Data transfer to new NAS

[Jagermikester]

First post from another Noob,

I’m new to whole NAS way of doing things and would very much appreciate some advice if anyone would be so kind? I have recently received my TS419p ii and added three 3TB drives under RAID5. I have a media centre pc on my LAN running Ubuntu with XBMC and 2TB worth of data/media which I would now like to transfer to the NAS. I’m currently experiencing some difficulties mounting the NAS in Ubuntu although hopefully I will be able to resolve the issue shortly and then start to copy files over the LAN. I will basically just be doing several copy & pastes between two windows on the media centre pc and the NAS. The media centre and the NAS are both connected to the router via Ethernet cables.

Is this the quickest way to transfer 2TB of data to the NAS?
Should I use the Qnap Web File Manager to transfer the data?
Should I setup FTP on the NAS to transfer the data?
Should I take the 2TB hdd out of the media centre, connect to a sata – usb converter and plug it into usb on the NAS to transfer data?
Are there any better options I’ve missed?

I realise it will take a long time to move 2TB of data whichever way I go but any tips to help speed the process up would be good.

I had an external hdd plugged into my router via usb and it took almost 2 hours to transfer 15GB of data to the NAS! Is this normal? It may have been due to the router but unfortunately I don’t yet know enough about networks/routers to establish if there was a problem or where it was. I’m hoping that when using the Ethernet cables things will go a little faster .

Many thanks

Jagermikester

[TonyPh12345]

>>> Is this the quickest way to transfer 2TB of data to the NAS?

Yes, that's probably the fast way.

>>> Should I use the Qnap Web File Manager to transfer the data?

That's possible, but substantially slower and there are limitations.

>>> Should I setup FTP on the NAS to transfer the data?

That's possible, too, but FTP has a hard time dealing with multiple folders.

>>> Should I take the 2TB hdd out of the media centre, connect to a sata – usb converter and plug it into usb on the NAS to transfer data?

ABSOLUTELY NOT. Doing that would immediately break your RAID.

[schumaku]

ABSOLUTELY NOT. Doing that would immediately break your RAID.

Not a good idea - and probaly not required at all. But the user wanted ...

connect to a sata – usb converter and plug it into usb on the NAS

...what does not inherit a risk.

Mounting the NAS shares is the way to go. Makes perfect sene when you have a Gigabit Ethernet network - fast enough, and it's less likely to create issues.

What is the problem when trying to mount the SAMBA shares on the NAS from the Ubuntu based HTPC?

[pwilson]

ABSOLUTELY NOT. Doing that would immediately break your RAID.

Not a good idea - and probaly not required at all. But the user wanted ...

connect to a sata – usb converter and plug it into usb on the NAS

...what does not inherit a risk.

Mounting the NAS shares is the way to go. Makes perfect sense when you have a Gigabit Ethernet network - fast enough, and it's less likely to create issues.

What is the problem when trying to mount the SAMBA shares on the NAS from the Ubuntu based HTPC?

Schumaku is absolutely correct. There are multiple possible ways to connect a Linux machine to the NAS, but using SAMBA shares is by far the most reliable. Gigabit all around on this network. To keep it easy to manage, I simply create empty folders in the "/share" directory on my Ubuntu box, that I can mount to.

I create subfolders within "/share" called "Public", "Download", "Multimedia", etc. I then simply mount my NAS shares onto these directories by modifying my "/etc/fstab" on my Ubuntu box to include the following lines:

My /etc/fstab file on my Ubuntu:

Code: Select all

//nasty2/Multimedia     /share/Multimedia   cifs  defaults,rw,credentials=/etc/nas-credentials
//nasty2/Public         /share/Public       cifs  defaults,rw,credentials=/etc/nas-credentials
//nasty2/Download       /share/Download     cifs  defaults,rw,credentials=/etc/nas-credentials
//nasty2/Web            /share/Web          cifs  defaults,rw,credentials=/etc/nas-credentials
//nasty2/Public         /share/Public       cifs  defaults,rw,credentials=/etc/nas-credentials


I then create my /etc/nas-credentials as follows:

Code: Select all

username=admin
password=DjD05$@Fwpfd

I leave my /etc/nas-credentials file with 600 for file permissions, so that other Ubuntu users can't see my username/password used to mount the NAS shares. Ubuntu "automounts" all my share automatically at every boot. This method is easy to setup, and it means I can access my "Multimedia" on all my machines by simply doing a "cd /share/Multimedia". It doesn't matter whether I'm on my NAS or my Ubuntu boxes, my "Multimedia" always lives in "/share/Multimedia" on all of my machines, including my NAS. (This makes it very easy to manage everything). [In case you hadn't guessed my NAS is known as "nasty2" on my network; "nasty1" my original PPC-based QNAP TS-101 NAS has been "retired", as I sold it off a couple of years ago].

