1 disk or 2-disk NAS, for relatively small storage need?

[jdc]

Yes, thats the way I see it.

Its either simple with a couple of drives or straight to a RAID5/Drobo.

If you are just gonna do boxes, why not just a 5TB drive as main and 5TB as backup. Seagate/WD, whomever have 5TB desktops for about $110.

I had a RAID 0 in my studio for years with twin 400 GB PATA drives in a OWC FW800 case -- but it always seemed so limiting.

it wouldnt do anything more and just store files... and 2X the drives = 2X the failure rate, and its not like it backed itself up.

[Robert M]

Deck,

How about a Netgear Readynas system?



I have one of these configured at my parents house for Time Machine backups. It can double as network storage, Plex server, etc. I have a 4 bay version at my office for the same tasks. Buy a diskless model and then install the mechanisms of your choice. I'm using WD Red drives in both units.

Another option is to purchase an old Mac Mini and hang a couple of drives off it. I'm still doing this at home with a 1.8GHz '07 series Mac Mini 3 gigs of RAM and a Drobo hanging off it running 10.7 for several tasks. It handles iTunes, Plex, Crashplan, etc. Once configured, the Mac Mini can run completely headless and be easily accessible via screen sharing.

Robert