UNRAID FOR PHOTOGS

[Ralph456]

OK! im really hoping the mods can see this.

Basically, im using unraid as a file server,  With the ability to edit on the go via syncthing and carbon copy cloner. 
and im using a NR12000 with a xeon 1270v2 32gb ram
First I would love to see plugin like unassigned devices and a file manager like krusader be built into unraid  
While I understand unraid is used as a vm manager and a bunch of other things, at its core unraid is an alternative to raid meaning 
functions to Storing files should be a big concern. hence why security and file management is important. 
I mean I understand that this wont mean much if you know command line but for those of us who uses gui then it would make a lot of sense to have unassigned devices and a working version of krusader as part of unraid, afterall it is paid software. 
rant over.

ok so I was using krusader to move raw files from my unassigned device to the array and its a night mare,  
krusader does not move files inside of folders that are inside of folders making it virtually useless. 

So as a photographer who uses unraid here what I say. 

1: if you've been using a compilation of disk,  an Unraid server is great to store files. which can then be backed up to backblaze for example. 
2: unraid allows you to store the files on the server while you edit the smart previews in lightroom which will then sync are back on the local network and or unless if manage to make a connection outside of the local network.
3: dont expect fast transfer speed from your main pc to the server. At best 50mbs is about the most you'll have even with a cache drive and a 10gbe network. that is due to the nature of the myriad of files we are transferring instead of a 5 gig movie, 
4: If you're using unassigned devices and krusader, keep in mind that its best to transfer each folder separately because after moving an entire 8tb drive to the array, I found out that although it says the copy was completed, it only copied over 5.5 tb instead of the 8tb and umpon investigating, the content inside the folder within the main folder was not copied. quire frustrating. 
5: you hear smr isnt great of unraid and while I wouldn't use an smr drive for parity, its ok for cold storage. rewrites to the drive will be slow but if your accessing it once or twice a month, its ok.
6: unraid it self is solid
7: Community is good, most of them are quite helpful and if you run into an issue, most likely someone else has been there and can help you through it


Im not a pro at unraid but so take everything with a grain of salt. 
Of course there are other ways and other maybe better plugins you can use so if anyone knows of a better way  to get faster transfer speed  of raw files over the network please let me know. 

Edited September 15, 2021 by Ralph456