Overwhelmed with NAS storage options. Please help.

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sanzz218

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Jan 17, 2011
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Hey all. Before anyone says search the forums and do research blah blah blah :pt1cable:, I have searched and read for at least a week on NAS options and what would be best for me. I only have a Macbook Pro Retina with 250gb of space which is plenty of space for what I would want to have on this computer at a given time. I would like to keep music (iTunes library) and media files stored off of the macbook. I think I would want to be able to access files from anywhere. I am aware of the options that I have. I can build a custom NAS server via (computer case, motherboard, cpu, memory, and of course the drives), I can buy a simple all in one option like the WD My Cloud, or a prebuilt diskless NAS from Newegg or similar sites. I will be moving out of my parents' house with my fiancé in about 2 years once we are both finished with school and will be putting together a complete home network at that point with wired and wireless connections in every room and a central location with a storage. Would it be better, in the mean time, to just buy a simple all in one device like the WD My Cloud or would you guys suggest the other options?
 
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Without a doubt stick with the simple all-in-one device right now. Something like the WD My Cloud will work for exactly what you need presently, it's dead easy to set up, AND it's mobile.

Once you two find a good place to settle, THEN start either making your own NAS box or getting something like a DROBO. You'll want it to be in one place, set up on a network that you won't have to configure again, and fill it with quality drives that are better than what's inside the My Cloud. Until you've found a spot to really set up camp I think your best option would be to keep things simple.
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RunLuke

RunLuke

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I'd get a Synology NAS or something like it, (I don't know the WD Cloud) but Synology will allow you to mirror the disks providing at least some data security if one disk should fail. Also you'll be able to expand storage as your needs grow. HP makes some brilliant ones where you can expand with proper RAID-controllers, 2.5" and 3.5" disks (at the same time, some very easily accessible for quick exchange),

It all depends on how much money you are prepared to spend. I would go for something proper to beging with, but at least make sure that any important data is mirrored locally and backed up remotely.
 
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glamdringfh

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Dec 23, 2013
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Without a doubt stick with the simple all-in-one device right now. Something like the WD My Cloud will work for exactly what you need presently, it's dead easy to set up, AND it's mobile.

Once you two find a good place to settle, THEN start either making your own NAS box or getting something like a DROBO. You'll want it to be in one place, set up on a network that you won't have to configure again, and fill it with quality drives that are better than what's inside the My Cloud. Until you've found a spot to really set up camp I think your best option would be to keep things simple.
 
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gangrel

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Jun 4, 2012
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I'll second the My Cloud, or equivalent from another maker like Seagate. The NAS boxes are more capable, to be sure, but also considerably more expensive.

A computer built to only be a NAS, is likely to be more expensive, harder to set up and administer, and less effective. :) NAS's usually run Linux kernels, optimized for network comms and file management.

Mmm, another point to waiting...SSD prices are going to drop as the new NAND comes online, and 2 years from now, 3D XPoint should either prove to be transformative, as we hope, or a disappointment. If it is transformative, it could well accelerate the rate at which NAND prices fall, and offer some major reliability improvements even with mechanical-drive NASs, by offering large, inexpensive, non-volatile write cache.
 
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jsmithepa

jsmithepa

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Jun 14, 2014
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Been looking myself too...

I personally just want a simple LAN based file server, that's ALL I want, then they want to sell me Plex/FTP/RAID/DLNA/torrent blah-blah, and of course they are giving away those feature for free right - NOT!

Then I want expandability, I want a multi-bay, caddy-like, insert-blade, so adding/removing drives is a cinch, but no... people who offer those kind of packages want major $$dough, how much does it take to make a bigger cage with some rails?
 
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sanzz218

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Jan 17, 2011
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Thanks for the help guys. I don't have a lot of stuff to store right now so in the mean time while I don't have a permanent home network, I don't think I will waste the money at this moment and go all crazy. I think I will get the My Cloud and upgrade to a custom one when I have my own place.
 
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