The original post: /r/datahoarder by /u/KingRamsesSlab on 2024-09-25 15:15:18.
Hi all,
So, I need a data storage solution for my job. A couple years ago I started working in a lab that regularly generates very large data files and we end up generating several terabytes every year.
When I started this job, I adopted over a dozen various external hard drives (mixed SSDs and HDDs) filled with these data files going back as far as 2014. When we have customers requesting their old data, it is such a hassle to sift through a drawer of random external drives looking for the one I need. I often have to check 2-3 drives because data from certain years are spread over multiple drives.
Anyway, I would like to consolidate all of this data in one location and put these drives in a cardboard box and never look at them again. I've started to research options, but it's been difficult making a solid choice. I'm also very new to data storage lingo.
Is a NAS really the best option or can I just get a HDD enclosure? Is there a secret third option? I'm leaning towards just getting a hard drive enclosure because the advantages of having a NAS don't seem to apply to my situation.
For more context, I retrieve old data from these drives every few weeks or months. Otherwise, I do not need to have access to this data. I don't actively work with it. For that reason, I don't mind if read/write speed is slow.
Additionally, I do not need to access this data anywhere else but my computer in my office. It would be helpful if my coworker could access it too, whose desk is directly next to mine, but it's not necessary and we would not need to access it at the same time. Access to it via a network or over WiFi is not that important for my needs.
Any thoughts or guidance in the right direction would be helpful.