Network attached Storage or upgrade pc

[tom182]

Hi all,
I am thinking of swapping my pseudo server for a Network attached Storage unit, that way all the pcs will be just used for network rendering, file storeage will be strictly on the NAS,
I am currenly having intermittent network probs with my old file server machine and maybe its time I upgraded it - hence it would become just a node machine for network rendering.
Is using a NAS for all files (client, scenes, textures etc) a good a or bad idea, it seems to make sense to me but would appreciate a second (or 3rd ) opinion,

thanks all
Tom

[werticus]

NAS isnt as cost effective as building a server for files..

dont use such a machine to render.


good NAS with raid 5 is very expensive... and a machine with raid 5 isnt. although you probably are better off getting a real raid card in pci x4 or something for speed with dual 1gb nics.

do it once, do it right.

[tom182]

hmm, cost wise I can get a Western Digital 1.5TB NAS for about €420 (1TB for €300) However they are at the budget end of the NAS line and some online review slate them and yep the higher end stuff is expensive compared to a pc, Why do you not reccommend rendering out to such a machine, even if it was half decent spec?
how much better would RAID 5 be compared to RAID 1?

Tom

[ene.xis]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAID


u can t go wrong with raid5

nevertheless this is a topic i ve been trying to get my head into...but haven t had enough time! though it seems to me that Nas could very handy and cheap (i can be wrong) given the fact that it has its own os with the abilty to manage a loot of conections wich u won t except if u get urself a server os...
me thinks!

[werticus]

doesn't matter how good a pc it is max will use all of it to render and it wont be able to dish out files properly.

better off buying an efficient, cool, and cheapish computer to do the file serving, max license hosting, dhcp managing, maybe Internet fire walling.

[tom182]

werticus you speak like a Pro
what spec would you suggest that wont break the bank and support RAID 5?

Much appreciated,

Tom