External raid storage, not TB

[Liver]

Looking at options at the moment. Looking to upgrade my server and thinking about a Mac mini.

I think the mini will work for me as a server and media center. At any rate, I know I'll need external storage, with raid capabilities.

I do not want to pay for a TB capable one but USB 3 is required.

I've been looking at Amazon but ...... Wanted to ask you all. Max is like to spend is $400 with shipping and tax (hard drives I already have). Edit. Have 3tb drives. Don't want to spend any more because then it approachs stand alone NAS devices.

 

[mrweasel]

I know it's not USB3, but I have one of these hooked up via FW800 to my Mini and it works quite well.

 

[Liver]

I know it's not USB3, but I have one of these hooked up via FW800 to my Mini and it works quite well.

Nice. Thanks. I'm going to use the mini for home theater and server duties so the limiting factor will be network speeds not interface.

I worded it poorly. Yes I'd love a TB array but without the price. A FW800 array would work as well. Always like FW with the speeds and nice cables. I will seriously look into it.

How are you managing your array? Raid wise.

Edit. They have a solid single star rating on amazon (8 reviews).

 

[Nicterys]

Nevermind; I just read that you're looking for an enclosure.

 

[Liver]

Look into G-Technology's G-Raid series; I have one of the older models(2TB) and it's ~200MB/s read and write through e-SATA(SATA 2) but the newer versions have USB 3.0.

They're $400 for 4TB: http://g-technology.com/products/g-raid

Will do. If I gotta spend the cash for a more reliable system, so be it. I do not believe I need to get something like a synology (NAS) and a Mac mini.

Does that seem like a reasonable statement?

 

[Nicterys]

Will do. If I gotta spend the cash for a more reliable system, so be it. I do not believe I need to get something like a synology (NAS) and a Mac mini.

Does that seem like a reasonable statement?

Hmm, I'm not sure if a G-Raid drive supports NAS capabilities on its own; I'd recommend asking someone in the networking forum.

 

[Liver]

Hmm, I'm not sure if a G-Raid drive supports NAS capabilities on its own; I'd recommend asking someone in the networking forum.

Misunderstanding. Some of these raid enclosures are very close in price to a stand alone NAS like the synology 1512+.

I'm trying to make a Mac mini server / home theater hub. Just need somewhere to put the data.

If I go with the Mac mini then I'd like to use it to manage the storage. If not then I suppose I could go Mac mini and a NAS.

 

[mrweasel]

Nice. Thanks. I'm going to use the mini for home theater and server duties so the limiting factor will be network speeds not interface.

I worded it poorly. Yes I'd love a TB array but without the price. A FW800 array would work as well. Always like FW with the speeds and nice cables. I will seriously look into it.

How are you managing your array? Raid wise.

Edit. They have a solid single star rating on amazon (8 reviews).

There's a dial on the front that lets you select between the diff RAID levels. I have (4) 2TB drives in RAID5. Been running great for over a year - even does my Time Machine backups on both my MBPs.