The original post: /r/datahoarder by /u/Joyride84 on 2024-09-15 22:41:05.
Hi folks, this probably gets asked a lot, but I'm not finding many relevant posts in the very recent past.
Are there any recommendations for an affordable data backup/solution for an individual? I'm thinking of hot/warm storage. I do not yet need to address cold/archival storage. I have an old Drobo DAS unit, which has served me well. It was intended to be the worse-case-scenario backup. However, my data collection has outgrown the single-drives I was using as my primary backups, so the Drobo DAS is all I have. I would therefore like another backup option. Probably a new NAS is best, and I can use my current DAS as a backup (of the backup).
Planning for the future, I want:
-at least 16TB capacity today, but with plenty of room to grow (after dual-drive redundancy)
-A future capacity of at least 40TB (more is better, obviously)
-10GB Ethernet preferred. 1GB required. A spare 1GB interface would also be nice to have.
-For durability, I typically use spinners. An SSD cache is optional, in my opinion. I don't need blazing fast speed, but if that can be achieved at minimal cost, I'll take it.
-I like Drobo's model of making some use of whatever drives you give it, but I know that comes at significant backend waste and cost. Do I assume correctly I can't reasonably do something like that with a new array?
-It must be capable of operating without WAN access
-I do not need rackmount. Some day in the distant future, I may wish I could rack this, but for now, I do not have a rack where I want this unit. Actually, a desktop tower with its guts spilling out on the table would be suitable, right now.
-I typically use RAID-6. I like having dual-failure tolerance.
I'm no genius, but I know my way abound computers. Obviously I've considered Synology...they seem fine. But can I build something myself (such as a TrueNAS system). For a better deal? And what are people's thoughts about unRAID? If I'm building one myself, what kind of hardware might I need? Could I do a DAS unit instead for equal or lesser cost, and the same capabilities?
Lastly, I have access to some old HP desktops, circa 2018, with 8th gen intel processors. Would it be worth making something out of those, or would I be better of starting from scratch?