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NAS For Small Business

Ditchmiester

New Member
I'm looking at adding an NAS system and the one question I have would, can Windows 7 create ISO images automatically on a given date automatically to the NAS system. In the past couple of months i've had to replace 3 computers that were older and it would have been great to have an ISO image to load on them and be back up and running quickly. If this is not possible can someone tell me the best way to handle what i'm trying to do?

Thanks,

Andrew
 

WildWestDesigns

Active Member
I'm looking at adding an NAS system and the one question I have would, can Windows 7 create ISO images automatically on a given date automatically to the NAS system. In the past couple of months i've had to replace 3 computers that were older and it would have been great to have an ISO image to load on them and be back up and running quickly. If this is not possible can someone tell me the best way to handle what i'm trying to do?

Thanks,

Andrew

Win 7 Pro and Ultimate can do a schedule backup to a NAS device (just have to make sure that you've mapped the drive, or at least I also do). If you have Win 7 Home, then you'll need something along the lines of Acronis and that will back up an image on a schedule.

The Windows backup is not all that bad really, but you do have to have those "higher end" versions of the Win OS to do it.
 

choucove

New Member
Windows does have a built-in Backup and Recovery System that can be very handy, but it doesn't create ISO images. ISO is just a file type for creating images of CDs and DVDs but is not really made for complete computer system images.

Putting in a NAS device is incredibly handy for any business, but it's not the NAS itself that gives you the ability to back up computers. That's all done at the actual computer system, the NAS is just storage connected onto the network that you can use to actually save those files to. You can manually go and configure each computer to automatically back up to the NAS but there are some key points to consider here.

1) Your backup space is all fair game for Windows Backup and Recovery. What this means is if you have a single partition set up on your NAS (which is most common) then Windows doesn't care if you have other stuff saved on that drive or what sort of usage you need. It's going to continue to write files and backups to that partition until it is full. This means if you're using that shared storage partition for use such as customer files, documents, etc. then you're going to be limited in overall capacity for such files as Windows will start taking up a lot of space on that partition for each of your computers backing up.

2) Windows Backup and Recovery is dependent on underlying hardware, and isn't always bulletproof. This means if you have a computer that goes down and have to replace to different hardware, your system recovery images won't work anyways, or at least it's incredibly unlikely. System images also copy the necessary drivers within Windows to get your computer back up and going, so if the underlying hardware isn't the same, your drivers won't work and simply the recovery will not boot and operate properly. I've also had problems in the past with Windows somehow not recognizing that there are any previous backups on a storage device. Simply, even though all of the files for that specific system backup were right there on the hard drive, Windows recovery CD wouldn't recognize that anything usable was on it.

3) This is an computer-by-computer configuration. Windows Backup and Recovery, like many others such as Acronis, are set up and operate on each computer independently so that means you have to manually go and configure each backup individually and ensure all are working individually.

You can look at stepping up from a NAS device to an actual server to address some of these things. Windows Server 2012 Essentials R2 features many great built-in utilities, and the one I like the most is their backup manager. You can join computers to the server, and it will automatically configure and take care of system backups onto the server, and you can even set up individual drives or partitions for this storage role. You can adjust individual computers or all computers simultaneously. And while the full system image recovery IS dependent on the underlying hardware, you can actually go and access and recover individual files on each computer back in time as well, not just the entire system image. I believe you can even inject your own additional drivers so that the system can be restored to different hardware.

Going with a full business server versus a simple NAS device is going to be more costly, yes. But there is a lot more flexibility there. Additionally the server itself can utilize standardized desktop/server hardware which can be easily upgraded or replaced, which is not the case with a pre-built simple NAS device.
 

WildWestDesigns

Active Member
Going with a full business server versus a simple NAS device is going to be more costly, yes. But there is a lot more flexibility there. Additionally the server itself can utilize standardized desktop/server hardware which can be easily upgraded or replaced, which is not the case with a pre-built simple NAS device.


Love the TS-869L. I just wish the box didn't cost so much before you put anything in to it. Plenty of room for me to upgrade as well.
 

choucove

New Member
I haven't worked with the QNAP brand NAS units, but I've heard good things. I've only utilized Synology/ioSafe personally, but yeah I know when you start looking at some of their larger units you can actually get a standard server for cheaper! Both have their strong points of course, so it comes down to a lot of factors beyond just cost.
 

