Hello all, I need recommendations related to NAS (Network Attached Storage). I am running a file server (machine name = file-server)(Windows Server 2003) for my office. It's a standard desktop PC with 4x250 GB IDE HDDs. Note: hard drives are NOT configured for RAID; each HDD is partiontioned in a single 250 GB partition. I have shared some folders on the server. Clients (all of them are Windows XP Professional) access these shared folders using the My Network Places icon > View Workgroup Computers. All the clients join a common Workgroup. All PCs use static IP addresses. Security is not really an issue and all clients are allowed to access all shared folders. I am running an application on the clients that accesses the file-server in this way: \\file-server\data\backup Since all of the HDDs are now full, I am planning to go for a new machine to serve as a file server. One of my friends had told me about NAS but neither me nor him has had any experience with NAS before. While I do understand how NAS servers work, there are a few things I'm not sure of. They are: - Since NAS run a tailor made OS, how do these devices appear on the Windows network? Are they visible in My Network Places > View Workgroup Computers folder? - Do they use similar network paths as Windows machines do (in the format \\file-server\data\backup)? - Is it easy to share folders? - I don't want to use the HDDs in RAID mode. Is it possible? Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks!
it is possible to add a NAS onto your network, simply buy a NAS server with a hd with an ethernet port (or if your router has a usb port) a usb port, but preferably an ethernet port. true, they use a simplified version of linux but when connected to your network (router) you just run the setup, and it will just show as a network drive in my computer.
Thanks for the feedback. But I'm looking for a more specific answer. Like, will the clients be able to access the shared folders on the NAS in the Windows network path format (e.g. \\file-server\shared) ?
Most NAS devices run some embedded form of Linux or BSD Unix, and as such they use the Samba suite to provide Windows compatibility. This is a good thing, since Samba has actually been known to perform in the neighborhood of 250% better than an actual Windows server. To the clients on the network, there's no difference besides the increase in speed and responsiveness under load. Yes. Yes, depending on the NAS solution of course. Not typically. Why would you want to do this? In RAID mode there is a large increase in performance, and in addition there is redundancy in case a volume fails. Besides which, the device can be seen as one large volume rather than a whole bunch of smaller ones.
Excellent! Anti-Trend ... you have basically told me everything I wanted to know. Thanks a lot for the suggestions. You've just made my life a whole lot easier! Thank you again.
OK ... I have one more question. How are files copied to the NAS server? Using the Web interface or by browsing the shared folders through the network ?
Depends on the NAS solution, really. Likely both. The NAS servers I build usually have capabilities for SMB (Windows file sharing), NFS (UNIX file sharing), AppleTalk (old Mac file sharing), FTP, SFTP, and more. A decent NAS should support at least a handful of the protocols I've listed above; definately do your homework before hand and verify that the make/model in question will do exactly what you want to do with it. Beware NAS solutions which run Windows, as they will have all the same problems as a regular Windows server with none of the appliance-like qualities you can typically expect from a NAS device.
