File Server

[phenixdragon]

Just another question. Does anyone know if there is some type of device out there that will setup a file server?

Such as I want to run a large HDD as a network drive and a network drive only and have my media files stored on there while my devices (SageTV and such) will read those files. I could setup a simple server but I would like to now have a full computer setup just for this and hope there is something more simple.

[silkshadow]

Take a look here: http://forums.freytechnologies.com/f...ad.php?t=10997 for something that might work. Also look for NAS boxes (Networked Attached Storage). Theres a lot of these devices floating around. I spent some time recently looking at these and decided it wasn't for me (see the linked thread for my reasons). However, if you list the things you are looking for, I might have encountered a device that will fit your needs.

[phenixdragon]

NAS, that's what I was thinking of. I did read you post and I think a NAS woudl work for me. Just a matter or find one decently priced. But I would like to hae one that does RAID 5 but don't want to spend too much since just building a server to handle it would work just fine. Even something like RAID 1+0 would be fine since it is not going to be intensivly used.

[phenixdragon]

If anyone else is interested I ran into this.

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduc...156-004&depa=0

Pretty cheap and supports up to 300 gigs.

I think what I will do is run this and then just mirror it onto another drive or pick up two of these and mirror them, even if that just requires me to manaully copy the files but for me this is just going to hold my movies and MP3s so data on there should be pretty much static most of the time.

[JasonJoel]

If it had gigabit ethernet (like the Linksys NAS do) I would be more interested. Of course the Linksys can also do RAID-1 in-box which is nice (we do this at work on ~15 of the Linksys devices).

Of course the Linksys one is also $450 with only one 120GB hard drive...

Jason

[phenixdragon]

I did run into this.

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduc...124-036&depa=0

While I don't think it is ideal to have to have this, then external drives attached but this also is to supprt any size USB and supports 2 drives. I think I will have to go with this.

[mikejaner]

I have a cooworker who has the Linksys with the external usb drives, and he says its great. I would think that would be your cheapest solution if you already have the drives. One thing to note. You have to reformat those drives when you connect them to the Linksys device.

[silkshadow]

That linksys device looks cool! Nice find, I may get one as I already have 2 usb hd casings that I stuck disks into while waiting for the parts for the new media server. Thats a NAS device for only $80. Sweet!