oh NAS gurus...

[TdC]

is there a NAS that has something like a plugin for a cloudish thing like Dropbox?

I have a 50GB Dropbox that I use for mostly school stuffs. Ideally I would like a NAS so I can run the main workstation purely off an SSD, but keeping files local makes me itch. So, the plan is:
-locally made stuffs go on the NAS, which has two or more drives for fault tolerance. The NAS syncs the data to the Dropbox, which in turn gets sent to the teedlappy and other places.

I've never actually had a consumer NAS, so please feel free to clue me in


NB. I know that there is Linux support for Dropbox, because I use it on the workstation, however I am not really planning to do a DIY NAS solution if I can avoid it.

 

[soze]

Synology have a official app for HiDrive syncing. I have not tried it personally, it appears to be similar to DropBox though. I have not seen a app for Dropbox and a quick Google suggests it does not work due to the Synology Processor.

 

[TdC]

mmmkay but that HiDrive thing seems to lack the colaboration functionality that DB has; you can't share with others. for school we're all working out of a central DB, up to a whole bunch of us at a time...

 

[DaGaffer]

Netgear ReadyNAS has one: http://www.readynas.com/?p=6071

 

[TdC]

awwrite: slapped together a potential build for a DIY NAS. Price is a bit meh. Shame I never kept any old pootahs

Lian Li PC-Q25B - 114
Intel Core i3 2120 Boxed - 112
Asus P8H67-I - 90
Kingston ValueRAM KVR1333D3N9/4G - 22
Scythe Shuriken Rev. B - 30
be quiet! Pure Power L7 300W - 40
Samsung Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ, 1TB - 103 (x3)
Intel PRO/1000 GT - 30

grand total: 747 (euros)

tbh it's not that far off a decent NAS (example QNAP 419++ and three F3's) in price, but it's always a bit naff when you see what you're supposed to be spending :-/
with a linux on that, I suppose I could roll my own NAS incl a trunked cable network to the workstation and a 54Mbit wireless connection to the interpipes...

 

[TdC]

Netgear ReadyNAS has one: http://www.readynas.com/?p=6071

hmm could make it worth my while.

 

[soze]

I would still go for the MicroServer over a build your own. £149 after the cash back. http://www.ebuyer.com/281915-hp-proliant-turion-ii-n40l-microserver-100-cashback-658553-421

 

[TdC]

although, if I buy a readynas for 4 disk, and have to buy three disks, then the mess of kit I posted above is about 150 euros cheaper than the Netgear...

 

[TdC]

I would still go for the MicroServer over a build your own. £149 after the cash back. http://www.ebuyer.com/281915-hp-proliant-turion-ii-n40l-microserver-100-cashback-658553-421

hmm I don't get the cashback here in the united states of europa I guess. on the other hand, a
Microserver N40L is 247 euros when bought here, and three 1TB Samsung Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ's are 309 euros. I could put a linux on the 250GB disk they seem to want to give you, and bob's your uncle...

so: 556 euros total.

 

[soze]

The offer does not say you need to live in the UK, could be worth asking one of the sites that ship to europe. Unless you have a mate you trust who could forward it on for you.

The promotion is valid only on new units purchased and invoiced directly from HP or a UK HP
authorised reseller. Orders must be invoiced between 1 November 2011 and 31 January 2012. Claims
for purchases direct from HP distribution partners are ineligible

 

[TdC]

heh too late, I've just bought one from a shop in the NL

After some thought, I bought the 40L with two 2TB drives as they're rather expensive atm compared to say...6 months ago. When/if the prices ever come down I will get two more and in the mean time run on a mirror. Bit torn between FreeNAS and a DIY setup atm heh.

 

[soze]

https://forums.freddyshouse.com/threads/nas-drives-again-again.244508/

It is worth checking that out some of the smarter Freddies have them running Free NAS already so can offer good advice.

 

[TdC]

cheers, I'll look through that when I have some more time!

 

[Embattle]

Although you are done, Synology have added cloud services to DSM 4.0 beta but not tested them personally yet.

 

[MYstIC G]

m00.

The microserver was the best choice.

You will have to run / configure linux to use dropbox however, dropbox will not work on FreeBSD and they've got no plans to make it work on FreeBSD because they are bastards which kills your use of FreeNAS for your purposes at a stroke.

That said you may be able to get Ubuntu One to work on FreeBSD (in fact you are way more likely to) which is what I'm starting to look at because frankly the way dropbox works on linux I don't like at all and you get more space with Ubuntu One anyway.

 

[MYstIC G]

https://www.dropbox.com/votebox/186/add-support-for-freebsd

More on the said bastardness there.

 

[TdC]

mmmkay well the cockswains have mailed me that they can no longer deliver the microserver, so I changed the order to a Synology DS212 and a WD USB3 card. Not quite what I had in mind, but now I no longer have to fiddle with my inner nerd.

 

[MYstIC G]

That's quite a shame, it's a very nice piece of kit. You'd have loved it.

On the up side, I like mine even more now that you've been denied one

 

[TdC]

I'm sure you do

Tbh I'm a bit peeved, but the whole original idea was for me to not have to faff about with linuxes and things. I mean, I do that shit for a living....at home I just want to laze out on the couch in my Y-fronts :->

 

[MYstIC G]

To be fair mate, I don't blame you. I like the faff because the stuff I run at work has to run because it's our business stuff so I can't tinker with it.

Plus ZFS

Pics btw?

 

[TdC]

heh

 

[Embattle]

Get it yet?

 

[TdC]

no the fuckers are taking ages. now they're waiting for a USB3 adapter that I also ordered. they have the NAS and the drives, but the smallest and least important bit of kit is taking the longest :-/

 

[Embattle]

You going to use the Beta DSM 4?

What is the adapter for any way?

 

[TdC]

I don't know yet Embacon, tbh I just want it to work with a minimum of hassle. It has to offer up the entire mirror to linux and windows 7,
I'm wondering if I can stick a usb dongle in and have it use that to network? I mean, I'm looking forward to trying out that cloudstation thing, and I wonder if I can cross it with my dropbox heh

 

[Embattle]

You mean a wireless dongle rather than using the cable via the gigabit port?

You'll have to use the DSM 4 beta to use cloudstation - http://ukdl.synology.com/download/beta/

If you're not too worried about using it right now then wait until the beta comes out in a couple of months and just use DSM 3.2.

 

[TdC]

my plan is to directly attach the NAS to my workstation with the USB3 thingy, and have it use a wireless dongle to connect to my wireless. I have no idea if this is a valid plan. In a pinch, I could use power-/ethernet through the walls, but I am not keen on that re my hifi gubbins and stuffs.

 

[Embattle]

So you are using the USB3 port on it to directly connect to your workstation instead of a network cable.

 

[TdC]

yes indeed.

 

[Embattle]

It'll be interesting to see if that works.