01-24-2025, 01:13 PM
Thanks for reaching out! It sounds like you're in need of some additional storage and a reliable solution for expanding your Plex Media Server setup while ensuring that transcoding performance remains solid.
Let’s break down your options:
Option 1: Expanding with a DX 517
The DX 517 is a great option for expanding your DS 920+ since it connects directly to your existing NAS and allows you to add more drives (up to 5 more) using the same system. In terms of hardware stability, it’s a well-tested solution as it's designed to seamlessly integrate with Synology NAS units.
Expanding the Pool: You could expand your existing SHR1 pool by adding the DX 517 and integrating it into your storage pool. This is a good option if you want to increase capacity without adding complexity. However, expanding the pool would also mean that the storage will be treated as one big volume, and your data will be spread across both the DS 920+ and the DX 517 drives.
Separate Volume: Alternatively, you can create a separate volume on the DX 517. In this case, Plex will see the storage as a distinct location, and you’ll need to point it to that new volume through the Plex settings. This is a good choice if you want to keep the storage separate for organizational or performance reasons.
Overall, the DX 517 is a solid option, and it won't impact your Plex transcoding performance because it's all within the same NAS unit and directly connected via eSATA.
Option 2: Adding a Second NAS
Adding a second NAS unit would essentially allow you to offload some storage from the DS 920+. This second NAS could be used as a JBOD setup, and you would be able to add your 14TB drives to it. However, the downside here is the network transfer speed.
Performance Hit: When using a second NAS over the network, you will be transferring data from the new NAS to the DS 920+ to be transcoded. This could introduce a performance hit, especially if you're doing transcoding for 4K content over the network. Plex would need to access the second NAS, retrieve the file, transcode it, and then stream it back over the network. This setup could cause lag or buffering, particularly if your network bandwidth is limited.
Option 3: Replacing with Larger Drives
While you mentioned not wanting to let your perfectly good 14TB drives sit on a shelf, upgrading to larger drives (such as 16TB or 18TB) would solve your storage issue without the need for additional hardware. This would be the simplest and most efficient way to expand your storage without adding complexity or affecting Plex performance. However, if you're not keen on leaving your 14TB drives unused, this may not be the most appealing option.
Conclusion:
If you want a hassle-free way to expand storage without impacting performance, expanding with the DX 517 and adding it to your existing storage pool is the best option. You can either expand the pool or create a separate volume based on how you prefer to organize your data. If you go with the separate volume, just make sure to update Plex to point to the new location.
If you're concerned about the performance of transcoding over a network, using a second NAS is an option, but it will introduce some latency due to the network transfer.
Let’s break down your options:
Option 1: Expanding with a DX 517
The DX 517 is a great option for expanding your DS 920+ since it connects directly to your existing NAS and allows you to add more drives (up to 5 more) using the same system. In terms of hardware stability, it’s a well-tested solution as it's designed to seamlessly integrate with Synology NAS units.
Expanding the Pool: You could expand your existing SHR1 pool by adding the DX 517 and integrating it into your storage pool. This is a good option if you want to increase capacity without adding complexity. However, expanding the pool would also mean that the storage will be treated as one big volume, and your data will be spread across both the DS 920+ and the DX 517 drives.
Separate Volume: Alternatively, you can create a separate volume on the DX 517. In this case, Plex will see the storage as a distinct location, and you’ll need to point it to that new volume through the Plex settings. This is a good choice if you want to keep the storage separate for organizational or performance reasons.
Overall, the DX 517 is a solid option, and it won't impact your Plex transcoding performance because it's all within the same NAS unit and directly connected via eSATA.
Option 2: Adding a Second NAS
Adding a second NAS unit would essentially allow you to offload some storage from the DS 920+. This second NAS could be used as a JBOD setup, and you would be able to add your 14TB drives to it. However, the downside here is the network transfer speed.
Performance Hit: When using a second NAS over the network, you will be transferring data from the new NAS to the DS 920+ to be transcoded. This could introduce a performance hit, especially if you're doing transcoding for 4K content over the network. Plex would need to access the second NAS, retrieve the file, transcode it, and then stream it back over the network. This setup could cause lag or buffering, particularly if your network bandwidth is limited.
Option 3: Replacing with Larger Drives
While you mentioned not wanting to let your perfectly good 14TB drives sit on a shelf, upgrading to larger drives (such as 16TB or 18TB) would solve your storage issue without the need for additional hardware. This would be the simplest and most efficient way to expand your storage without adding complexity or affecting Plex performance. However, if you're not keen on leaving your 14TB drives unused, this may not be the most appealing option.
Conclusion:
If you want a hassle-free way to expand storage without impacting performance, expanding with the DX 517 and adding it to your existing storage pool is the best option. You can either expand the pool or create a separate volume based on how you prefer to organize your data. If you go with the separate volume, just make sure to update Plex to point to the new location.
If you're concerned about the performance of transcoding over a network, using a second NAS is an option, but it will introduce some latency due to the network transfer.