Hello,
What is the advantages of Networked Attached Storage to just using a portable hard drive?
Regards
What is the advantages of Networked Attached Storage to just using a portable hard drive?
Regards
Advantages of NAS?
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idc
Well-known member
I used a network hard drive as opposed to a USB portable hard drive so that I could avoid wires and have the network hard drive tucked out of the way. I could also access it from anywhere in the house, only having to move the laptop about.
A NAS as opposed to a network hard drive allows you to wirelessly connect to the hard drive with some (all?) music servers. With a network hard drive, it is a hard drive with no other programmes on it, so it works best with a PC/laptop. However, NAS is used to describe both types of hard drive.
A NAS as opposed to a network hard drive allows you to wirelessly connect to the hard drive with some (all?) music servers. With a network hard drive, it is a hard drive with no other programmes on it, so it works best with a PC/laptop. However, NAS is used to describe both types of hard drive.
professorhat
Well-known member
The main one is it can be shared between multiple devices. Since it lives on the network, any computer on that network can access it simultaneously, whereas with a USB drive, you'd have to keep switching the connections over.
In terms of music, depending on your music client, the advantage of a NAS is you don't need your PC / Mac to be switched on to access the NAS. However, this will depend on what system you are using e.g. an Airport Express needs iTunes so can't access music stored on a NAS directly whereas something like the Sonos system can.
In terms of music, depending on your music client, the advantage of a NAS is you don't need your PC / Mac to be switched on to access the NAS. However, this will depend on what system you are using e.g. an Airport Express needs iTunes so can't access music stored on a NAS directly whereas something like the Sonos system can.
The_Lhc
Well-known member
idc:A NAS as opposed to a network hard drive allows you to wirelessly connect to the hard drive with some (all?) music servers.
Just to clarify that point, very few NAS's have wireless network. The client could be wireless of course, but the NAS will require a wired network cable.
With a network hard drive, it is a hard drive with no other programmes on it, so it works best with a PC/laptop. However, NAS is used to describe both types of hard drive.
It shouldn't be, NAS's are independant they share their contents over the network with no requirement for a PC (or any other type of computer) to be doing the sharing for it, which is what I think you mean by a network hard drive, although that term doesn't make much sense to me.
Just to clarify that point, very few NAS's have wireless network. The client could be wireless of course, but the NAS will require a wired network cable.
With a network hard drive, it is a hard drive with no other programmes on it, so it works best with a PC/laptop. However, NAS is used to describe both types of hard drive.
It shouldn't be, NAS's are independant they share their contents over the network with no requirement for a PC (or any other type of computer) to be doing the sharing for it, which is what I think you mean by a network hard drive, although that term doesn't make much sense to me.
kena
Well-known member
Also worth noting resilience benefit of a real multi-disk NAS , 2 x 500gb disks but one is mirror/backup - only 500gb available to use but you can suffer a disk failure but your data is safe (unless you have failure on both!)
idc
Well-known member
the_lhc:
idc:A NAS as opposed to a network hard drive allows you to wirelessly connect to the hard drive with some (all?) music servers.
Just to clarify that point, very few NAS's have wireless network. The client could be wireless of course, but the NAS will require a wired network cable.
With a network hard drive, it is a hard drive with no other programmes on it, so it works best with a PC/laptop. However, NAS is used to describe both types of hard drive.
It shouldn't be, NAS's are independant they share their contents over the network with no requirement for a PC (or any other type of computer) to be doing the sharing for it, which is what I think you mean by a network hard drive, although that term doesn't make much sense to me.
This is what I understand a NAS to be
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Buffalo-LinkStation-MultiMedia-Attached-BitTorrent/dp/B001FNYWFU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1264535439&sr=1-1
This is what I understand a network hard drive to be
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Buffalo-Drivestation-Network-Attached-Storage/dp/B001IBKQRC/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1264535439&sr=1-8
The former has DLNA server to connect to a compatible music server and itunes installed on it. The latter is purely a hard drive that can connect by ethernet to your router an the computer can access it wirelessly.
idc:A NAS as opposed to a network hard drive allows you to wirelessly connect to the hard drive with some (all?) music servers.
