Setting up ReadyNAS Duo for HDX-SD

quote:

Originally posted by Billy Rubin:
Have installed two Seagate Barracuda 1.5 Tb drives and plugged the ReadyNAS into a UPS. (HDX-SD hopefully to arrive within next couple of weeks.)

All seems OK so far.

I also bought a third identical hard drive and a spare drive tray with the intention of periodically swapping it into the ReadyNAS to obtain a third copy of the music data. I intend to keep this third copy off-site.

Question: When I slot this third drive into the ReadyNAS (having temporarily removed one of the other two drives), the first time I do so and all times thereafter, is there anything I need to do to ensure that the ReadyNAS will 'understand' that this third drive needs to have a copy of the first drive written to it. My concern is that, on insertion of the third drive, the ReadyNAS will overwrite the first drive to match the empty (initially, or partly-filled thereafter) third drive.

Perhaps this question indicates that I have failed the grasp the concept of a NAS - if so, please correct me gently...

I've never used a ReadyNAS unit so I am unsure ... but I don't think you will achieve a workable backup with this system. A "spare" drive out of a RAID array will usually not be in any form that is readable to any system. What you need is a USB drive which (IIRC) can be connected to the ReadyNAS to do periodic backups. This will be in a format readable on any (compatible) computer.

From a quick look at the ReadyNAS stuff you can setup a "job" using the web interface (called FrontView) that when you press the backup button on the front of the ReadyNAS will back everything up to a USB drive connected to it. If you're feeling very paranoid, you can even do two backups to different USB drives and store one off site - office, friends home, etc.

Eloise

what Eloise says is correct (as usual). You can back up to an external USB drive.
The internal drives are mirrored, and you can hot plug a second drive in, and it will automatically sort itself out - you don't have to do anything, except wait (you can use the drive while this goes on.

For the HDX, I suggest you make a separate share (using the Frontview application on the ReadyNAS), so the HDX can then have unique access to this as a Music Store. This allows you to rip directly to the NAS when the HDX finally arrives

Thanks to both of you for the replies.

I do understand that a USB drive can be used for backup but if you will indulge me - why wouldn't I want to do what I initially outlined above?

ie have a pool of three drives each fitted with a ReadyNAs drive tray, with two sitting in the NAS at any point in time and the third kept in a safe place. In the event that the ReadyNAS corrupts the two drives in situ, I could rebuild the system with the third drive which has been kept separately.

I have read elsewhere (can't remember where unfortunately) that this was a good idea. From my limited understanding it seems to make sense...

Billy - i run an Infrant Ready NAS and havent come across the method you describe. With this unit its best to run it in its Raid X configuration, if a drive fails, just install another and it'll be configured and data copied across automatically. I just use the USB method for backup - the first time its done, its a long process (depending on how big your library is) and then it just does incremental backups. As Eloise says, plug the drive in a press the backup button - it then runs the backup jobs you have setup. I run 3 drives in the NAS, keep another drive as a cold spare and have a WD USB drive for off site file keeping.

James

I can come up with two (or more) reasons your suggestion is not very good (though not necessarily bad as such)

1) your premise of two corupted drives and using the third to recreate may work, but could just as likely result in the RaedyNAS deciding that the "correct" part of the mirror pair is the corrupt drive and so corrupting the good one.

2) the "spare" drive will probably be unreadable by any other system including possibly being unreadable by a replacement ReadyNAS therefore if you have a failure of the controller, etc. you may loose everything.

3) the most common reason for wanting a file from a backup is because of user error (accidental deletion, user error corrupting metadata, etc.) and you'll have not protection from this.

4) IIRC the connection into the drive from the ReadyNAS will be tee standard SATA data & power connections on the drive which are not designed to be robust enough for regular plugging / unplugging so you'll promote premature wear.

Finally a USB drive of 2TB or so will cost around £100 so in the grand scheme of things it's low cost.

Eloise

OK - thanks to all.