NAS SATA-150/300 Gigabit etc.

[Morty Mort]

I'm ready to buy a small NAS. Just a single drive to use as a home backup and print server. I am pretty used to computers and have basic knowledge - but...

What I don't get is this (two alternatives):

NAS 1: Gigabit Ethernet / Serial ATA-150.
NAS 2: Gigabit Ethernet / Serial ATA-300.

Gigabit ethernet is pretty self explaining.

SATA 150 (same as plain SATA) transfers 150 MB/s, or 1,5 Gb (Gigabit).
SATA 300 (SATA 2) transfers 300 MB/s or 3,0 Gb.

Question: What is the point in using SATA2 in i NAS that only runs on Gb ethernet? "NAS1" is cheaper than "NAS2" in my example.

 

[ChrisUK]

The limit in transfer speeds on a Gigabit network is usually ALWAYS the bottleneck of the hard disk drive throughput within the clients (in this case your PC's and your NAS).

SATA2 allows more bandwidth on the sata interface your hard drives are connected too which allow them to run at their full capacity (which is still below 300Mbit). Modern hard disks are too fast for SATA1 however and will be limited by being SATA1.

So basically if you want your backups to run as fast as they can utilising as much of the Gigabit Ethernet as possible you need the SATA300 one.

I've got a SATA300 NAS with Gigabit ethernet and it will only transfer as fast as the hard drives inside will go which is 35/40mb/s which equates to roughly 300mbit's. A NAS using SATA1 will be half that speed and render using Gigabit networking pointless.

 

[Morty Mort]

That explains. Thanks.

I've been using an ASUS wl500g Premium which has been outstanding - and with possibilities that you now find in fancy NAS'es (when common NAS didn't exist): Backup, ftp, printserver, torrent etc. The router just died after running on high gear for many years, much longer than I expected.

My computer runs 2 Cheetah SCSI discs on U320 and one SATA 300, so a NAS with with SATA 300 on the Gigabit network will do the trick then.

Any quick recommendations? One disk is enough, it's for home use (with a print server).

The Buffalo's seems nice but they have SATA 150. I have had nothing but problems with D-Link through the years, and unfortunately the LaCie must have a PostScript printer. ASUS don't make them, which has been the most reliable brand through 20 years of computing.

Regards, Morten.

 

[ChrisUK]

Personally I'd go for a Device with at least 2 drives that way you can set them up in RAID1 which is means you will have the capacity of 1 of the drives but it will be mirror'd meaning you have redundancy for 1 drive failing and still get to keep your data and can replace the drive at your own leisure and it will "re-sync" automatically.

This is more important if your using the device as backup.

Believe it or not you cannot beat Netgear's "ready NAS" range packed full of features and you can buy them without drives (so you can choose your own).

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/149510 <-- Thats a 2 drive one without drives

I'm currently using a Buffalo Terrastation at home simply because I acquired it cheap although its a good reliable stable piece of kit it lacks nearly all the features of the Netgear one.

 

[Morty Mort]

Thanks.

I think this one will suit my needs, it comes with one disk and another can be added when funds are up. I'm actually more used to RAID-5 which I run at work. It has proved to be very useful... 3 disks with the capacity of two.

http://www.netgear.com/products/home/storage/simplesharing/MS2110.aspx

 

[ChrisUK]

Yes I run RAID 5 in my Buffalo one.

I'm going to invest in a Netgear one soon. Think i'll get a driveless one and put SSD storage in it .