As topic, I am looking for a recommendation for a NAS with cloud services for my SME business. Primary use for backup and file server.

Features needed

1) RAID 1 (2 drive setup)
2) Cloud services/Access (APP for Mobile/Handphone)
3) Backup / Auto backup
4) about 20 logins/users but not heavy use, maybe 3-4 concurrent logins or transfers at any one time.

FTP would be nice but not necessary nowadays.



Synology
Dlink
QNAP

Any recommendation? Pros and Con for each brand/model? Budget about 2k with twin 1TB HDD.


Thanks

This post has been edited by jaycee1: May 6 2020, 07:47 PM

Synology ...

Im using Asustor 2 HDD.

Going to cloud via Asus services to access my NAS from outside. So far so good. Easy and seamless. Once configured you will get a link. Copy this link to anywhere or anyone.

They click, you will need to enter username and password. Quite good.

Thanks. How about support? What model and how much did it cost?


I think Dlink Dieded already. Website no longer list thier NAS. Had 2 dlink DNS 323 both suffered board failure. Lucky data recoverable.

This post has been edited by jaycee1: May 6 2020, 03:34 PM

Im using Asustor 1002T.

So far havent required support call. Their updates and all are quite prompt.

If you wanna be safe, go for Synology or Qnap. Furthermore you want 20 user connections so consider upgrading RAM. Asustor that I have cant upgrade ram. So you looking at enterprise NAS liao.

Thanks.

I shortlisted the AS4002T. With 2x 2TB 7200rpm drives. + 1x16 port gigabit switch and 1 x 2TB external hard drive for off site backup of the NAS.

Comes up just over 1900. Within target budget.

20 user is max. Concurrent login maybe not more than 5. Used mostly for backup.

Let's see if any 2nd opinions.

you can survey the synology as their backup solution quite wise and easy to setup . I'm one happy user of it .

https://www.synology.com/en-global/solution/ransomware

https://download.synology.com/download/www-...e_en-global.pdf

Pc with xpenology

Synology


This post has been edited by firdausbhari: May 6 2020, 07:05 PM

Synology..

Why? What model do you use?

Features? Price? Reliability? Support?

Im entertaining options. So all feedback is helpful.

I use for personal use only.. 2 bay nas, cant remember the model. Already use 2 year.

I use it as a cloud.. so anything updated on my pc, will auto update in the nas.

Only think I feel to retrieve files from mobile is a bit slow.. not sure if I configure it correctly or not.

Thanks

Yeah, I would do that if I still have time to muck around. Used to muck with freeNAS to go with entire enterprise setup.
(used to dump scheduled backups and temp storage for test virtual machines)

Looking for something plug and play so someone else can maintain it

To be honest I have been out of IT for more than a decade. Used to be a sysadmin for a listed company group. Just polling for consumer/SME grade stuff that is plug and play for small operation.

This post has been edited by jaycee1: May 6 2020, 07:46 PM

Maybe Internet speeds are slow?

My digi mobile only up streams at 7-10mbs. So not expecting much performance off site. Bottle neck connection. No DSL or broadband at my location.

synology
is good
The user interface is easy to use

I use 2 bay model as well. Ds218+ in office. Price range below rm2k without hdd. Now i think got new ones DS220+. Im guessing its below rm2k either. Basically it can do whatever u mentioned above. U can check the website for more features, price etc.

Support is very good. Fast response.

For reliability, im still using DS213 in my house for personal backup, been using it for more than 5 years. In terms of reliability u can count on it.

This post has been edited by firdausbhari: May 6 2020, 09:53 PM

ya... I think mobile data is around that kinda speed...

You might want to look at DIY NAS running on FreeNAS with the following benefits:

1) Recycle and repurpose your old hardware
2) ZFS is a business class storage system
3) Can use it to host your personal cloud system such as Owncloud or Nextcloud
4) RAIDZ is better than conventional RAID. You do not need any RAID hardware card to run, just let FreeNAS OS manage your zpools. During any hardware failure, just replace the parts like a normal computer.
5) OS is free of charge
6) Has all the function compared to OTS NAS, and more
7) You get to choose the hardware specs and tune the NAS to your liking
8) Mature NAS OS system with regular updates and patches
9) Nice interface and dashboard

I'm on an asustor as20something TE. It works but I think its a low end model so opening files is kinda slow. But its been running 3 or 4 years np. So there's that.
So I've been researching for an upgrade. And will probably get a Synology. Between Synology and qnap, Synology has better software, qnap has better hardware.

