Things to keep in mind

 

1. Let's not talk about backup or anything like that

2. I'd rather keep my unraid server for just movies/shows etc

 

I fix every ones computer in the house, and it's a friggin hassle... I like to just pop in the OS cd and just reinstall everything

 

I want to have centralized storage for all 4 computers/laptops "everything"

 

I'm looking for the best simultaneous read.... I don't care about writes

 

My Dad is streaming a song music/ My mom is looking at  pictures/ my fiance is watching a home video/ I'm looking at pictures too

Also at the same time in the background... sickbeard/sabnz.. is working

 

What would be the best?

 

I don't need TO much space... maybe 60-80gb? maybe more... I'm thinking SSD would be the best?

 

If you're constantly having to "reinstall everything" you're spending a LOT of unnecessary time.

 

Reinstall once => get everything nicely "tweaked" (other programs installed; all updates done; etc.) ... then IMAGE the system.    Then if the system needs "reinstalled", you just restore the image.

 

As for centralized storage -- for the tiny amount of storage you're looking at, an SSD is fine.

 

Any reason you don't want to just pop an SSD in EACH of the PC's?    You could partition it into OS and data partitions; and keep the current OS image stored in the data partition.  Then it would be VERY quick to restore everything whenever needed -- and if they kept their data on the 2nd partition the restore also wouldn't cause any loss of data.

 

You could also, of course, keep a copy of the current image for each PC on another PC ... just in case 

If you're constantly having to "reinstall everything" you're spending a LOT of unnecessary time.

 

Reinstall once => get everything nicely "tweaked" (other programs installed; all updates done; etc.) ... then IMAGE the system.    Then if the system needs "reinstalled", you just restore the image.

 

As for centralized storage -- for the tiny amount of storage you're looking at, an SSD is fine.

 

Any reason you don't want to just pop an SSD in EACH of the PC's?    You could partition it into OS and data partitions; and keep the current OS image stored in the data partition.  Then it would be VERY quick to restore everything whenever needed -- and if they kept their data on the 2nd partition the restore also wouldn't cause any loss of data.

 

You could also, of course, keep a copy of the current image for each PC on another PC ... just in case 

 

it's more than just that.. My dad is great at organizing... he has His

Picture Folder - Picture Folder on Desktop - Random Folders than inside Pictures...

repeat for music.. than add itunes folder yadda yadda

 

When it comes time to re install everything, It takes me so long to find files to backup... I want it to be... my computer is slow.. okay put disk in.. re install remap network drive done...

 

even better when he get's a new laptop... same thing..

 

I on the other hand like to jump back and fourth between linux and windows lol

 

Edit: some how a line I typed disappeared?

 

But I wanted to add... it would also be beneficial... for airplay and sonos..  if everything was centralized "we wouldn't have to have laptop open"

There's conceptually NO difference between creating two partitions, and telling your dad to always keep his "stuff" on the D: drive (or whatever letter you use for it) than there is telling him to always keep his "stuff" on some network-mapped drive.

 

If he doesn't do it, he doesn't do it !!    And if he does, then it's EXACTLY the same regardless of whether the "drive for his stuff" is local or mapped.

 

But you can certainly just set up a single large SSD on one of your systems; share it; and map folders on it to each of the other PCs.    From what you've described, however, this is NOT going to stop your problem of having to find "stuff" that was stored elsewhere 

There's conceptually NO difference between creating two partitions, and telling your dad to always keep his "stuff" on the D: drive (or whatever letter you use for it) than there is telling him to always keep his "stuff" on some network-mapped drive.

 

If he doesn't do it, he doesn't do it !!    And if he does, then it's EXACTLY the same regardless of whether the "drive for his stuff" is local or mapped.

