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

Jean-Pierre:

	Shalin did provide some good information.  For data safety you 
definitely want a hardware RAID solultion.

	One question he did not answer directly is "those little network-
attached storage devices without a real server" are really slow.  
[BTW: They actually do have a "real server" built in to them.]   For 
any Network solution you choose, speed will depend on (1) the network 
speed, (2) the disk drive speed, and (3) speed of the NAS/RAID 
itself.

	Security will also become an issue: do you want everyone to have 
access to everyone else's files?  Or do you want them to "Login" to 
get their files?  Do you want access from multiple computers or just 
the confocal box?  

	There are some nice and easy "real server" NAS solutions out there - 
they come already pre-configured out of the box (with an OS like 
WinFileServer, Linux, or Mac) so you have very minimal setup to do.  
Next questions are: (1) How much space do you want? (2) What OS are 
you comfortable with?  I would suggest you talk to your IT folks and 
get some help unless you wish to do it yourself.

	We're running a Win Server 2003 and 1gb network for controlling 
access to all our microscopes and computers.  So after looking all 
stand alone NAS solutions it was easiest for me to setup another 
server and RAID6 array (RAID 5 with 2 spare drives) since we already 
have an Active Directory setup to handle file access security.

	Oh, and 1Gigabit network speeds finally allows for "Network Drives" 
to feel like "Local Drives" in terms of speed.

	Good luck, and let us know what your solution turns out to be.




On 10 Jul 2008 at 20:31, Jean-Pierre CLAMME wrote:

> 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
> 
> 


Richard E. Edelmann, Ph.D.
Electron Microscopy Facility Director
364 Pearson Hall
Miami University, Oxford, OH 45056
Ph: 513.529.5712        Fax: 513.529.4243
E-mail: [log in to unmask]
http://www.emf.muohio.edu

"RAM disk is NOT an installation procedure."