Suggest you go for a ds920+ (just announced). Has all the specs and support for everything up to VM. So will be overkill specs for filesharing. I dunno, I need to make sure I dun get anything slow or laggy. Use 2bay first and add hdd later when you need. Synology hybrid raid will allow adding hdd of different sizes in the future.
Cheaper option is ds420+ with the same software and shr but no esata extendability (+5bays) that the 920+ has. Also a good option. But the present 418 and 918 pricing not very far.
Dunno much about qnap. Stopped looking after the reviewer said Synology is the Apple of NAS. I just want something I set up once and it just works.

Thanks to all for the responses.

Just wondering what filesystem are these running?

On my previous Dllink DNS 323, it ran a simple exFAT so when the unit died, I could retrieve all the data from the drives easily. It was a matter of running the exFAT utility and copying all the files out.

Im assuming if you don't run any encryption on it.

So far looks like users like Synology, but from my own research so far, Asustor seems to have the best specs for the money... At least on paper.


So do I go with the cheaper box, and spend more on better drives like the Seagate ironwolf drives or better box with cheaper Seagate barracudas.

amazon S3

Yes I had deployed FreeNAS before.

As for Repurposing old hardware, the cost savings are negligible. Considering I won't be using old HDDs anyway, so the cost difference is just the NAS box. NAS appliance boxes are a lot more power efficient so in the long run, would make up for the cost.

But in this case I just need a plug and play box so someone with little IT knowledge can maintain it. Easier to ask a staff to plug in an external drive and press a button for backup of the NAS and be done with it. There is quite a management overhead for FreeNAS, especially if non IT people will be using it.

Thanks for the suggestions. My budget is under 2k.

Looking on specs, seems like lower end Synology boxes are still going with 512mb and 1gb ram. Someone above posted there is a concern on the Asustor with 2gb, I wonder if the smaller Ram Capacities of the lower end Synology boxes are enough. At this low end, none of these can be upgraded anyway.

To be honest, I am curious on Asustor's ADM software. Seems to have good reviews.

Yeah there's no real wrong choice outta the 3 brands. So many options. I'm picking up the Synology mainly for the iphone photos auto back up. so I need it to run reliably, automatically without me having to monitor it. And lag free. I will overkill to minimise lag.
Good luck on your hunt.

I'll go with Synology. A bit bias because I've been using it for ages.

I've been using this brand since 2006 - DS-106.

Then upgrade to DS110+, then to DS218+. Since Feb this year, I use DS918+.

Solid rock system.

Asustor got better hardware than Synology for same price. Synology got more polished software. Some Synology model got M.2 slots for cache does seem like better option for plenty users that will read/write a lot small files, unless you want to use SSD instead of HDD. Both brands support BTRFS filesystem with snapshot, this will help against bit-rot and roll back to previously saved file version.

You don't want to go for Barracuda with NAS, it's not designed for usage 24/7 on NAS and with recent exposure that some Barracuda drive using SMR the more reason to avoid it.

I'm using Asustor, so far it is stable and connection speed is fast. Never use Synology so I don't know the pros and cons between these 2 brands.

You do know what xpenology is, right?synology DSM with pc hardware

Yes, but I am looking at an appliance box solution for now.

If I am still a sysadmin, it would be something I would look into. But I am tempted to fire up a virtual machine and test it out. Just not have the time yet.

Looks like the case. Getting the IronWolf drives seems logical.

If my budget was healthier, I would definitely be looking at mid to higher range Synology 4 bay (RAID5+hot spare) with M.2 cache. Would really speed things up and with better redundancy. Perhaps a later upgrade. Right now most of my performance is limited to my digi upstream anyway. There is only 3 office staff that would be using the fileserver (accounts, admin, and operation assistant) so it would be light load. 5 more sales staff that will only log in to update reports or download updated references infrequently. Like I said, I don't expect to see more than 5 concurrent users...hardly enterprise level requirements.

Back then, as syadmin my annual IT budget is 100k +. Own SME is very different, have to really pinch pennies ..hahahahaha

This post has been edited by jaycee1: May 8 2020, 09:23 AM

I would suggest better to get 4 bays with 2 HDD first rather than 2 bays as you can increase your HDD later when you need it, plus 4 bays hardware is usually more powerful. 2 bays too limited and you can't upgrade it when needed.

Just an update. Finally had time to get back into sorting this NAS thing out.

Decided on the Asustor as4002T and 2x 2TB seagate ironwolfs. Got it in today.

Quite easy to get up and running. About 1 hour in, was done setting up file directories, users and user permissions manually. Quite snappy. Not yet have time to run any benchmarks.

Not bad spend.

Going to get a proper gigabit router/firewall like the old zywalls I used and relegate the slow ass 4G wireless router as AP gateway.

This post has been edited by jaycee1: Jun 25 2020, 08:46 PM