Just to clarify that point, very few NAS's have wireless network. The client could be wireless of course, but the NAS will require a wired network cable.
With a network hard drive, it is a hard drive with no other programmes on it, so it works best with a PC/laptop. However, NAS is used to describe both types of hard drive.
It shouldn't be, NAS's are independant they share their contents over the network with no requirement for a PC (or any other type of computer) to be doing the sharing for it, which is what I think you mean by a network hard drive, although that term doesn't make much sense to me.
This is what I understand a NAS to be
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Buffalo-LinkStation-MultiMedia-Attached-BitTorrent/dp/B001FNYWFU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1264535439&sr=1-1
This is what I understand a network hard drive to be
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Buffalo-Drivestation-Network-Attached-Storage/dp/B001IBKQRC/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1264535439&sr=1-8
The former has DLNA server to connect to a compatible music server and itunes installed on it. The latter is purely a hard drive that can connect by ethernet to your router an the computer can access it wirelessly.
Tonya
Well-known member
To simplify matters, here's what I use on a daily basis.
A Western Digital My Book World Edition (phew!) NAS drive is connected by a short network cable to my wireless router.
It comes complete with easy to understand software, so when the program is installed on any of our laptops or PCs and we are connected to the Internet anywhere in the world, we can "see" the NAS drive in Windows just as if it's connected by a cable right next to me.
Furthermore, by connecting any ordinary external drives to the USB port on the back of the NAS drive, those too become available, as do all the hard drives of any home PC that is connected to the NAS drive (providing that it's powered up of course) should you want them to be.
You can also make certain folders available to certain people, so in my case, everyone in my household has their own folder on the NAS, but everyone can read and write to the "public" folder I have created.
Another neat thing is if I'm out travelling and, say, I'm in an Internet cafe or on a friend's PC, I can log into my NAS drive at home via a web page (MioNet), enter my login details and password, and my NAS drive will connect to the PC I'm using so I can save files to it or access any files that are on it.
So with the right NAS drive you can not only access your media files from anywhere in the house, but also anywhere in the world!
A Western Digital My Book World Edition (phew!) NAS drive is connected by a short network cable to my wireless router.
It comes complete with easy to understand software, so when the program is installed on any of our laptops or PCs and we are connected to the Internet anywhere in the world, we can "see" the NAS drive in Windows just as if it's connected by a cable right next to me.
Furthermore, by connecting any ordinary external drives to the USB port on the back of the NAS drive, those too become available, as do all the hard drives of any home PC that is connected to the NAS drive (providing that it's powered up of course) should you want them to be.
You can also make certain folders available to certain people, so in my case, everyone in my household has their own folder on the NAS, but everyone can read and write to the "public" folder I have created.
Another neat thing is if I'm out travelling and, say, I'm in an Internet cafe or on a friend's PC, I can log into my NAS drive at home via a web page (MioNet), enter my login details and password, and my NAS drive will connect to the PC I'm using so I can save files to it or access any files that are on it.
So with the right NAS drive you can not only access your media files from anywhere in the house, but also anywhere in the world!
The_Lhc
Well-known member
idc:The former has DLNA server to connect to a compatible music server and itunes installed on it. The latter is purely a hard drive that can connect by ethernet to your router an the computer can access it wirelessly.
Unfortunately BOTH of those devices are NAS's, "The latter" is NOT purely a hard drive. If it was, how on earth would it present itself to a network? There's still a customised linux kernel running in there to provide all the network resources.
The fact that some are able to have other software installed on them is actually a fairly minor point compared to what's required for a NAS to be an independant, standalone network device. Which is what a NAS really is.
Unfortunately BOTH of those devices are NAS's, "The latter" is NOT purely a hard drive. If it was, how on earth would it present itself to a network? There's still a customised linux kernel running in there to provide all the network resources.
