NAS versus home server

knight0334 · Posted: Mon, 28 Jun 2010 13:58:47 Post Subject: NAS versus home server

Howdy folks, I'm debating on getting a NAS unit to put some drives in or piecing together a server out of all these old computers I have laying around.

With the NAS route, those housings cost a buttload of $$$, but are pretty efficient in power usage compared to a PIII or Athlon Socket A system. I only have (1) older board that has SATA ports, and I'm not sure what is up with that unit because it is the reason why I bought a new OEM HP Pavilion tower. The only drives I have to put in this proposed server are (4) 120gb SATA I. And (2) 160gb SATA II drives which are in RAID 0, I need to keep the array together until I get the data off the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th partitions.

Does anyone have a suggestion on a cheap NAS housing for 4-6 SATA drives, or a PCI SATA Raid controller that will let me keep that one array until I can get the data off the two drives?

**Doctor Feelgood** · Posted: Mon, 28 Jun 2010 19:14:11 Post Subject:

Do you need special features in a NAS or just a bunch of drives on a network?

Seems like you'll have to spend some money no matter what... Have a budget?

knight0334 · Posted: Mon, 28 Jun 2010 19:48:26 Post Subject:

Budget = I'm a cheap @ss, would rather not spend anything since all this will do is serve and store files/media.

I just need some remote storage accessible via the LAN. It looks like those 4/5/6 drive NAS things are starting at $400. Heck, I can piece together a PC for nothing out of a PIII or K7 for next to nothing - but at a cost of electrical usage. even modern budget barebone PC can be had for less than $200. [pouts in frustration at NAS housing prices]

In a NAS:
SATA I/II/III (III optional, dont have any drives on that standard)
RAID capabilities(0/1/5/1+0/0+1)
100MB LAN
built in HTTP/FTP/streaming media servers would be really nice.

**Modulok** · Posted: Mon, 28 Jun 2010 22:13:38 Post Subject:

I used to have a dual cpu server mb with 5 raided drives, and 2 mirrored drives for the OS. after I switched that to the Synology NAS my electric bill was halved.

Over time a NAS will be cheaper. (if you are interested I have some 320gb 2.5" and 3.5" sata drives for sale)

darkstar · Rated PG Joined: 30 Jun 2010 Posts: 4

might want to take a look at FreeNAS if you have some older stuff around to throw together.....