Choice of NAS drive?

[admin_exported]

I'm looking for some advice on setting up a NAS drive. I have always used iTunes on a MacBook. I play my music from iTunes to my home theatre system via Apple TV. I like playing my music wirelessly and have a few differend wifi enables output devices.

I have recently found out about the benefits of a NAS drive. I would like to set one up on my home network so that I can move the iTunes library to the NAS and then access it from various Mac, PC, iPad etc...

First off, is this easily acheived for someone who has just a small amount of networking knowledge? Also, I already own a 'WD My Book World' external hard drive which I use to wirelessly back up my Mac via time machine. Will this work as a NAS drive? When I search on google for a NAS drive the 'WD My Book Live' turns up a lot. Does anyone know the difference, and whether I can use one as a NAS drive but not the other?

Any advice would be grately appreciated.

 

[Andrew Everard]

Yes. it'll work fine: it should have media server functionality, using Twonkymedia Server, enabled as a default, but if it doesn't, see page 70 onwards in the User Manual – it's just a matter of accessing the NAS via its browser interface, and turning Twonky on.

If you don't have the manual, you can download it as a PDF here

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks Andrew

Hopefully it will work and save me buying something else. I am sceptical of the Book World device though as it is very touchy. Someties I can access it wirelessly, and sometimes it justs falls off of the connected drives list on my Mac (main computer). (it is connected to the BT home hub via ethernet). It oftern drops out and then loses all time machine history, which is very frustrating. Also, sometimes I can access it from outside of the home to view photos over the internet, and sometimes that fails too. So it's not proven to be very reliable so far.

Can you confirm that I should be able to access the music files of the NAS iTunes library with any connected device even when the main computer is off? Say, from a wifi enabled mini hifi system for example?

Do you have any experience of a good NAS that you would recommend over the WD My Book World?

 

[Andrew Everard]

Well, I'd have to put the WD well up the list, as the one I have – same model as yours – has worked faultlessly for the several years I've had it – and only got relegated to back-up duties when my music collection got too big for it.

I currently run a 2TB D-Link DNS-320 housing a couple of Seagate drives as my main music NAS, and this is backed up with a single-drive 2TB Iomega in a different location – data-paranoid, me??? – but we're approaching 'bursting at the seams' point again, so some time this summer I'm going to have to look for an even more capacious solution.

It'll probably be a four-bay housing with a quartet of 2TB or 3TB drives aboard – but at that point things start getting a bit pricey...

Meantime, worth having a look at the reviews on this site for some ideas: I know the review guys kinda rate the Synology range.

And yes, you'll be able to access the NAS from any device with music streaming capabilty connected to the network, wired or wirelessly

 

[Gusboll]

Do you have any experience of a good NAS that you would recommend over the WD My Book World?

Depends on what your overall needs are and what your budget is. I use a Netgear Ready NAS with 2x2TB hard drives (one backs up the other) which I got off Amazon and then upgraded the memory. I've got about 22,000 FLAC tracks on it and it works fine.

 

[The_Lhc]

I use a Netgear Ready NAS with 2x2TB hard drives (one backs up the other)

Are you sure you aren't just using RAID-1?

 

[professorhat]

Can recommend the Synology NAS drives - they're a bit pricier, but they offer a lot more functionality than straight NAS devices.

Depends on whether you would use this or not I suppose - have a look at the features list here.

 

[brendonw]

Sounds like it

Repeat after me, RAID is NOT a backup....

 

[Gusboll]

Sounds like it

Repeat after me, RAID is NOT a backup....

Same thing but different.

 

[The_Lhc]

Sounds like it

Repeat after me, RAID is NOT a backup....

Same thing but different.

It is NOT the same thing at all! If you accidentally delete a file, it's gone from both disks, if anything happens to the NAS that renders it unusable you have NO backup. All it does is give you breathing space if a drive fails, nothing more!

 

[Gusboll]

Sounds like it

Repeat after me, RAID is NOT a backup....

Same thing but different.

It is NOT the same thing at all! If you accidentally delete a file, it's gone from both disks, if anything happens to the NAS that renders it unusable you have NO backup. All it does is give you breathing space if a drive fails, nothing more!

So it IS different then.

 

[brendonw]

Not in a good way.....

I'm a happy Synology user btw

 

[professorhat]

Without this descending into a farcical argument, the point to be made here is that you shouldn't consider RAID a backup (for the reasons already outlined). It's often touted as such (often by marketing departments of said NAS manufacturers), but it needs to be made clear that it's not, especially for those who are new to such technologies.

Think of it this way - you're told RAID is a backup, therefore you don't worry about backing your data up that's on one of these devices. You then accidentally delete a whole chunk of personal (and important) data. No problem you think, because I have RAID and this is automatically backing up my data. Then imagine how angry you are when you discover the truth. And we all know anger leads to the dark side.

For that reason, it's very important that this distinction is made, so that this confusion and anger is avoided, and there's less chance of a Sith lord taking over the known universe and ruling us with an iron fist

 

[The_Lhc]

Sounds like it

Repeat after me, RAID is NOT a backup....