The fact that some are able to have other software installed on them is actually a fairly minor point compared to what's required for a NAS to be an independant, standalone network device. Which is what a NAS really is.
idc
Well-known member
Thanks the_lhc. I came accross the two terms when I was researching getting one before buying. What I and Amazon and Buffalo call a network hard drive does has less functionality and tends to be cheaper than a NAS. I suppose we can settle on there are different types of NASs that can do different things, but the main use is to connect to a hard drive wirlessly and/or over the internet.
The_Lhc
Well-known member
idc:I suppose we can settle on there are different types of NASs that can do different things, but the main use is to connect to a hard drive wirlessly and/or over the internet.
There certainly are, I'm just configuring the backups for a NAS here at work, 8 rows of disks, 14x1TB disks in each row, it's still a NAS!
There certainly are, I'm just configuring the backups for a NAS here at work, 8 rows of disks, 14x1TB disks in each row, it's still a NAS!
NAS simply means 'Network Attached Storage'.
Within that category there's lots of variation, from single hard drives to RAID setups with several disks acting as one, with or without server software.
Some NASs has multimedia software to work with certain streaming devices. Myself I use a Western Digital ShareSpace, with 4 1 TB disks giving about 3 TB of effective storage. There's no fancy multimedia software solutions, but I've found it more convenient to let my Mac and Apple TV take care of the media. The NAS is just storage. If you use Sonos or Squeezebox you might want a NAS that works better with those systems.
Within that category there's lots of variation, from single hard drives to RAID setups with several disks acting as one, with or without server software.
Some NASs has multimedia software to work with certain streaming devices. Myself I use a Western Digital ShareSpace, with 4 1 TB disks giving about 3 TB of effective storage. There's no fancy multimedia software solutions, but I've found it more convenient to let my Mac and Apple TV take care of the media. The NAS is just storage. If you use Sonos or Squeezebox you might want a NAS that works better with those systems.
The_Lhc
Well-known member
Fahnsen: If you use Sonos or Squeezebox you might want a NAS that works better with those systems.
Not for Sonos, it requires nothing more than a CIFS or SMB compliant share, that's it.
Not for Sonos, it requires nothing more than a CIFS or SMB compliant share, that's it.
Hi
I am thinking getting the Sonos too and am glad to hear that you don't need to have a laptop running to operate it. But still have some questions:
[*]Is the interface like iTunes, where you can create playlists and play it direct? or do you need to create a playlist via a laptop, and then youcan use the controller to select the playlist?[*]I have been trying to transfer my ripped CD files in iTunes folder in my laptop to my NAS (Buffalo Linkstation). I noted that the WAV files could not be transferred complete with artist and album details. Only the song got transferred and its name, but not the artist and album name/artwork. [*]Is ripping in AIFF better or in WAV better to put in NAS for easier transfer if i should want to from one HD to another HD?
[*]When i tried to rip a CD on my laptop, having set my iTunes folder location to be the NAS, it said i did not have the right permission to do so. Even when i right clicked the properties of the folder to allow permission, i kept getting the same message. What did i do wrong?
[*]Besides Buffalo, is there any other NAS that can act as an iTunes server, ie no need to switch the laptop on to access the ripped materials in the NAS?[*]Does the sonos sound better playing AIFF or WAV files? Or is there no difference?
Thanks for any advice or opinions.
I am thinking getting the Sonos too and am glad to hear that you don't need to have a laptop running to operate it. But still have some questions:
[*]Is the interface like iTunes, where you can create playlists and play it direct? or do you need to create a playlist via a laptop, and then youcan use the controller to select the playlist?[*]I have been trying to transfer my ripped CD files in iTunes folder in my laptop to my NAS (Buffalo Linkstation). I noted that the WAV files could not be transferred complete with artist and album details. Only the song got transferred and its name, but not the artist and album name/artwork. [*]Is ripping in AIFF better or in WAV better to put in NAS for easier transfer if i should want to from one HD to another HD?
[*]When i tried to rip a CD on my laptop, having set my iTunes folder location to be the NAS, it said i did not have the right permission to do so. Even when i right clicked the properties of the folder to allow permission, i kept getting the same message. What did i do wrong?