Christian @ 2CT Media

Active Member
We use a 4TB Iomega (now lenovo) ix4-200d and dual back up to a 5TB livedrive account.

Works well for quick access, multi-computer file syncing, and mobile file access.
 

Bly

New Member
We use a Qnap NAS to store all our data, then back up to a portable USB drive.
I'm sure you could create drive images with Acronis or similar software and store them on one but windows os's seem pretty reliable these days so we just save emails, jobs etc.
Not only are Qnaps handy network storage but we use ours as an FTP server with web interface and a photo hosting server much like Photobucket. I only realised I could do that after maxing out my Photobucket storage and looked around for alternatives to a paid upgrade.
 

Joe Diaz

New Member
I don't have an answer to your specific Iso question. But we have had good luck with our Seagate 4 bay business NAS. It came with software for backing up your resources (not sure about the OS). We mainly use it for shared storage across our network. I also like that I can connect to it remotely from home If I need to. Then we got two external drives that plug in the front like a tape deck and back the NAS up on those and take them home.
 

Ditchmiester

New Member
I don't have an answer to your specific Iso question. But we have had good luck with our Seagate 4 bay business NAS. It came with software for backing up your resources (not sure about the OS). We mainly use it for shared storage across our network. I also like that I can connect to it remotely from home If I need to. Then we got two external drives that plug in the front like a tape deck and back the NAS up on those and take them home.

This would be a great advantage too. I routinely need files at home. I've also been looking at

http://www.novastor.com/en/software/smb

For backup software to the NAS.
 

WildWestDesigns

Active Member
I would look into the Qnap products.

Very very well put together packages. The higher up you go in the lineup, the more the box itself will cost you, but I can promise you it's worth it. I still run the very basic NAS that we started with, but the Qnap blows it out of the water.
 

miker

New Member
Drobo also makes some nice products. I've had both the 5N and the D800 and they have worked flawlessly. I have had drives failed and done complete recovery without a hitch.
 

Matt-Tastic

New Member
If you are looking for something more robust, and want to invest, look into Synology devices. They are, hands down, the best built NAS systems on the market, but their price tag shows that. The QNAP, Drobo and other options will get the job done, but not as well as a Synology.

The option of a purpose built server is a good one, but you have to be able to manage it yourself, or pay someone to do it for you, to get the full usefulness out of it. If you're looking for file sharing and backup, a NAS is more what you need.
 

Ditchmiester

New Member
If you are looking for something more robust, and want to invest, look into Synology devices. They are, hands down, the best built NAS systems on the market, but their price tag shows that. The QNAP, Drobo and other options will get the job done, but not as well as a Synology. The option of a purpose built server is a good one, but you have to be able to manage it yourself, or pay someone to do it for you, to get the full usefulness out of it. If you're looking for file sharing and backup, a NAS is more what you need.

Wow, the Synology systems look really nice. I do like buying top of the line for this type of equipment as it usually does last the longest and you usually get the best support.
 

particleman

New Member
Matt-Tastic summed it up well. I've used a few of the small to mid range NAS units like what dlink makes. Once I purchased a Synology I'll never go back. They are great! The interface is awesome and features you can't beat.
 

Ditchmiester

New Member
Matt-Tastic summed it up well. I've used a few of the small to mid range NAS units like what dlink makes. Once I purchased a Synology I'll never go back. They are great! The interface is awesome and features you can't beat.

I think you guys have convinced me to go with the Synology setup. I have a contact at Zones that I use for my IT/Computing needs and will have him quote me out a system. Thanks for all the help.
 

Matt-Tastic

New Member
I think you guys have convinced me to go with the Synology setup. I have a contact at Zones that I use for my IT/Computing needs and will have him quote me out a system. Thanks for all the help.

Enjoy it! I wish I could afford one, but I frankensteined a system and am about to put Amahi on it (www.amahi.org) to test it's features. Like i said, you have to manage a server, but they are a lot more flexible. (please say Greyhole works)
 

Donny7833

New Member
I went with a Qnap TS-469-Pro and loaded it with (4) WD 4 TB drives. Gives me 12 TB addressable in a raid array. Just using it as a file server at the moment, but it's pre loaded to be used as a web server, ftp server, security camera recorder, etc.

It's a pretty good system, the server itself has been rock solid. My only complaint is transfer times, better with the computers that are plugged into to the hub via ethernet, but a few machines are connecting through WiFi and can be pretty slow.

Still, it was money well spent.
 
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