 

But you can certainly just set up a single large SSD on one of your systems; share it; and map folders on it to each of the other PCs.    From what you've described, however, this is NOT going to stop your problem of having to find "stuff" that was stored elsewhere 

 

Your probably right lol.... only thing is I was looking at sinology or qnap.. and neither seem to have TRIM support.. which would mess up the SSD quick time.. even worse sick sabnzdb will be dling/extracting/deleting yadda yadda

 

So if I go with Raid 1.. would it help at all with reads?

 

Example... say someone is watching a video on drive a.. than I want to watch a movie.. will it stream of drive b or?

 

So if I go with Raid 1.. would it help at all with reads?

 

Example... say someone is watching a video on drive a.. than I want to watch a movie.. will it stream of drive b or?

 

Doesn't matter.  With only 4 users, you can easily stream 4 different things at once, whether from a single drive, a RAID, or whatever.    I can stream 6 different movies from my UnRAID with no problem, even if they're all on the same physical disk.

 

 

So if I go with Raid 1.. would it help at all with reads?

 

Example... say someone is watching a video on drive a.. than I want to watch a movie.. will it stream of drive b or?

 

Doesn't matter.  With only 4 users, you can easily stream 4 different things at once, whether from a single drive, a RAID, or whatever.    I can stream 6 different movies from my UnRAID with no problem, even if they're all on the same physical disk.

 

I know just wasn't sure how well it would work, with a bunch of small files...

 

Maybe my best option would be to get a 1TB WD Black Drive?... non-raid just put in 1 drive...?

 

Or 2X 1 TB Raid 1?

Maybe my best option would be to get a 1TB WD Black Drive?... non-raid just put in 1 drive...?

 

Or 2X 1 TB Raid 1?

 

Either would be fine.    But for the capacities you noted, I'd just get a 240GB Intel 335 or 520 series SSD.    Don't worry about TRIM ... as long as it's idle for reasonable lengths of time, the garbage collection gets done just fine, even without OS support.  I've set up several XP systems for folks, and there's NO issue with performance with these units.

 

Maybe my best option would be to get a 1TB WD Black Drive?... non-raid just put in 1 drive...?

 

Or 2X 1 TB Raid 1?

 

Either would be fine.    But for the capacities you noted, I'd just get a 240GB Intel 335 or 520 series SSD.    Don't worry about TRIM ... as long as it's idle for reasonable lengths of time, the garbage collection gets done just fine, even without OS support.  I've set up several XP systems for folks, and there's NO issue with performance with these units.

 

even on a sinology/qnap..

could you clarify idle? aka sickbeard would be searching for every hour?

I'd expect it to be just fine with either of those.    As long as you're not constantly access the drives, they'll have time to exercise their garbage collection algorithms and performance will be just fine.

 

On the other hand, if you're concerned, just use a pair of WD Blacks in RAID-1 

I'd expect it to be just fine with either of those.    As long as you're not constantly access the drives, they'll have time to exercise their garbage collection algorithms and performance will be just fine.

 

On the other hand, if you're concerned, just use a pair of WD Blacks in RAID-1 

 

I have heard Intel is the best at this? am I correct?

Build a small unRAID server with 2 3TB drives. They are very fast, cost effective It will be fast enough and large enough for anything you do interactively.

 

For the files you want to be top speed, you can use a SSD on the server.

Have two mapped drives if you must. or symlink directories on the server.

 

If I had a household full of machines ,and people, I would certainly centralize so I could backup automatically and access files from every machine.

 

I live alone and for all my laptops and machines I use either an SSD for the OS or a momentus XT hybrid for the OS.

all My documents are on the server.

 

I would agree about imaging software, Every time I get a new laptop I image it with Acronis True Image.

Then when I need to, I restore from that image and I'm done.

I usually make a virgin image, then another after it's setup to my normal specs.

 

ALSO, you can adjust the registry to redirect the My Documents folder to the server.  There's probably an easier way, but that's how I've done it for years.

Build a small unRAID server with 2 3TB drives. They are very fast, cost effective It will be fast enough and large enough for anything you do interactively.

 

For the files you want to be top speed, you can use a SSD on the server.