Same thing but different.

It is NOT the same thing at all! If you accidentally delete a file, it's gone from both disks, if anything happens to the NAS that renders it unusable you have NO backup. All it does is give you breathing space if a drive fails, nothing more!

So it IS different then.

Yes, so you managed to be half-right and yet all wrong! Clever trick that...

 

[Anonymous]

The WD My Book World drive shows up in the Mac Finder as 2 drives: One for regular storage and one for backup [as I use for time machine] (although it is essentially just 1 physical drive). I f I move my iTunes library (and aperture library perhaps) to the storage side of the WD drive how would I access it for either music or photos using say an iPad?

Also, the idea of using the backup side of the WD drive for time machine backup of all my music and photos must be redundant as it's backing up itself? is this right? would I then need another drive anyway if I want a backup? and can I backup a NAS drive like this automatically (say using time machine still?)

 

[Gusboll]

Sounds like it

Repeat after me, RAID is NOT a backup....

Same thing but different.

It is NOT the same thing at all! If you accidentally delete a file, it's gone from both disks, if anything happens to the NAS that renders it unusable you have NO backup. All it does is give you breathing space if a drive fails, nothing more!

So it IS different then.

Yes, so you managed to be half-right and yet all wrong! Clever trick that...

What can I say, it's something that I excel at! But yes, for the O.P's benefit, I used the term 'back-up' in a loose sense; I have all my stuff backed-up on a separate external hard drive.

 

[brendonw]

Good!

 

[Anonymous]

The WD My Book World drive shows up in the Mac Finder as 2 drives: One for regular storage and one for backup [as I use for time machine] (although it is essentially just 1 physical drive). I f I move my iTunes library (and aperture library perhaps) to the storage side of the WD drive how would I access it for either music or photos using say an iPad?

Also, the idea of using the backup side of the WD drive for time machine backup of all my music and photos must be redundant as it's backing up itself? is this right? would I then need another drive anyway if I want a backup? and can I backup a NAS drive like this automatically (say using time machine still?)

I notice a few of you have kinda hi-jacked my topic to have a little fun about RAID and backup, which i'm sure i've seen on other topics too, and in the midst of that my last Q (quoted above) was lost. If anyone can add help with how to back up a NAS and whether it can be done using time machine?

Thanks

 

[professorhat]

I like to think it was a side discussion rather than a full hijack - understanding what RAID and its limitations are is I think a very important topic for those considering a NAS.

Aaanyway....

To backup the NAS, the easiest way is probably just a separate USB hard disk. Most NAS devices have built in capability to connect these directly to the NAS, then kick off the backup (not sure on your WD drive I'm afraid, but it's so common I'd be surprised if it can't). If it can't, then you'd have to connect the USB disk to your computer and back it up via the PC - not ideal, but it gets the job done, and once the main backup is done, you only have to sync changes.

I'm 99% positive you can't use Time Machine to backup the NAS - if no one else confirms this before then I'll look into it in more detail tomorrow to get it 100%.

 

[Terry Larder]

Hi, I am using a Xiva Musicm8, I have had it for about one year and am extremely happy with it. It allows backup via USB to an external dard drive (not supplied), this can be set up for automatic backup. Music can be stored in most of the popular formats, I'm using flac. It is fast becoming the main source of music for my system (streaming). I wanted hi fi quality hence flac. I currently have a full streaming system, however I am going to add a quality cd player at some stage soon. Personally speaking, I am very happy with the quality of the sound from my streamed system. I hope this info is useful.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks guys. I'm totally IT iliterate / useless so the whole RAID thing lost me really. At least I know it's not a back-up though ;o)

I like the idea of moving my itunes library off my MacBook and onto my WD Book World (to be used as a NAS drive), and then backing it up via connected USB hard drive. It scares me a bit though: very afraid I'll end up losing something along the way (out of my own inexperience).

As long as I can then get the extra benefit of being able to access the itunes library on the NAS via other devices (ipad) while the MacBook is off then I think it's worth a go.

 

[bigmoose]

For simplicity, the WD Book Live can't be beaten. I have the 3TB version which comes with Twonky. I put all my music, videos, then plugged it onto the network, et voila! All my content cannot be accessed from my iPad, Linn, PC, mobile and laptop. Even my gf is happy! Other advantage is, it's very quiet... I have mine hidden away in the lounge and can't hear it.

 

[def lugs]

For simplicity, the WD Book Live can't be beaten. I have the 3TB version which comes with Twonky. I put all my music, videos, then plugged it onto the network, et voila! All my content cannot be accessed from my iPad, Linn, PC, mobile and laptop. Even my gf is happy! Other advantage is, it's very quiet... I have mine hidden away in the lounge and can't hear it.

I think that should read can.

For simplicity WD mybook is great plus very easy to set up and very quiet in use. Only draw back is that they do not natively support Logitech Media Server but that would only be a concern if you are planning to use a Squeezebox streamer etc.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks

I think a new WD Book Live is the way to go. Then I can continue to use my current WD Book World as the back up device.