Search the CONFOCAL archive at
http://listserv.acsu.buffalo.edu/cgi-bin/wa?S1=confocal

Dear Jean-Pierre,

My advice is to use instead of a server external hard disks for the
immediate storage, one per user. Then let the user deal with their IT
departments for backups etc.

This strategy has plenty advantages, some are:
1) it is a very cheap and simple solution.
2) You can directly write to these small firewire or usb disks, but you
sometimes cannot do that onto a server via the net for timing reasons.
3) You are not held responsible for user data.
4) you don't have to ask people -to remove unused data, -not to save
their holiday pictures, or worse stuff with whatever content,...
5) No server maintenance issues, no network issues.

We tested a NAS a year ago, and this was very slow. On a Gigabit
network. 

Cheers, jens

-----Original Message-----
From: Confocal Microscopy List [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
Behalf Of Jean-Pierre CLAMME
Sent: Friday, July 11, 2008 2:31 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: storage server suggestion

Search the CONFOCAL archive at
http://listserv.acsu.buffalo.edu/cgi-bin/wa?S1=confocal

Hi,

I'm looking for advises for choosing  a storage server/system for a
little
confocal facility. I would need a server were users could access data on
a
daily base and a backup solution.

I was thinking using one of those little network-attached storage
devices
without a real server. Does anyone have used one of those for this
purpose ?

Please advise

JP