Any MAJOR problems with this set up?

[nubbin77]

I currently have an HTPC (W764) with a separate WHS (old version) attached with 6 X 2TB HD's.

Set up has been fine for a while, living happily. However the server is a power hog (Q6600). I initially thought I would do a bunch of server type stuff with it, but the reality is it only functions as a NAS.

At the moment I do not have it backed up (well, my music, pictures, and documents are backed up offsite, but not the movies). I just had a hard drive die, and now another looks like it is on its last legs.

So I want to back it up and really change my concept a little. I don't think I need the server.

Basically I want to use one of these:

http://www.amazon.com/Vantec-3-5-Inch-External-Enclosure-NST-640SU3-BK/dp/B007XJIYI6/ref=pd_sim_e_63

and directly attach it to the HTPC.

For back up purposes, I will buy a 2nd one and attach it to my gaming PC.

My plan was to just use the regular windows formatting to do 4 either spanned or striped discs to house all the data directly on the HTPC and have the other box as the backup.

1) I do not care about speed.
2) I will probably only back up once a week - so I realize that tv shows / movies recorded that week are exposed to data loss - I am not that concerned with that.

I know everyone is very opposed to using windows based "raid". But I feel like my needs are simple. My HTPC streams to 2 Xboxes and any other device in the house. The server seems like a waste of power right now. My critical work is done at work, not at home.

Is there another better solution than windows that is free. My goals would be:
1) Easy to use.
2) Lowest likelihood of breaking

Also opinion on striped vs. Spanned?

Last question - after formatting a striped or spanned array, could I take the 4 disk box to another PC and it would be recognized as such?

Thanks for advice.

 

[Cool1Net6]

How is your data protected now? Is everything on this WHS server duplicated, or only select shares? Do you want everything to be just one big pool, or do you not care about pooling anymore?

Striped vs Spanned: Striped will be faster, but if one drive fails you lose all your data. Since you don't care about speed, why risk it?

 

[nubbin77]

At the moment, the WHS is only backed up within itself (duplication).
Everything that will get me divorced is backed up offsite (pictures, documents, music). The movies and TV at the moment are only backed up on the server. But again, I am looking to get rid of the server all together.


I want everything pooled (single drive for all movies, music, etc.).

 

[hotcrandel]

I'd say you're going to get what you pay for. And I wouldn't pay for that. I think for the price very few things beat a self-built NAS.

If you want to work on the power look into Intel atom processors or the AMD E series processors.

There are a few nice pieces of drive-pooling software out there, too. I'm using flex-raid but I've read good things about stablebit drive pooling as well. They both run on top of windows and don't' span your data across multiple disks, but take multiple disks and pool them into a single pool.



I'm using a number of these disks for parity data, which is why the total disk space doesn't equate to the capacity. If things got really harry I know I can pull each disk out of the system and copy the data it has onto a new system or disk pool.

 

[nubbin77]

Thanks for the hints. I thought about flex raid for a while, but I did not really need a true raid solution. But stablebit on the other hand seems to be the ticket. Couldn't be easier to use. I already have 2 TB's transferred over. That license is only $20 (and only $10 more for the 2nd one I am buying). So I am happy from that end.