Have two mapped drives if you must. or symlink directories on the server.

 

If I had a household full of machines ,and people, I would certainly centralize so I could backup automatically and access files from every machine.

 

I live alone and for all my laptops and machines I use either an SSD for the OS or a momentus XT hybrid for the OS.

all My documents are on the server.

 

I would agree about imaging software, Every time I get a new laptop I image it with Acronis True Image.

Then when I need to, I restore from that image and I'm done.

I usually make a virgin image, then another after it's setup to my normal specs.

 

ALSO, you can adjust the registry to redirect the My Documents folder to the server.  There's probably an easier way, but that's how I've done it for years.

 

I love my unraid with 0 plugins it's been flawless for 4 years.. and I have updated with every new RC Lol

 

I just want to buy a ready to go system "it's a company expense anyways", the 1bay synology and qnap isn't that expensive...

 

Oh I forgot... to mention garycase... like weebotech said.. backup... would be so easy.. if everything was centralized

 

Right now.. my backup system is great.. I do it like once every 6 months lol..

I agree completely -- if you've followed my posts you know I'm a backup fanatic !!

 

HOWEVER,  your very first post said "... Let's not talk about backup or anything like that ..."

... so I didn't 

 

You also indicated you did not want this on your UnRAID ... although a 2nd UnRAID server (as WeeboTech suggested) isn't a bad idea => and you wouldn't need a license for it if you keep it to 3 drives.

 

I would recommend Macrium Reflect software because it will allow you to backup drive as image even you on Windows

 

http://www.macrium.com/personal.aspx

... and if you want a FAST UnRAID server, just use 3 240GB SSDs 

 

480GB of FAST, fault-tolerant storage !!

 

If I had a household full of machines ,and people, I would certainly centralize so I could backup automatically and access files from every machine.

 

What software to backup automatically to a server?

I agree completely -- if you've followed my posts you know I'm a backup fanatic !!

 

HOWEVER,  your very first post said "... Let's not talk about backup or anything like that ..."

... so I didn't 

 

You also indicated you did not want this on your UnRAID ... although a 2nd UnRAID server (as WeeboTech suggested) isn't a bad idea => and you wouldn't need a license for it if you keep it to 3 drives.

 

Only reason why I did that.. is because I didn't want people saying Raid is not backup blah blah blah lol

You need a copy at your location, another location, in the cloud, underground.. on the moon etc lol

ALSO, you can adjust the registry to redirect the My Documents folder to the server.  There's probably an easier way, but that's how I've done it for years.

 

Hmmm interesting, I could try that one day, write performance should be more than enough for the document use... Normally I open my documents on my D:\ local disk drive but it make regular backup to unraid.

 

Sometime do a lot of video encoding, for example convert xvid to dvd or blue-ray to dvd.. I do that locally on my PC. I copy the file from unraid to my local disk and then encode it. I think encoding & decoding on the server disks would not be good idea.  I use ConvertXtoDVD 5 software.

 

 

No need to mess around with the registry.  Its as simple as right-click on My Documents, or Music, or Desktop, etc) and click the Location tab.  Put in your new location, and it will ask if you want to move your files.

 

Mine are sitting on a physical server with an Areca 1680 and a 2TB RAID 10.

 

The problem is that setting My Documents to a specific location doesn't stop folks from choosing their own "organizational scheme" ... or putting documents on the desktop; another folder, etc.

 

That's apparently what the issue has been here.

 

The problem is that setting My Documents to a specific location doesn't stop folks from choosing their own "organizational scheme" ... or putting documents on the desktop; another folder, etc.

 

That's apparently what the issue has been here.

 

Isn't there a way to put the whole profile remotely I.E. roaming profile?

 

While I use SSD's for local and ESX VM storage, I wouldn't spend huge amounts of money for an array of SSD's in an family unRAID server unless I really needed absolutely zero latency.

 

If you are on a wireless network, it's not going to be cost effective.

