Server Data Storage
Hi Sarah -
This is a serious issue.
You have three options as I see them:
1) Add additional storage to the existing server. This troubles me for two reasons: a) The server is ancient & I fear making changes to it might cause bigger problems. b) The server isn’t made from server-grade hardware & as such has limited expansion capabilities.
2) Replace the entire server with a new one or add an additional server configured to mirror the existing data on the current server & provide for additional storage. It can run either Windows or Linux – we’re perfectly happy to support either.
3) Add a NAS (Network Attached Storage) device which has similar capabilities to a server & functions like a server but is essentially a hard drive connected directly to the network that clients can access to share files.
Option #2 is definitely the most reliable option & provides the most flexible configuration options for backup, creating shares, & hosting applications & software. It’s also the most expensive – the server itself would cost at least $2000 & it would take at least two days to complete the migration, configuration & setup.
Option #3 is a highly viable option & something we’ve done for many clients in your class (small business < 30 users). Cost per gigabyte is very inexpensive (< $1 per gigabyte) & while this option has limited capabilities, it would most likely suit your purposes very nicely. A 1 Terabyte Mirrored option (1 Terabyte is 1000 Gigabytes, Mirrored means two redundant drives for data protection) is less than $400 & setup/configuration is only hours instead of days.
I would absolutely NOT recommend using an external hard drive. We have tried this with some of our clients & doing so only causes data loss & damaged drives. It is also very difficult to share the data on the external drive effectively among multiple users simultaneously.
Hope that information helps – please let us know if you have any questions or would like a more specific quote.
Best,
hunter greene Brainspiral Technologies, Inc. hunter@brainspiral.com http://brainspiral.com w: 413-458-5755 c: 413-281-4918
On May 28, 2009, at 11:45 AM, Sarah wrote:
> Hunter, > > We will need to store massive amounts of photos and videos through > out the summer when leaders come back with memory cards from their > trips. Can you give me or Troy a call so we can plan for this > additional memory need. We’re not sure how much space we have and > want to plan in advance for the amount of memory this will take up. > We can buy an external hard drive and store all the photos and video > on it, but want your opinion of how we should go about it and what > is best for the network. > > Thanks, > > > Sarah >
