NAS distro recommendations

Eugor

Member
Joined
Apr 9, 2019
Messages
90
Reaction score
90
Credits
259
I have a brewing project in the tinkertown garage to set up a NAS solution. My question is, What is a good linux distibution to look at achieving that end. Primary goal is to allow the network devices which are both linux and win 10 to be able to store to this device thru both ethernet and wireless connections through the router. A variety of pictures, music, data etc. Goal is also to set up a raid mirror as a redundant backup. Any clues, or helpful reading links are deeply appreciated.
Thank You
 


I run Centos on my NAS, I don't use raid and only backup important data to an external location.
 
Just a quick note on using a NAS. It is probably not a good idea to mix Windows backup to a NAS with Linux backup to a NAS. Because windows uses FAT file system and Linux normally use EXT2 – EXT4 file system can possibly/will cause a problem.

Yes Linux can read FAT system but windows does not readily read the EXT2 – EXT4 journal system, Just a thought.

I use a NAS for both Linux and windows. I use Synology NAS for Linux that is connected directly to a router which does not need and additional Linux operating system to function. For windows I use a GoFlex storage setup that is exclusive for windows and the FAT file system.
 
Just a quick note on using a NAS. It is probably not a good idea to mix Windows backup to a NAS with Linux backup to a NAS. Because windows uses FAT file system and Linux normally use EXT2 – EXT4 file system can possibly/will cause a problem.

Yes Linux can read FAT system but windows does not readily read the EXT2 – EXT4 journal system, Just a thought.

I use a NAS for both Linux and windows. I use Synology NAS for Linux that is connected directly to a router which does not need and additional Linux operating system to function. For windows I use a GoFlex storage setup that is exclusive for windows and the FAT file system.
So, correct me if I am wrong, but you use the same hardware NAS unit, but direct linux to a synology partition, and windows to a fat partition ? Sorry, trying to wrap my ignorant head around it.

Thanks
 
No, actually two separate NAS devices. The Synology device is scalable up to 4 HDD and about 16 TB per HDD. The Go flex device is a set 3TB device non scalable.
 
An excellent article!

I usually try to find something like that every time I feel obligated to point out that RAID is not a backup. It's a common misconception and it usually ends poorly if people rely on RAID to be their backup solution.

I'm a pretty big fan of a solid backup strategy. I first used a programmable computer in the very early 1970s. In all those intervening years, I've learned to truly appreciate backups. Backups help save me from my own stupidity - or at least from my desire to tweak things and change things.
 
Great information all, thank you. My thought process was to use nas with two 500 gb hdd's using raid as the interim storage space for the various computers in the network. Daily back up would actually be to a non raid connected device.
 
@Eugor
Have you tried timeshift? with a NAS or extra storage it is a life saver. Unattended backups daily weekly monthly on demand backups. Normally the wizzard mentions this.
 
Greetings Eugor,
I wholeheartedly back up what Hansel Johnson has posted about Timeshift. It is easy to use and you can do any kind of backup you want.
I usually run an 'on-demand' Timeshift whenever I download and install new programs or install lots of updates at one time.
Just call me Old Geezer, Tango Charlie
 
Normally the wizzard mentions this.

Don't know much about NAS :) . G'day Hansel, it's been too long :p

I know that Timeshift cannot (yet) be used across a Network, even though its underlying engine, rsync, is perfectly suited to same purpose.

As to whether it has some application here, I could only guess, and I would be unlikely to be able to provide support.

Tony (George), the author of Timeshift, used to have a blog, it is possible you could ask around, or perhaps search under

linux timeshift nas

and see if that bears some fruit?

I am watching this Thread with interest, to see if I can learn something :)

Good luck

Wizard
 
If I think I follow the logic here, and all of the AWESOME ( thank you all ) advice, I may well be able to use the nas that has an os drive, and 2 raid drives that receive network collection data, and rsync from the raid drives to the backup drive. That way the rsync would handle the transfer of data to the back up drive. Correct?
As i said this is a tinkertown project with low priority. I am already backing up old school to multiple drives in a manual method. Just looking at options to automate where I can.
Can Timeshift backup from drive that does not have the os loaded on it ?
 
Can Timeshift backup from drive that does not have the os loaded on it ?

No mate, Timeshift has to be launched from the / partition on which it is installed. So it is launched from an active Linux Distribution. By default, it snapshots your root partition without Home folder or Partition, however these can be included. It snapshots Linux Partitions, not a drive.

Wiz
 

Members online


Top