01-24-2025, 12:58 PM
Thank you for reaching out and for your kind words about the videos! I'm glad to assist with finding a suitable replacement for your DROBO N5 and addressing your storage needs.
NAS Recommendations
Considering your 5-drive setup, budget of ~£500, and need for cloud connectivity, here are my suggestions:
1. Synology DS1522+
Price: ~£500-£600 (may stretch slightly above your budget).
Key Features:
5-bay NAS, ideal for your current drives.
Excellent DiskStation Manager (DSM) software with user-friendly backup and cloud sync options (Synology’s C2 Cloud or integration with Google Drive, OneDrive, etc.).
RAID options for redundancy (RAID 5 or SHR for mixed drive sizes like yours).
Expandable with up to 15 drives via expansion units if needed.
Energy-efficient and reliable for long-term use.
Why Choose This? Synology’s ecosystem is highly reliable, intuitive, and well-suited for small setups transitioning from DROBO.
2. QNAP TS-464
Price: ~£500.
Key Features:
4-bay NAS, but supports storage expansion via external enclosures.
Flexible RAID options with QNAP's QuTS Hero (ZFS) or QTS.
Better hardware specifications than Synology at this price point, including 2.5GbE for faster network speeds.
Good cloud backup options, including built-in support for Google Drive, OneDrive, and QNAP's own myQNAPcloud.
Why Choose This? Offers better raw performance and expandability but requires a slightly steeper learning curve compared to Synology.
Your drives can work in any of these systems, but there are some considerations:
WD Green Drives: These are not designed for NAS environments and may have reliability issues under constant use. Replacing them with WD Red Plus or Seagate IronWolf drives would improve performance and longevity.
Toshiba DT01ACA100 (2015): This older drive is less reliable and should also be replaced sooner rather than later.
I recommend starting with your newer WD Red Plus drives and gradually replacing the older/green drives over time.
Cloud Backup Options
For cloud backup, here are easier and more affordable options compared to ElephantDrive:
Backblaze B2: Affordable and scalable. Great for regular NAS backups.
Google Drive or OneDrive: Both are user-friendly and integrate seamlessly with Synology and QNAP systems.
Synology C2 Cloud (if you choose Synology): A fully integrated solution with competitive pricing.
NAS Recommendations
Considering your 5-drive setup, budget of ~£500, and need for cloud connectivity, here are my suggestions:
1. Synology DS1522+
Price: ~£500-£600 (may stretch slightly above your budget).
Key Features:
5-bay NAS, ideal for your current drives.
Excellent DiskStation Manager (DSM) software with user-friendly backup and cloud sync options (Synology’s C2 Cloud or integration with Google Drive, OneDrive, etc.).
RAID options for redundancy (RAID 5 or SHR for mixed drive sizes like yours).
Expandable with up to 15 drives via expansion units if needed.
Energy-efficient and reliable for long-term use.
Why Choose This? Synology’s ecosystem is highly reliable, intuitive, and well-suited for small setups transitioning from DROBO.
2. QNAP TS-464
Price: ~£500.
Key Features:
4-bay NAS, but supports storage expansion via external enclosures.
Flexible RAID options with QNAP's QuTS Hero (ZFS) or QTS.
Better hardware specifications than Synology at this price point, including 2.5GbE for faster network speeds.
Good cloud backup options, including built-in support for Google Drive, OneDrive, and QNAP's own myQNAPcloud.
Why Choose This? Offers better raw performance and expandability but requires a slightly steeper learning curve compared to Synology.
Your drives can work in any of these systems, but there are some considerations:
WD Green Drives: These are not designed for NAS environments and may have reliability issues under constant use. Replacing them with WD Red Plus or Seagate IronWolf drives would improve performance and longevity.
Toshiba DT01ACA100 (2015): This older drive is less reliable and should also be replaced sooner rather than later.
I recommend starting with your newer WD Red Plus drives and gradually replacing the older/green drives over time.
Cloud Backup Options
For cloud backup, here are easier and more affordable options compared to ElephantDrive:
Backblaze B2: Affordable and scalable. Great for regular NAS backups.
Google Drive or OneDrive: Both are user-friendly and integrate seamlessly with Synology and QNAP systems.
Synology C2 Cloud (if you choose Synology): A fully integrated solution with competitive pricing.