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So we will be hosting our first nas. I think a Synology nas will be the best put together for my situation. We have 2 computers, 4 iPhones and 2 iPads that will be sending photos and videos. I thought it might be fun to have a plex server, but we mainly want to back up important photos. Could I start with a two bay nas and upgrade from there? I read about having another backup off site, but didn’t want to drop too much. I thought about a two bay and move up to 4 bay in a few years.i figure I need maybe 2 tab.
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A Synology NAS is a solid choice for backing up your computers, iPhones, and iPads. Starting with a 2-bay NAS is a smart option, especially for basic backups, and you can always expand later if your needs grow.
A key point to consider is that if you start with the Plus series (like the DS723+ or DS923+), it’s much easier to move drives into a larger unit later on without needing to rebuild your RAID setup. The Value series models (like the DS223 or DS224), while cheaper, don’t offer the same seamless drive migration, which could make upgrading to a 4-bay NAS more complicated.
Here are a few things to keep in mind:
2-Bay NAS: A 2-bay NAS in RAID 1 will give you mirrored backups for redundancy, which is great for safeguarding your important photos and videos. You can easily start with 2TB drives, giving you a total of 2TB usable space in RAID 1.
Upgrade Path: If you're certain that your storage needs will increase—especially with Plex server aspirations—going for a 4-bay NAS now or choosing a Plus series NAS that allows for easier upgrades will save you time and hassle down the road.
Off-Site Backup: It’s always smart to have a secondary backup. Cloud options like Synology C2 or an external drive stored off-site are excellent choices if you want additional protection for your data.
Plex Considerations: For a more future-proof setup, if you’re planning to run Plex for media streaming, a Plus series NAS will handle it much better, especially if transcoding is involved.
If you’re planning for long-term growth, investing in a Plus series NAS now will make future expansion smoother. However, starting with a 2-bay NAS is fine if your current focus is just on basic backups.
