Windows 10: More storage - NAS or enclosure via USB

Hi there

I'm needing more HDD storage.

Can't decide whether dedicated NAS storage -- expensive -- even 2 bay (empty no HDD supplied) costs around 150 - 200 USD or use a much cheaper external storage box with SATA/ USB3 connectors.

I have 2 X spare USB3 connectors on each of my 2 current NAS server boxes which I rarely use so I'm leaning towards the USB3 box idea. The transfer speed is perfectly fast enough for what I need - in an case this extra storage will be merely for backups / archives while the multi-media files are on the internal HDD's on the servers.

I'm Interested in any thoughts people might have on this one.

My gut feel is to buy this box (USB 3 speed up to 480 mib/s) -- around 40 EUR (excluding HDD's). Will move 2 X 2 TB from one NAS server to this box and install 2 X 4 TB or 2 X 5TB into the server. Once connected I'll rarely have to remove them and the servers are hidden out of the way so I won't even see the extra box. My RAID device will also allow the two external HDD's to be configured into RAID 0 / 1 -- I'll probably use RAID 0 and create 1 logical device as I don't need to worry here about data integrity on this box. It's only recoverable archives that will be stored here.

HornetTek X2-U3 JBOD USB 3.0 (HT-3210U3) - DUAL BAY - JBOD - HDD ENCLOSURES

50 EUR where I am seems a better way for me than a dedicated NAS storage which I don't really need.

Cheers
jimbo

:)

 

Windows 10 backup fails

As I mentioned I have tried backing up on two different external disks and also to a network location. Every backup attempt fails.

I am using an external drive enclosure connected via USB (tried two different hard disks) and I also tried saving to a UNC on my NAS device.

 

USB Disk drive no longer works on Desktop, works fine on MS Surface

Everyone thanks for taking you time to help we with this problem.

This morning I have more time to work on this issue. I have two USB drives - really just enclosures that connect via USB and house standard disk drives. I took them both apart and switched the disk drives. The disk drive from the failing USB enclosure
worked fine in the other enclosure and the disk drive from the working enclosure failed in the same way in the suspect enclosure. My conclusion is that the failing USB enclosure has developed a hardware problem and needs to be retired - neither of these devices
are exactly new.

I am going to mark the problem resolved.

I think I know what I am going to up on my Christmas list. In the mean time this drives are used only occasionally for backups and I will just manually switch the drives in the working enclosure.

 

I was going to suggest the NAS until I read that you have two already. I use multiple computers, even in my own home, so a NAS is my only option. I like the idea of moving the 2 TB drives to the external and replacing them with larger drives in the NAS. I have a 4-bay WD EX4 and I love it.