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Solved External hard drive set up question

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mark_a_k

PCHF Member
Nov 25, 2023
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#1
Hi,

Apologies if this is in the wrong place.

I do a lot of video and photographic work and need to set up a large storage (and backup system). I wondered if the following is possible or whether there is a better way of doing it:

I would like to get an Icybox and install four large HDDs. I would like to then merge two drives into one volume and use the other two drives (merged if necessary) to back up automatically. I need to be able to access the drives from a laptop and also from a desktop. Is this possible?

If at all possible I would like to do this bit by bit as I have some spare internal hard drives which I would like to initially use and then replace gradually as they fill up so save spending a tonne in one go - would there be any issues with replacing the drives one by one as the time comes?

Alternatively is there a better way of doing this?

Many thanks,
Mark
 
#3
mark, you are spot on.

that's almost the method I have used for about 20 years now.
used to be Netgear NAS boxes, then they stopped making them so now I have been using Synology.
Icybox is also in the same arena, I just haven't used that brand before.

my setup is a Synology 4bay drive, 4x4TB drives, just the ordinary drive, don't use the 'proper' NAS drives - way too expensive and for no perceived benefit.
I can say that because I bought 4 NAS drives once and 2 died within a week of use.
so, if they die just like ordinary drives, why not just pay for ordinary drives and replace them as they die. which all drives do, but even ordinary drives still give you around 7-10 years of problem free use.

I have my 4 drives setup as one logical volume, but Synology (and I'm sure they all do) would allow you to set two up as 1 volume, and the other 2 can be whatever you want.

I've always used RAID1 (mirroring) as my NAS units are only ever backup/media storage devices.
that means, in my case, having 4x4TB only gives me 4TB of total storage - but that data is mirrored over 4 drives!

my first 2bay Netgear had 2x1TB, and yes, as long you only replace one drive at a time, you simply hot swap them, the unit re-sync's the data to the new drive. can take many hours and of course gets longer depending of drive capacity.

and the beauty of a NAS unit, as the name hints at, it's connected to your network - straight into the modem/router/switch (whatever you have).
that means, anything else on the network can access the NAS as well, great for smart TV's as well as all your desktop and laptops.
and you can setup users in the NAS config menu, giving certain people/devices access to certain folder on the NAS.

and the NAS can be mapped as a network drive on your PC's, so to access it, you only need to go to File Explorer and click on X:\, or Z:\ drive, or whatever you map it as.
and because it now has a drive letter, your backup software simply uses that letter as the target location.
 
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