 

Recently Seagate 3TB 7200 RPM drives were on Sale for $99.  They get about 190MB/s In an unRAID configuration with the proper tuning you can burst at 60MB/s for the first 2 GB or so depending on the servers ram.

 

For me, where I'm a programmer reading many source files at high speed, it pays to have SSD for some directories.

I wanted/needed 0 latency 0 spin up time at the highest possible speed for tons of source files over NFS. on a WIRED network.

 

If you go with the 3TB's (which have the 1TB platters) you can always add an SSD for the directories you need and use the 3TB's for backup.

 

Using rsync with linked-backup you can do the backups in a daily fashion right one the server for the network documents folder. For the desktop side, you'll need to use other recommended software.

 

For the record, I'm usually a proponent for SSD's. 

In fact I've purchased 3 256GB SAMSUNG PM 840 PRO's in the last month alone and just received 2 256GB M4 mSATA cards today.

 

In a family situation where tons of data may be stored and shared, I would go large fast magnetic disk and adjust accordingly.

 

For me, I do allot of audio ripping from CD's, tagging and fixing of FLACS and MP3's.

While SSD is instantaneous,  doing the same tagging over a wired network with FLAC and the dual 3TB drives is fast enough that I hardly notice the latency.

 

For local video editing, I would probably go with an SSD.

Based on that.. what type of drive would be best suited?

 

Would I gain any benefit form a 7200rpm drive? 95% would be files under 10mb

 

But my concern is what happens when sabnzdb is verifying/unpacking a file

Based on that.. what type of drive would be best suited?

 

Would I gain any benefit form a 7200rpm drive? 95% would be files under 10mb

 

Yes you would benefit from the Seagate 3TB 7200 RPM drive, they are very fast and have 1TB platters.

But my concern is what happens when sabnzdb is verifying/unpacking a file

 

To be frank, I hadn't really thought of that part since I picked up more so on the local interactive users then the batch download unpacking on the same array.

 

Yes, there will be interaction. How much I'm not sure. I've not used sabnzdb.

 

I download torrents on magnetic disks while I access the unRAID server interactively without issue.

There are slight pauses, but nothing that I can't deal with, yet with 4 people, there may be interaction.

 

Read wise, everything should be fine, it's writing where there will be pauses.

 

You can go with 2 3TB drives and see how you make out (wait for the newegg sales), then add an SSD for cache if you find the latency too much, or you could spend approx $600 on 3 256 SSD's right away.  Again, wait for the new egg sales, I recently scored 2 Samsung PM 840 PRO's for $219 each.

 

going back and reading...

 

I just want to buy a ready to go system "it's a company expense anyways", the 1bay synology and qnap isn't that expensive...

 

I would not put my family's central repository on a 1 bay device.

I most certainly would pick something that had 2 bays or more.  RAID1 or better.

I would not put a batch facility on the same array, I would probably use the unRAID server for that.

 

Have you looked into the HP Microservers? Newegg has sales and rebates on them pretty often.

They are very cost effective 4 bay servers, You can use the top bay for another drive or as I did with a 3.5" drive and a 2.5" drive.

 

From there you could have magnetic drives and a 2.5" user home disk or cache disk.

You could run unRAID basic or another distro, free nas, or something else.

 

I was able to get 16GB of ram working in mine. I'm running ESX with unRAID underneath it.

 

FWIW,  Regular linux raid1 will round robin between the two raid1 drives for reads.

The interleaved reads does help with throughput.  I've seen this in action and noticed it during benchmarks.

Should I jump on this?

 

QNAP TS-269L

Intel® Atom™ 1.86 GHz Dual-core Processor

1GB RAM (Expandable RAM, up to 3GB)

http://www.ncix.ca/products/?sku=76177&vpn=TS%2D269L%2DUS&manufacture=QNAP%20Systems%20Inc%2E&promoid=1283#Specifications

 

on sale today... not bad at all?