I still use QNAP tools like Web File Manager, etc when I'm away from my network, but when I'm at home, I can literally use "cp" and "mv" commands to copy/move files between my NAS (nasty2) and my local machine. No fancy tools required. I don't use NFS at all on my Linux machines, everything is connected by SAMBA. (Even my XBMC-HTPC's, XBMC-xboxes, and Boxee Boxes access the NAS via SAMBA). I can even "drag & drop" like a Windows user, using "nautilus" or "dolphin" if I feel so inclined.

I do use NFS on my NAS, but only as part of my PXE server, so that I can load Linux Live-CD's via PXE (with nfsboot/nfsroot options) on new machines when I introduce them to my network. I am able to access all my internal Websites on my NAS from Firefox on my Ubuntu boxes. Only challenge is Surveillance Station, as it requires "IE" which Ubuntu doesn't have. Everything else works properly. In fact I am so happy with this setup, that I no longer own a Windows machine. All my Linux boxes are running under either Ubuntu or BackTrack5. (I use the same "/etc/fstab" entries (and "/etc/nas-credentials" file) on all of my Linux boxes).

Very easy to use, and very easy to manage. My girlfriend, and my children are still using Windows machines, but I personally do not. All our PC's and Smartphones can access the NAS, even remotely. It is a beautiful thing....

Patrick

[schumaku]

Patrick's suggestion is perfect - I was to lazy. You need the shares mounted from the HTPC for simplicity anyway.

[Gyudan]

Hi

I'm also very new to the whole NAS thing.

I have recently bought a TS-412 and installed 2 WD Caviar Green 2TB in JBOD (size over speed). The NAS is connected to my router with ethernet.
On my main computer (windows 7, connected to the router with wifi), there are 2.5TB of data waiting to be transfered, but I don't know what would be the fastest way.
I tried Qnap web file manager, but couldn't get transfer speeds higher than 700KB/s, which would mean over 2 years to transfer everything.

Any help would be appreciated.

Clement

[schumaku]

I have recently bought a TS-412 and installed 2 WD Caviar Green 2TB in JBOD (size over speed).

Let's hope this does not lead to issues on mid-terms....

On my main computer (windows 7, connected to the router with wifi), there are 2.5TB of data waiting to be transfered, ...

Not a NAS issue really- connect the computer ot hte switched Ethernet. All under the assumption router switch ports and computer have Gigabit Ethernet ports. Worst case, it's Fast Ethernet somewhere - and you will end with some 11.5 ... 12 MByte/s only - what is still much better than what qany WLAN or power line net can do (against all the marketing lies).

I tried Qnap web file manager, but couldn't get transfer speeds higher than 700KB/s, which would mean over 2 years to transfer everything.

On the same LAN/WLAN always use Window Explorer, OS X Finder, .... to handlel data on the NAS.

Web File Manager makes sense when accessing from remote under some conditions, or when moving/copying large amounts of data dorect on the NAS.

[Gyudan]

Thanks for your answer.

I have recently bought a TS-412 and installed 2 WD Caviar Green 2TB in JBOD (size over speed).

Let's hope this does not lead to issues on mid-terms....

Regarding disk model or JBOD ? I know those aren't recommended but reviews about using them in a NAS were mixed so I decided to buy them anyway.
I've been using two Caviar Green on my desktop for 3 years now, 10+ hours a day, without any issue whatsoever.

On my main computer (windows 7, connected to the router with wifi), there are 2.5TB of data waiting to be transfered, ...

Not a NAS issue really- connect the computer ot hte switched Ethernet. All under the assumption router switch ports and computer have Gigabit Ethernet ports. Worst case, it's Fast Ethernet somewhere - and you will end with some 11.5 ... 12 MByte/s only - what is still much better than what qany WLAN or power line net can do (against all the marketing lies).

I tried Qnap web file manager, but couldn't get transfer speeds higher than 700KB/s, which would mean over 2 years to transfer everything.

On the same LAN/WLAN always use Window Explorer, OS X Finder, .... to handlel data on the NAS.
Web File Manager makes sense when accessing from remote under some conditions, or when moving/copying large amounts of data dorect on the NAS.

Using Windows explorer is only possible when connected to the router through Ethernet (I was redirected to the web page when using wifi), but now that I moved my desktop and plugged the cable I'm transfering at 39MB/s. Thanks a lot !

[schumaku]

Using Windows explorer is only possible when connected to the router through Ethernet (I was redirected to the web page when using wifi),

that's strange - Windows Explorer browsing the shares redirecting to the Internet Explorer? Stange...

...but now that I moved my desktop and plugged the cable I'm transfering at 39MB/s. Thanks a lot !

Gald taht helped - that makes perfect sense. Have Fun!

