NAS Box Recommendation Anyone?

I currently run a small AD Domain network at home using an HP ML110 server running Microsoft Server 2003 R2 Small Business Server providing File and Print serving and Exchange for email with our own Domain name for email. There were 5 of us at home, now 4 as my eldest has gone to University, and the second goes next September.

I have put an electricity monitor on the server and discovered that it is using £170 worth of electricity every year. I can get a hosted email service for £30 to £60 per year for our 5 mailboxes using our own domain name, removing hassle for me and enabling secure access from anywhere – so it makes sense for me to host my email with a managed service supplier, shut down the server and save the electricity cost – and sell it and the SBS licence on eBay.

However I want a small NAS box (250 – 500 Gig will suffice) to plug into the home network to share files and for off PC backups – I have no experience with these devices, so can anyone recommend one/some? PC clients are all XP Pro - but don't want to leave a PC on all the time due to electrictty usage, just want a small, quiet, reliable low PSU NAS box.

I'll swap you my Synology ds-106j for your HP ML110!
I could use an exchange server.

In all seriousness though, have you tried first to reconfigure your server to use as less power as possible, i.e. enabling all the intel low power options in the bios

I would recommend a synology though, very easy to use, and although the transfer rates aren't as fast as the file server i just built it does use very little energy.

circuitmonkey - thank you for the pointer - Synology look to make some quality product and look like being a great candidate to replace my server.....

.... let me see swap an HP ML110 with Promise 4 channel SATA hardware RAID controller with hot swap drive bays, plus onboard SATA and PATA etc, with 2 * 160Gb SATA hard drives (one only a month old) in the RAID bays, and a proper Microsoft SBS hologrammed install disk (plus R2 upgrade) with 5 Users Licence, for a Synology ds-106j .... not quite a ballanced deal LOL! ......However if you had been talking a DS-207 or even a DS 107 or 108 with a 1T drive... we could have had a deal:rockon2:

Yes Synology look perfect, thanks. It is not just a question of saving electricity (though this is a big factor) a server also takes up more space when I don't have a lot of room, and time - maintaining and running a full AD at home, but I now need to host my family email externally because of the way we are operating, and just don't want, or need Exchange 2003 any more.

Also I run NOD32 and because I have a server I have the Enterprise Edition, without it my renewal will be cheaper.

If you really want it - it won't be expensive......:drool:

Well I thought it was very generous of me but hey!
Besides I'm thinking of building me a copy of a machine I just installed at a clients this morning;

intel e5200 @ 2GHz
gigabyte g31
4 GB 800Mhz DDR2
2*1TB samsung f1 hdd (raid 1)
DVDRW
ubuntu server

made a very nice file server 80MBs read and write with built in gigabit Ethernet and prob quieter then my DS106j, not to bention a bargin at £350ish

I have just bought an HP Media Vault 2020 (500 gb with space for a second drive). Supports raid and external USB disk, USB printer, media streaming, etc.

See HP Site description. I think it is now superseded and is available for under a ton. Excellent build, proper NFS support as well as the normal Samba and comes with NTI backup software.

Got good reviews when it was new (and over £200!).

Rgrds

Peter

a 45nm chip in a EG31 mobo and a 1TB Caviar Green would be 40w and less idling, but for purely NAS I think the Icy Box 4220 would fit the need

http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Icy-B...-Servers-inone

Maccer101 & Corylus - yes both look good - choices, choices... will ponder over the weekend - was about to order a Synology 107 or 207......

forgot to mention, for NAS info you should really be looking at this site:

http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/

In following up the HP Media Vault 2020 I have discoved it has been superceeded by the HP Media Vault 2120 - and I rather like it... but finding a supplier is proving less than easy. However I think Synology or QNAP are the main contenders...

Thanks again for the new link circuitmonkey - I will check it out.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by EtheAv8r

In following up the HP Media Vault 2020 I have discoved it has been superceeded by the HP Media Vault 2120 - and I rather like it... but finding a supplier is proving less than easy. However I think Synology or QNAP are the main contenders...
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I got mine via the HP friends and family site for £119 all in - it's still listed. Send me a PM and I think I can send you an intro link.

Finally decided to go with the Synology DS207+ with a pair of 750Gb Sumsung drives.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by EtheAv8r

Finally decided to go with the Synology DS207+ with a pair of 750Gb Sumsung drives.

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Have you received it yet?
I'm fast running out of room on my NAS drive would be interested what kinda of read write speeds you get

Delivered today by SCAN - still waiting for the two hard disks. However there are a good number of performance reviews and comparisons 'out there' - I found them quite easily starting with your original pointer to http://www.smallnetbuilder.com/ - however there are plenty more.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by EtheAv8r

Finally decided to go with the Synology DS207+ with a pair of 750Gb Sumsung drives.

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Hi EtheAv8r,

I'm about buy the Synology DS209+ with a couple of 1TB drives. Just wondered how you'd been getting on with the 207+, as they're a similar box?

Thanks,
Richard

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Maccer101

a 45nm chip in a EG31 mobo and a 1TB Caviar Green would be 40w and less idling, but for purely NAS I think the Icy Box 4220 would fit the need

http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Icy-B...-Servers-inone

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Probably a bit late.. but be aware this NAS (IB-NAS4220-B) in my opinion is riddled with problems.. i have one.. been spending the last month trying to get the thing to work... its very very picky when it comes to HDD's.... suggest you look at the forum (http://en.nas-4220.org/index.php/Main_Page)

dont get me wrong you maybe one of the few that gets lucky and this thing works great.. but for me its nothing but pain...

best of luck

Asian Hawk