NAS recommendation and setup
Posted by: Mike A on 02 November 2016
With a growing number of CDs now installed on my Unitiserve, I really must get a backup solution in place. Browsing these forums, I've found many postings making recommendations and some answering setup questions. I have found references to a Naim recommended list of NAS devices (not sure how this is kept up to date as new models appear), and posts that mention setup instructions
Despite many searches, I've failed to locate these. Before I take the plunge, I could someone point me to the right location pse??
Thanks, Mike
Get a QNAP or a Synology, convert all the files on the Unitiserve to FLAC and then move them onto the NAS. Then convert (or transcode) to WAVE and play them from the media server on the NAS. Rip new CDs using your computer.
Having done that it's all a lot easier to manage and you can sell the US.
Here's the NAS one (in FAQs):
Pretty much any Synology or QNAP with WD Red drive will be fine. Netgear seem to be well regarded too, that's what my dealer uses.
There are lots of threads about how to set them up. If you're not familiar with how a NAS works, there are some settings that have to be configured properly, or it won't work. Pretty straightforward once you know what's needed. If you run into problems, Naim support will help you get it up and running.
(And on close inspection the FAQ about NAS drives is a bit out of date...)
nickpeacock posted:(And on close inspection the FAQ about NAS drives is a bit out of date...)
I would not expect Naim (or any audio mnftr) to be able to make any meaningful NAS recommendations other than just the brand names, there are far too many models & changes to keep abreast of. Synology & QNAP both have excellent help you choose www programs, but it helps to know a little bit of what you are looking for to help you choose.
My requirement is pretty straightforward. I want to keep a backup of my Unitiserve, in a manner that would make it easy to restore in the event off a Unitiserve problem. In this regard, I understand that a simple copy (e.g. To a hard drive) isn't sufficient and a NAS is required. No expectation to set up streaming from the NAS - that's what I bought the Unitiserve for (though I suppose it could become an option if there were ever a need to get the Unitiserve repaired of serviced at some point), and no need for backing up my Mac (got Time Machine and a hard drive) or sharing photos etc.
I see the basic Synology DS115j is their entry level model. Would this be suitable with a 2GB WD Red drive?
I use a DS115, and it works fine. People generally go for a 2 or 4 bay NAS, but I can see no benefit to this if the only purpose is to back up the US.
If your only aim is backup, why not just use an external hard drive? I keep my music for the NDS on a QNAP NAS, but keep my backups on external hard drives.
Dungassin posted:If your only aim is backup, why not just use an external hard drive? I keep my music for the NDS on a QNAP NAS, but keep my backups on external hard drives.
For a proper automated backup, the US needs a NAS.
ChrisSU posted:Dungassin posted:If your only aim is backup, why not just use an external hard drive? I keep my music for the NDS on a QNAP NAS, but keep my backups on external hard drives.
For a proper automated backup, the US needs a NAS.
But I keep one of my backups at a remote location for extra safety ...
Seriously, though, it's no big deal just to hook up an external drive when you want to backup. Use a program such as Syncback (PC) or Chronosync (Mac), and it all becomes very easy. Still, if a couple of minutes of your time every once in a while is too much effort, then by all means use a NAS for backup.
Dungassin posted:ChrisSU posted:Dungassin posted:If your only aim is backup, why not just use an external hard drive? I keep my music for the NDS on a QNAP NAS, but keep my backups on external hard drives.
For a proper automated backup, the US needs a NAS.
But I keep one of my backups at a remote location for extra safety ...
Seriously, though, it's no big deal just to hook up an external drive when you want to backup. Use a program such as Syncback (PC) or Chronosync (Mac), and it all becomes very easy. Still, if a couple of minutes of your time every once in a while is too much effort, then by all means use a NAS for backup.
You can't do this with a US, it needs a NAS for backup. It makes sense to take an offsite backup on a USB hard drive, but you would have to take this from the NAS, not directly from the US.
Good point. Are you saying that if the NAS content was corrupted or the disk failed, the backup could be restored from a USB hard disk?
Wouldn't it be simpler to back of from the unitiserve to the NAS?
Mike A posted:Good point. Are you saying that if the NAS content was corrupted or the disk failed, the backup could be restored from a USB hard disk?
Wouldn't it be simpler to back of from the unitiserve to the NAS?
I guess the purpose of the USB drive as an additional backup is that you can take it offsite if you want protection from fire, theft etc. (i.e. loss of both drives.) If the NAS lost it's data, it might make more sense to start a new backup direct from the US rather than from a USB drive, but that's not a problem I've had to face so far!
... And long may that continue to be the case Chris!