[pwilson]

Using Windows explorer is only possible when connected to the router through Ethernet (I was redirected to the web page when using wifi),

that's strange - Windows Explorer browsing the shares redirecting to the Internet Explorer? Stange...

"Network Places" would explain it! (example image below)


Given this example shot, someone might mistake the "computer" PBSNAS (Samba Share), with the "other device" PBSNAS (UPNP provided URL to device config).

Clicking on the "computer" version of "PBSNAS" loads in "Windows Explorer" (network browsing)
Clicking on the "other device" version of "PBSNAS" loads in "Internet Explorer" (displaying the "WebConfig")

Patrick.

[Jagermikester]

ABSOLUTELY NOT. Doing that would immediately break your RAID.

Not a good idea - and probaly not required at all. But the user wanted ...

connect to a sata – usb converter and plug it into usb on the NAS

...what does not inherit a risk.

Mounting the NAS shares is the way to go. Makes perfect sense when you have a Gigabit Ethernet network - fast enough, and it's less likely to create issues.

What is the problem when trying to mount the SAMBA shares on the NAS from the Ubuntu based HTPC?

Schumaku is absolutely correct. There are multiple possible ways to connect a Linux machine to the NAS, but using SAMBA shares is by far the most reliable. Gigabit all around on this network. To keep it easy to manage, I simply create empty folders in the "/share" directory on my Ubuntu box, that I can mount to.

I create subfolders within "/share" called "Public", "Download", "Multimedia", etc. I then simply mount my NAS shares onto these directories by modifying my "/etc/fstab" on my Ubuntu box to include the following lines:

My /etc/fstab file on my Ubuntu:

Code: Select all

//nasty2/Multimedia     /share/Multimedia   cifs  defaults,rw,credentials=/etc/nas-credentials
//nasty2/Public            /share/Public           cifs  defaults,rw,credentials=/etc/nas-credentials
//nasty2/Download       /share/Download     cifs  defaults,rw,credentials=/etc/nas-credentials
//nasty2/Web               /share/Web              cifs defaults,rw,credentials=/etc/nas-credentials
//nasty2/Public            /share/Public            cifs defaults,rw,credentials=/etc/nas-credentials


I then create my /etc/nas-credentials as follows:

Code: Select all

username=admin
password=DjD05$@Fwpfd

I leave my /etc/nas-credentials file with 600 for file permissions, so that other Ubuntu users can't see my username/password used to mount the NAS shares. Ubuntu "automounts" all my share automatically at every boot. This method is easy to setup, and it means I can access my "Multimedia" on all my machines by simply doing a "cd /share/Multimedia". It doesn't matter whether I'm on my NAS or my Ubuntu boxes, my "Multimedia" always lives in "/share/Multimedia" on all of my machines, including my NAS. (This makes it very easy to manage everything). [In case you hadn't guessed my NAS is known as "nasty2" on my network; "nasty1" my original PPC-based QNAP TS-101 NAS has been "retired", as I sold it off a couple of years ago].

I still use QNAP tools like Web File Manager, etc when I'm away from my network, but when I'm at home, I can literally use "cp" and "mv" commands to copy/move files between my NAS (nasty2) and my local machine. No fancy tools required. I don't use NFS at all on my Linux machines, everything is connected by SAMBA. (Even my XBMC-HTPC's, XBMC-xboxes, and Boxee Boxes access the NAS via SAMBA). I can even "drag & drop" like a Windows user, using "nautilus" or "dolphin" if I feel so inclined.

I do use NFS on my NAS, but only as part of my PXE server, so that I can load Linux Live-CD's via PXE (with nfsboot/nfsroot options) on new machines when I introduce them to my network. I am able to access all my internal Websites on my NAS from Firefox on my Ubuntu boxes. Only challenge is Surveillance Station, as it requires "IE" which Ubuntu doesn't have. Everything else works properly. In fact I am so happy with this setup, that I no longer own a Windows machine. All my Linux boxes are running under either Ubuntu or BackTrack5. (I use the same "/etc/fstab" entries (and "/etc/nas-credentials" file) on all of my Linux boxes).

Very easy to use, and very easy to manage. My girlfriend, and my children are still using Windows machines, but I personally do not. All our PC's and Smartphones can access the NAS, even remotely. It is a beautiful thing....

Patrick

Hi,

Just wanted to say thank you very much to everyone that replied to my original post as I've finally managed to login to this forum and not be pulled away by something else that needs my attention. Especially grateful for the advice from Patrick and Shumaku. I went with Patrick’s suggestion and setup share folders on my Ubuntu HTPC and created a /etc/nas-credentials file, works great . I’ve started transferring my 2tb worth of data to my NAS with Ethernet via my router. I’m only getting 9mbps transfer rate though so it’s going to take a while! When I get some more time I’ll do some research to see if that’s due to the router or my dated HTPC.

Thanks for your time and advice.

Jagermikester