I need a basic network storage drive. I have three computers in the house and want to easily share music and data files between them at all times. Also the wife has a hard time remembering to back up her work files and her computer has had its share of problems. So having automatic backup to a network drive will be nice.

I have narrowed it down to these two models

http://www.amazon.com/Iomega-Network.../dp/B001OC5JM2

http://www.amazon.com/Seagate-FreeAg.../dp/B003SU4BXQ

I am leaning toward the Iomega because of the faster HDD speed and transfer rates. However the included software with the seagate seems to be better.

What would you pick?

 

I have had ALOT of Iomega drives die...So many I will not buy another...IMHO with them you get what you pay for...

Me personally I use Seagate...Best buy runs sales online with them pretty often...I picked up a Seagate Barracuda 2TB 64mb cache 7200rpm drive for $94 from them (shipped to store)...In store it was closer to $200...

What type of router do you have in your home? Does it have an USB port on it by chance? If I was going to run your configuration I would use a Seagate 2tb external and use USB connectivity to the router and share it that way...

There are a few other options...You can take a desktop and dedicate it as the "home server" and share the media solely off it and build a script to backup on set number of days with certain files...I would use an internal drive like the one I bought for this...Should be no raid needed...

Or you can connect an USB external to a desktop in the house and share it that way...

I would go with one of the two later options if it was my setup...

I run 8TB of storage in my house and stream all the movies/music/documents throughout my house wirelessly...I have my "home server" hooked directly up to the router with a GBNIC on the GB port on the router to ensure I have the most through put...

I will soon be getting another GBNIC and trying to get DDWRT to work a port channel for me to give me 2GB of throughput but thats another story...

Also unless your ready to drop the cash on a sata 3 setup you should be able to get all this done for under $150...

-Chris

 

Data is overrated.

 

While I understand your suggestion and am capable of doing it.. I just don't want to :-)

I really am trying to get away from having space in my house dedicated to computer stuff. I am actually looking to replace my only desktop with a laptop so we will have only laptops in the house. My router doesn't have a USB port and is actually hidden away in my entertainment center. Out of sight and always available is most important to me, which is why I want to purchase the NAS.

 

Then I would have to go with the Seagate drive...Is 1TB going to be enough?