ASK NC

Dear Team!

I am a basic home user who used a WD my Cloud (6 TB) to back up my pictures. However, the device died and now I am forced to change my device.

I have been recommended the Synology 723 (by the data recovery shop that is retrieving my data). but feel it could be a bit overkill just to back up my pictures and media (i don't even use Plex).

from the Nas Compares videos I feel Synology may be a good way to go because of the software and ease of use.

I also think a 2 bay would be suitable and I would set it up for mirroring for a backup?

I would be grateful if I could get advice on what would be a good setup as well as what hard drives I should use.

The key is something that will be still suitable in a few years. I don't want something that will be outdated next year.

I would be grateful for your help. thank you

Adam

Based on your needs, a 2-bay NAS from Synology would be a good choice for backing up your pictures and media. The Synology DS220+ or DS423+ would be good options to consider. These models come with a user-friendly interface and provide several features for data backup and file sharing.

In terms of hard drives, it is recommended to use NAS-specific hard drives such as Western Digital Red or Seagate IronWolf. These hard drives are designed to run 24/7 in a NAS environment and offer better reliability and performance. For a 2-bay NAS, you can start with two 4TB or 6TB hard drives, depending on your current storage needs.

Setting up the NAS in a RAID 1 configuration (mirroring) would provide data redundancy and protect your data in case one of the hard drives fails. This configuration will also give you the option to replace a failed hard drive without data loss.

Overall, a 2-bay NAS with RAID 1 configuration, using NAS-specific hard drives, and with a user-friendly interface like Synology's DSM software, would be a good investment for your current needs and will also be suitable for years to come.