[*]Besides Buffalo, is there any other NAS that can act as an iTunes server, ie no need to switch the laptop on to access the ripped materials in the NAS?[*]Does the sonos sound better playing AIFF or WAV files? Or is there no difference?
Thanks for any advice or opinions.
The_Lhc
Well-known member
Dr Beat: Is the interface like iTunes, where you can create playlists and play it direct? or do you need to create a playlist via a laptop, and then youcan use the controller to select the playlist?
No, you create playlists using the controller itself, you go into the music library, select the tracks you want, then you can either just start playing straight away, or you can save the list as a Sonos playlist, using a name of your choice and later select that playlist instead of selecting tracks. For example I have a playlist called "It's CHRIIIIIISTMAS!!!!", I'll give you three guesses what's in it and the first two don't count.
I have been trying to transfer my ripped CD files in iTunes folder in my laptop to my NAS (Buffalo Linkstation). I noted that the WAV files could not be transferred complete with artist and album details. Only the song got transferred and its name, but not the artist and album name/artwork.
The WAV file format does not support tags, the only reason you're seeing the rest of the info on the laptop is because iTunes is storing it elsewhere as metadata, you'd need to convert the WAVs to a format that supports tags I'm afraid.
Is ripping in AIFF better or in WAV better to put in NAS for easier transfer if i should want to from one HD to another HD?
From what point of view? As far as the NAS is concerned it makes no difference, files are files, the NAS doesn't know what they are or care.
When i tried to rip a CD on my laptop, having set my iTunes folder location to be the NAS, it said i did not have the right permission to do so. Even when i right clicked the properties of the folder to allow permission, i kept getting the same message. What did i do wrong?
Sorry, don't know, are you sure it didn't say you don't have "write" permission? Double check the permissions on the share AND on the actual directory on the NAS (they won't necessarily be the same).
Besides Buffalo, is there any other NAS that can act as an iTunes server, ie no need to switch the laptop on to access the ripped materials in the NAS?
Do you actually need the NAS to be an iTunes server or do you just want to use it for Sonos? If the later then the NAS doesn't requires iTunes server, Sonos doesn't use it.
Does the sonos sound better playing AIFF or WAV files? Or is there no difference?
That's one of "those" questions. Personally I doubt you'd hear a difference but YMMV.
No, you create playlists using the controller itself, you go into the music library, select the tracks you want, then you can either just start playing straight away, or you can save the list as a Sonos playlist, using a name of your choice and later select that playlist instead of selecting tracks. For example I have a playlist called "It's CHRIIIIIISTMAS!!!!", I'll give you three guesses what's in it and the first two don't count.
I have been trying to transfer my ripped CD files in iTunes folder in my laptop to my NAS (Buffalo Linkstation). I noted that the WAV files could not be transferred complete with artist and album details. Only the song got transferred and its name, but not the artist and album name/artwork.
The WAV file format does not support tags, the only reason you're seeing the rest of the info on the laptop is because iTunes is storing it elsewhere as metadata, you'd need to convert the WAVs to a format that supports tags I'm afraid.
Is ripping in AIFF better or in WAV better to put in NAS for easier transfer if i should want to from one HD to another HD?
From what point of view? As far as the NAS is concerned it makes no difference, files are files, the NAS doesn't know what they are or care.
When i tried to rip a CD on my laptop, having set my iTunes folder location to be the NAS, it said i did not have the right permission to do so. Even when i right clicked the properties of the folder to allow permission, i kept getting the same message. What did i do wrong?
Sorry, don't know, are you sure it didn't say you don't have "write" permission? Double check the permissions on the share AND on the actual directory on the NAS (they won't necessarily be the same).
Besides Buffalo, is there any other NAS that can act as an iTunes server, ie no need to switch the laptop on to access the ripped materials in the NAS?
Do you actually need the NAS to be an iTunes server or do you just want to use it for Sonos? If the later then the NAS doesn't requires iTunes server, Sonos doesn't use it.
Does the sonos sound better playing AIFF or WAV files? Or is there no difference?
That's one of "those" questions. Personally I doubt you'd hear a difference but YMMV.
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