and the router is downstair, I rent a room in a house like I said, so I can only have wireless access. Will that affect this NAS vs ext HD decision?

 

[Proximon]

Yes. Just use the external drive. No sense having your NAS parked somewhere not in your control.

 

[canhcutvl]

Thanks guys, so I think I will go with the ext HD for now and will use some of it to backup existing data. So the next question is which 1 should I choose ?

should I go for WD or Seagate ?

I'm torn between http://www.amazon.com/Western-Digital-Essential-External-WDBACW0020HBK-NESN/dp/B0041OSQBG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1340322132&sr=8-1&keywords=external+hard+drive+2tb vs http://www.amazon.com/Seagate-Expansion-Desktop-External-STBV2000100/dp/B00834SJS0/ref=dp_ob_title_ce?

Or should I go for Seagate 3TB? http://www.amazon.com/Seagate-Expansion-Desktop-External-STBV2000100/dp/B00834SJS0/ref=dp_ob_title_ce

Any experience to share? Or should I post a new thread in other forum ?

Thanks,

 

[Proximon]

Probably the WD would be my first choice. Both are good.

 

[canhcutvl]

Thanks all, I will go with the WD Essential 2TB then