Bulk storage: USB 2, FW800 or NAS

[SidewinderINC]

Hi All,

Asked this over at the blue place and got no responses, don't know why I didn't ask here first

Running my old laptop as an HTPC/Media server combo and am looking to add some additional storage.

I have a selection of drives, and will be upgrading those over time to larger capacity but until I do I'd like to use what I have.

There are a few IcyBox units that take 4 drives which would be ideal and they're relatively cheap.

So the decisions come down to connectivity and some other features.

I know that as far as raw transfer speeds FW800 will be the fastest, and the NAS will be the slowest with my current network (100Mbps) however I don't know enough about data transfer technology to to say which would work best for the job at hand.

Reading from the drives for direct play from the attached computer mainly and potentially being read from up to 3 devices over the network via the server.

I don't really need direct access to the drives over the network so not too bothered about NAS unless there are other benefits from that?

Would this benefit from Firewire, or would it be a wasted extravagance?

And the units are also USB3.0 so if/when I upgrade to something that has USB3 ports that's an option but that's not likely to happen for quite a while.


Ta muchly

SINC.

[Zirax]

Firewire? I thought that had died!

Not sure what icybox you have been looking at but I see them at around £160.

HP have stopped their offer on the microserver and the n740l. I would hold off for one of these. The n740l is slightly bigger and you could install plex on there and serve to any device on your network! Much better than a NAS solution.

edit:- 100mb? The late 90s called, they want their network back For £20 or so lay down some switches, I imagine you are already running cat5e.

[SidewinderINC]

Nope, and Nope.

Laptop will run as server, do not want a separate server for now - would need to run server + media computer (Or another Roku) in living room which will run up more than the 85W that the laptop costs in electricity. And will cost a lot more to set up.

I'm not planning on living here for much longer, running network cables is not an option. Trust me, if I was in a place that I owned that would already be done.
Also to run Gigabit I would need to buy a brand new router which adds to the cost. I know I need one, but I don't have the money at the moment and with the things going on at home I kinda need every penny spare.

The USB only Icybox is £90, the one including FW is £150 as you say.

[Zirax]

Fair enough. I was offering a bit more of a future proof solution. I wouldn't replace the router, just put a switch infront of it with 100mb link to the router. But I understand if you are thinking of moving out.

In that case just get a USB Icybox. I can see you at a later date wanting to run a server of some kind as that is pretty much where it is heading at present.

[SidewinderINC]

Cheers, Z.

If I had the money to go down that route I'd already be doing it as, you're right, it is where I want to end up - and often I think about just splashing out but really can't justify it right now.

Also I'd like to keep the very swish frontend that plex has, and the Roku isn't quite as swish so I'd need an HTPC as well as the server

Will USB 2.0 cut it when it comes to lots of simultaneous access?

[Zirax]

usb2? Nope 40mb/sec max transfer speed. A couple of people accessing it will kill it.

http://www.serversplus.com/servers/t...ers/658553-421
I would honestly wait for the cashback offer to come back. It brought the cost of one of these down to around £100.

edit:- infact add a half height gfx card on there for £30 ish and it can be the htpc and server.
I think you actually need a half height adaptor plate. Can't check at the mo

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showpr...14&subcat=2298
or amd
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showpr...56&subcat=1985

[SidewinderINC]

Hmmm, well that's the current plan scuppered - and even if I was to just buy a single 3Tb drive for now it would still be sat in a USB 2.0 dock and useless for more than a couple of devices.

You're not going to have me buying a server/HTPC just yet, unless you can sort me out the entire thing inc. 3Tb of storage for under £150?
Give that another 12 months and it'll happen Then I'll come back for advice on that

For now, what about eSATA II?

http://www.ebuyer.com/173391-startec...FSbMtAodkjoA4Q

I actually have an expresscard/34 port in this laptop and ever since I've had it I have had no idea what in gods name it would be useful for

I can buy that, an eSATA capable dock and 3Tb drive for £150 and that would resolve all issues I have now and then in future it will still be handy.

I'm pretty sure that'll be capable of the simultaneous access that I'm after?

[kaiowas]

eSata is as good as an internal drive, it's just a repackaging of a normal SATA connector and would always be the preferred option from a performance point of view.

[SidewinderINC]

Have read a little more on the expresscard and it has its own bandwidth issues but will still be about 4 times faster than USB2 which will be fine for now I think.