Use case for multiple nas? How do you use them

[Phone Guy]

How are you using multiple nas units? I currently have too many and honestly passed 2 (1 main and 1 strictly backup) and I am struggling to find need or use for additional.

I know many of you have multiple, so I wanted to ask, in detail, what are using your nas for?

My main unit is holding mainly multimedia. Movies, tv shows, etc. It runs a couple dockers, again multimedia related (download apps, indexers, etc). And its used to backup pictures and videos from family phones (iphone and android). My multimedia and streaming setup is done thru Emby because I have been using it since it was called Media Browser (for those that didnt know, thats why it was shortened to M B = Emby), my tv's all have some type of box or computer/htpc attached to direct play the files, so to my knowledge, nothing is ever transcoded. My main "server" is a windows htpc on 24/7 where emby lives as well as mce to record tv. Yes, you can still use mce on win10 but it requires desire! you have to pay for guide from 3rd party vendor, use mods and hacks to get it all working, but it does work and is 100% wife approved mainly because of familiarity... its been well over a decade, maybe close to two!!!? but I digress...

My second unit is currently being used strictly to backup the other. Nothing else installed. I bought some 14tb drives to install in that to just be a massive bulk backup only device, eventually it will backup all the pcs, 1st nas (and phones by extension), whatever else... Oh both are DS1621+ with 32gb ecc ram.

I have only had the nas for about a year now, and really want them to do more, I just dont know what. Plus I went a little nuts, and have a couple other units that are literally sitting there doing nothing, so I need to know how others are using multiple nas and what uses they are putting them to....

Thanks in advance!

 

[Coop777]

my secondary NAS is a DS1815+ - it is used to backup my primary NAS, which is a DS1819+

 

[Jan Janowski]

1 does the heavy lifting with security cams, and data storage and reference material, prom files, software, manuals for broadcast video repair, and backup of Wife’s data (SHR).
2nd is backup of first (SHR) and Wife’s.
3rd (SHR) is somewhat of a backup, but more an experimental test bed for updates, to confirm them before their being applied to 1 or 2.

All are on separate UPS’s, and whole house on backup generator, so no connection needed between NAS to UPS.

 

[WST16]

Hi,

I use them to isolate some small projects for our private business. For example, one is strictly a repository for project files and facilitates downloads and uploads of documents remotely and provides VPN access when traveling. Another one is running a website on an isolated –from LAN– network to the outside world. One is for surveillance station hosting 4 cameras and backups. And one is for multimedia, family photos, personal files and some Docker containers.

 

[jeyare]

The number of NASes used cannot be a driver, and it is not possible to simply copy the cases used. This must be a result of good preparation according to:
- what data I have and what data I will have in the time horizon that suits me
- how I want to use them and what I want to do with them - free-shared, virtually separated, physically separated data
- how I want to handle performance for specific data
- how I want to ensure the first level of mental health protection (redundancy)
- how I want to protect the data itself from the point of view of backup policies
(second level of mental health protection)
- specific expectations regarding any other services like virtualisation, ...

Here is my last preparation stage for the new data handling environment of my friend (two photographers in single apartment):

AS IS stage:

single DS413 with two RAID1 volumes - defined split for Most valuable data and Valuable data

Data capacity scenarios, 6y outlook and 5y target selected:

New data architecture defined:

Defined new HDDs for Volume1 and same for the Volume2 (diff purpose, diff expectations, ...).
Existing 4 HDDs (DS413) replaced with new ones - this is a backup and no need to save.

Defining the need for WAN upgrades (the initial C2 backup is now possible by HDD delivery to the C2 target, what is quite better for such heavy transfer over WAN):

New home architecture:
when old DS413 was reused for a local backup target (can be exchanged for another model at any time when it dies)
and new NAS defined as new main data operation point
+ new External HDD and C2 service for the 3-2-1 backup policy purpose

Final stage:

 

[sktn77a]

I have belt, suspenders, glue and tape!

10TB WD Red primary storage on my PC; 2x10TB WD Red RAID backup and media server in local area network NAS (DS218play); 2x10TB WD Gold RAID setup offsite, at a second home, for backup and media serving (DS218play); and monthly backups on a 10TB WD Red (DS118) kept turned off and in its box when not in use.

I lost everything about 10 years ago and it took me a couple of years to re-create it.

Some may say that's overkill and too much maintenance but it only has to happen to you once...............