[ubuntu-uk] Low power 2-drive NAS box that can run Ubuntu?

[David Restall - System Administrator]

Hi,

Andrew Oakley on Thu Sep 02 10:04:39 2010 did scribble :-

> I'm looking for a low power NAS box that supports:
>  
> * Two SATA hard drives up to 2TB each in RAID1 mirroring
>
> * Runs Ubuntu Server or can be flashed/reinstalled to run a variant
> of Ubuntu (or failing that, Debian) - in particular, must be able to
> run cron/at jobs, must be able to do overnight large file transfers
> and torrents
>
> * Is low power (I already have an miditower Linux server... it uses too
> much power and does too little to warrant 24/7 ATX PSU power consumption)
>
> * Is silent or near-silent (may be situated in spare bedroom that is
> frequently occupied)
>
> * Can operate in a dusty environment (may be situated in loft with dust
> and occasional spiders)
>
> * Ideally has E-SATA and USB2 ports for occasionally connecting
> external drives
>
> * Ideally budget of £50-£100 (without drives, I already have the 2
> drives) but up to £150 if outstanding

Might blow the budget a bit but I've just ordered QNAP TS210 (£168 inc
VAT & Delivery from www.cclonline.com

<http://www.cclonline.com/product-info.asp?product_id=41794>.

It's just been delivered and I'll be sorting it over the weekend.  It has
an external PSU and runs ~14W.  Will take 2TB drives and provides loads
of other stuff.  The installed OS is Linux - don't know what flavour but
I suppose it will be replaceable with Ubuntu.

I bought it as recommended by a friendly Sun engineer who came to site
yesterday :)

Long story but I bought two 2TB drives to replace two ageing 330GB drives
in my shuttle only to find the MB doesn't support SATA II so I ended
up spending more wonga on a barebones box then discovered the TS210.
My son's dead chuffed - he's getting the old shuttle :)

I've currently got two 1TB drives hanging off a slug (NSLU2) running
debian but it's very unreliable so I'm hoping this solution will work.

I'll let you know what it's really like when I get it built.

TTFN



D
ubuntu/uk-2010-09-02.tx                        Andrew.Oakley at hesa.ac.uk
                                               ubuntu-uk
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>  
> Any suggestions gratefully received please, thanks all.
>  
> Andrew Oakley
> Head of Software Development
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