Win7 partition growth vs NAS

[tucansam]

For about a third the price of the cheapest NAS, I can throw a RAID card in an existing small machine I have (Win7 Pro) and run a RAID5 array. I actually can either buy a new case (like the Chenbro with the four 3.5" hotswaps) or an external case (eSATA), plus RAID card, plus two drives, before I even reach the price of the NAS devices I was looking at. So I'm on the fence, but the deciding factor will be...

Given a RAID controller that supports online dynamic array growth (Adaptec), will Windows 7 Pro allow me to safely grow the partition presented by the RAID controller? If I start with three 2TB drives today, can I add a fourth tomorrow, and then 3GB drives after that?

I don't need all the fancy functionality of the modern NAS's, and I've looked at and tested five different linux-based RAID solutions. At this point simply hanging an array off my existing system is going to be the easiest, the cheapest, the least complex, and the most painless. Assuming I can grow the array without losing data...

Advice welcome, and thanks.

 

[JackNaylorPE]

I don't really see the point of a RAID array on an OS drive. I use RAID only for data storage and find the stand alone units a great bargain T $330 - $550 for a 4 bay. Biggest advantage being I can access the NAS from any box on my network. Im partial to the Netgear -RAID setup where volume expansion doesn't require much more than opening the case door, inserting the drive and closing it.

 

[tucansam]

This would not be for an OS drive, but for storage attached to a system (which would then share it to other similar systems, no need for fancy NAS interop features). I don't like the idea of fake RAID. The only thing I like about the turn-key NAS solutions is that most allow for very easy expansion... That's what I'm shooting for, only in a cheaper system I can hang off an eSATA or USB port.

 

[13thmonkey]

This would not be for an OS drive, but for storage attached to a system (which would then share it to other similar systems, no need for fancy NAS interop features). I don't like the idea of fake RAID. The only thing I like about the turn-key NAS solutions is that most allow for very easy expansion... That's what I'm shooting for, only in a cheaper system I can hang off an eSATA or USB port.

at which point your pc would have to be before anyone can share it.

You could build a windows home server out of bits, it'll do more for you than a NAS and be a NAS as well, it'll autobackup every PC on your network if you want. I managed to build mine out of £100 of CPU + Mobo, a bit of RAM and an old case. All the components are replaceable, no propriatory bits at all, no issues when it is out of warranty, I can see this being fundementally still working in 5 yrs.