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Thread: Best way to store my data

  1. #1
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    Best way to store my data

    Hi all.

    I am after some advice regarding the best way to store my data.
    Some info…

    I have a HTPC with the following HDDs
    HDD 1 - 150GB Sata 2 - Windows 7 (80GB) & Windows XP (60GB)
    HDD 2 - 80GB IDE - Ubuntu 11.10
    HDD 3 - 2TB Sata 3 - Films, TV Shows…
    HDD 4 - 2TB Sata 2 - Documents, Music, Pictures, Backup Programs…

    Also a Netbook with 160GB - Ubuntu 11.10

    I would like to backup my data and would like to know your views on how’s best to do this.
    I have considered building a homemade NAS, moving my 2x2TB HDDs and with additional HDDs implementing a RAID 5 setup for my media (Films, Music & Pictures). My Documents would be sync’d with the Cloud and both my HTPC (Win7) and Netbook (Ubuntu 11.10).

    Can anyone advise on a better solution than this?

    What is your current setup / goal regarding your storage setup?

  2. #2
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    Re: Best way to store my data

    Sounds like a good paln. I'd also recommend some off-site storage of at least the really important stuff-- if a plane falls on your home, then you've lost your computer and your backups, neh?

  3. #3
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    Re: Best way to store my data

    Quote Originally Posted by Dngrsone View Post
    Sounds like a good paln. I'd also recommend some off-site storage of at least the really important stuff-- if a plane falls on your home, then you've lost your computer and your backups, neh?
    That would never happen in a million years! Oh... wait.

    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/0...n_1408673.html

  4. #4
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    Re: Best way to store my data

    Ha, if that did happen I think my data would be the last thing on my mind.... but at least it would be safe!

    With my Documents sync'd with two PC's and the cloud the important stuff is pretty safe.
    If I lost all the media files it would be a pain to gather and reorganise back onto my PC's, but I have most of the originals (Original DVD's, Photos on social networks...) so it would just be a matter of time.

    One issue I can see is me filling up the limited amount of data I can store on the cloud. I think Ubuntu One is 5GB free at present. I was above this before a recent clear out of old files, at about 3.5GB for now.

    I'm also a little unsure about the best storage for my media. I've read a lot about RAID a few years ago. Most I've forgot about, ha. Reading recently I had come to this conclusion:

    RAID 5, Slow? If I lose a HDD then the rebuild could cause my RAID to fail.
    RAID 6, Additional HDD for redundancy
    RAID 10, Quicker performance, quicker rebuild of RAID as just copies a HDD, Less storage from same amount of HDD's (Half?)
    I have also just found out about ZFS, RAIDz and RAIDz2 and like the sound of this. Need more reading though.

    Just a little confused as to the best solution for my needs?


    I would prefer software RAID over hardware:
    1. If hardware card fails I would have to get same, or risk losing data?
    2. Cheaper,

    Which software / OS would you recommend?

    Originally thought I'd use Ubuntu, but now leaning towards FreeNAS.

  5. #5
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    Re: Best way to store my data

    Quote Originally Posted by collisionystm View Post
    That would never happen in a million years! Oh... wait.

    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/0...n_1408673.html
    +1 for the great comment. That made me laugh.

  6. #6
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    Re: Best way to store my data

    I'd say FreeNAS as it's leaner, but I haven't had success with it, myself.

    Of course, I have issues with the hardware I was trying to use it on...

  7. #7
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    Re: Best way to store my data

    Have you used ZFS? Do you have any opionions on it?

    Do you know of any good reads on the subject? Only just started looking

  8. #8
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    Re: Best way to store my data

    Quote Originally Posted by 337Manni View Post
    Ha, if that did happen I think my data would be the last thing on my mind.... but at least it would be safe!

    With my Documents sync'd with two PC's and the cloud the important stuff is pretty safe.
    If I lost all the media files it would be a pain to gather and reorganise back onto my PC's, but I have most of the originals (Original DVD's, Photos on social networks...) so it would just be a matter of time.

    One issue I can see is me filling up the limited amount of data I can store on the cloud. I think Ubuntu One is 5GB free at present. I was above this before a recent clear out of old files, at about 3.5GB for now.

    I'm also a little unsure about the best storage for my media. I've read a lot about RAID a few years ago. Most I've forgot about, ha. Reading recently I had come to this conclusion:

    RAID 5, Slow? If I lose a HDD then the rebuild could cause my RAID to fail.
    RAID 6, Additional HDD for redundancy
    RAID 10, Quicker performance, quicker rebuild of RAID as just copies a HDD, Less storage from same amount of HDD's (Half?)
    I have also just found out about ZFS, RAIDz and RAIDz2 and like the sound of this. Need more reading though.

    Just a little confused as to the best solution for my needs?


    I would prefer software RAID over hardware:
    1. If hardware card fails I would have to get same, or risk losing data?
    2. Cheaper,

    Which software / OS would you recommend?

    Originally thought I'd use Ubuntu, but now leaning towards FreeNAS.
    How much data are you trying to store (including plans for future growth)? And, how important is each part of it to you?

    FreeNAS is easy to setup, but if fast network speed is your goal, it's implementation of ZFS is not as fast as ZFS on Solaris 11/Openindiana. I prefer to use Openindiana v28 pool (so it's portable to other OS's in the future if I choose to export it) + the napp-it web gui, it makes managing ZFS arrays pretty easy.

    Ubuntu + mdadm would work great as well. But, if 30-40 MB/s across a gigabit connection is fine for you, then FreeNAS is pretty hard to screw up

  9. #9
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    Re: Best way to store my data

    Quote Originally Posted by 337Manni View Post
    Have you used ZFS? Do you have any opionions on it?

    Do you know of any good reads on the subject? Only just started looking
    I have used ZFS both at home and work. It works great, but it is VERY RAM hungry even without deduplication enabled. I'd plan on a minimum of 8GB if you want good transfer speeds (I have 16GB in my home server, luckily RAM is super cheap).

    Here's a couple things to get you started.
    ZFS the last word in file systems
    http://constantin.glez.de/search/node/zfs
    http://napp-it.org/
    Last edited by rubylaser; April 20th, 2012 at 01:28 PM.

  10. #10
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    Re: Best way to store my data

    At the moment I have:

    1.8TB of Video's,
    52GB of Music,
    12GB of Pictures,
    3.5GB of Documents (Maybe more when I correctly organise them)
    5GB of USB Pen Drive Backups
    5.5GB of Backups from important folders from my PC to my family's which I maintain.

    For ease of maintanance I also would like to backup my OS HDD, and possibly my familys (Hav'nt yet found the best solution for this, bet thats another topic).


    As the main PC is a Media centre (HTPC) I record TV to it so the video's would grow quickly.

    I am thinking of using 4 x 2TB HDD's at first. Then I would grow this as needed, possible in sets of 4 x 2TB?

    Speed wise, I'm not after the fastest solution out there. My wish is to stream HD contents from the NAS to one of the PC's.
    Currently only one PC is streamed to at a time, but this could change to two/three as my family grows.

    I am in the process of installing a gigabit network. I have a Switcher and have ran in all the cables. They just require connecting to a backbox as and when the rooms are decorated.


    I will have a good read of those links, thanks.

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