Linux Server (NAS)

[adder]

If you do go with home-plug solution, you will still have security, and don't need to worry about unauthorized access. Just in encase you decide to go with that.

[aidanjt]

If you do go with home-plug solution, you will still have security, and don't need to worry about unauthorized access. Just in encase you decide to go with that.

Only if the home plugs are talking to each other encrypted. Either way, the performance is lack luster if you have any reasonably powerful disk subsystem.

[oimi]

Only if the home plugs are talking to each other encrypted. Either way, the performance is lack luster if you have any reasonably powerful disk subsystem.

Surely homeplugs are very similar to extenders, or indeed are extenders? If this is so, they seem pointless as they will not provide any benefit over a simple wireless router on its own. Nothing comparable to wired.

[aidanjt]

Surely homeplugs are very similar to extenders, or indeed are extenders? If this is so, they seem pointless as they will not provide any benefit over a simple wireless router on its own. Nothing comparable to wired.

Homeplug works nearly identically to IEEE 802.11x, the main difference is it uses the wiring in your house to transmit the radio signals, but they do bleed out over the air and over the grid. That's why newer homeplug devices use encryption. There's also an issue with lack of agreed standards on the technology. One homeplug device from one vendor may not (and likely wont) work with another.

[oimi]

Homeplug works nearly identically to IEEE 802.11x, the main difference is it uses the wiring in your house to transmit the radio signals, but they do bleed out over the air and over the grid. That's why newer homeplug devices use encryption. There's also an issue with lack of agreed standards on the technology. One homeplug device from one vendor may not (and likely wont) work with another.

So best (and cheaper) to stick with CAT5e cable?

[aidanjt]

So best (and cheaper) to stick with CAT5e cable?

Usually, yes. Certainly safer and significantly faster.

[oimi]

Usually, yes. Certainly safer and significantly faster.

Back to hardware then!

[Singh400]

What our answers not good enough for you?

http://www.avforums.com/forums/deskt...erver-nas.html

[oimi]

What our answers not good enough for you?

http://www.avforums.com/forums/deskt...erver-nas.html

Different forums have different users, I want to pool together as many thoughts/ideas as possible. Nothing wrong with that.

[aidanjt]

Anyway, as for hardware. You don't need anything special. The main thing will be to have as many SATA ports as you can get on the motherboard. Having a reasonable volume of ram will help with disk caching, as well as expanding to run other services on the machine. CPU wise, less energy consumption the better. There's 35W AMD CPUs. Even Intel Atoms will do the job if you never plan to run any other services beyond file and print stuff.

[oimi]

Anyway, as for hardware. You don't need anything special. The main thing will be to have as many SATA ports as you can get on the motherboard. Having a reasonable volume of ram will help with disk caching, as well as expanding to run other services on the machine. CPU wise, less energy consumption the better. There's 35W AMD CPUs. Even Intel Atoms will do the job if you never plan to run any other services beyond file and print stuff.

Hello aidanjt, thank you for your response.

I agree regarding maximum number of SATA ports.

I'd definitely prefer an Intel processor over an AMD.

I have strong plans to use this device to store the captured video/images from a networked wireless cctv system that I plan to buy, will this still be okay using an Intel Atom?

[aidanjt]

As long as the atom doesn't have to do any encoding then yes. If it does need to do encoding, you'll need something beefier. Perhaps one of the new 65W Core 2 Quads if you have multiple streams to encode.

[oimi]

As long as the atom doesn't have to do any encoding then yes. If it does need to do encoding, you'll need something beefier. Perhaps one of the new 65W Core 2 Quads if you have multiple streams to encode.

Sound advice, I'll look around for one of those then!

I've found three cases I like thus far; http://www.ebuyer.com/product/140996#, http://www.ebuyer.com/product/149228# & http://www.scan.co.uk/Product.aspx?WebProductId=952110.

However, I'm thinking it would be good to get a case with a handle on the top, saw one but thought it was rather ugly.

[aidanjt]

Perhaps something like this: http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Coole...9-x52-435-Bays
And you can install one of these: http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Icy-D...ap-Best-Seller
So you don't have to be shutting down the machine and opening the chassis to remove disks. It will drive up the price, but it saves a lot of hassle with maintenance.

[oimi]

Perhaps something like this: http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Coole...9-x52-435-Bays
And you can install one of these: http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Icy-D...ap-Best-Seller
So you don't have to be shutting down the machine and opening the chassis to remove disks. It will drive up the price, but it saves a lot of hassle with maintenance.

Sounds like an excellent solution, the IcyDock is installed inside three 5.2" drives in the front bay? My only concern is energy efficiency with additional fans and led's etc.

[aidanjt]

Either way, the hard drives will need some kind of cooling mechanism.. Usually a fan in front. LEDs use so little energy to be entirely negligible.