Planning a 10Gb NAS setup for file backup mainly

Questions about using NAS on Mac OS.
Post Reply
thtempelmann
Starting out
Posts: 21
Joined: Wed Sep 01, 2021 7:55 pm

Planning a 10Gb NAS setup for file backup mainly

Post by thtempelmann »

I'm a professional software developer (see apps.tempel.org) and have been using a Synology NAS for my local backup purposes.

I like to now get a second NAS from a different major vendor, partially to have the ability to test my program "Find Any File" with all the NAS systems (I already have an WD NAS in access for testing as well).

So I thought QNAP.

Next, I also want more speed over the network, i.e. 10Gb. Currently, all my Macs and PCs are connected with 1Gb Ethernet.

Initially, I thought to get the TS-431X3, or even the TS-332X, but then I realized that if I want to connect my several Macs that have only TB2/TB3 connectors, I'd have to purchase several of the rather expensive TB-to-10G adapters. So, in the end, I figured I should go with the TS-453BT3-8G, which provides two TB3 connections, so I only have to spend a few bucks on the TB3 cables. Plus, I get a more powerful system with hardware-supported encryption.

I don't need most of the fancy features, though. I mainly want the NAS to act as an external file server that keeps all my files well encrypted.

Now I am trying to figure out how to set up the network, cabling etc. I could use some help with that.

My computers are: One PC running Windows 10, one PC running as a Hackintosh with High Sierra (10.13.6). The latter has a working TB3 port, even. Then there's a Mac Mini 2018 (TB3) and a few portables (MB Air 2015, MB Pro 2011) with TB2, and I plan to buy an M1 Mac with TB3 soon.

So the 3 ports (2x TB3, 1x 10Gbe) on the NAS won't be able to provide a connection for all computers at the same time. Hence I figure I'll get a 10G switch, e.g. the MikroTik CRS305-1G-4S+IN, which has one 1Gb and 4 SFP+ ports.

I would then equip the two PCs each with a QNAP QXG-10G1T PCI card. Should work on both Win10 and Mac 10.13.6, after all (I know, Hackintoshes are finicky, but I read forum posts that confirm this setup working, and I have ppl who can help me out here, just in case). Which mean I won't even use the TB3 port on the Hackintosh.

Then I make 3 connections from the Switch: Two to the PCS and one to the 10Gbe port on the NAS. I figure I'll need to buy three SFP-RJ45 Transceivers for this, plus 3 Cat 6 cables, right?

Also, as the Switch has an extra 1Gb port, I can connect that to my 1G network, which in turn gives all my other computers (and routers) access to the NAS, and the NAS can go online to fetch updates, for instance.

That leaves the two TB3 on the NAS available - one for a constant connection to my Mini18 and one that I rotate to connect with my portables as needed.

Does that setup make sense?

BTW, I wish there was a PCI SFP+ card that came with an empty SFP+ slot so that I could then connect them to the switch without transceivers but with the much cheaper DAC cables, but there doesn't seem to be any such available.
marchdigital
New here
Posts: 6
Joined: Fri Oct 15, 2021 10:26 am

Re: Planning a 10Gb NAS setup for file backup mainly

Post by marchdigital »

thtempelmann wrote: Wed Sep 01, 2021 8:16 pm I'm a professional software developer (see apps.tempel.org) and have been using a Synology NAS for my local backup purposes.

I like to now get a second NAS from a different major vendor, partially to have the ability to test my program "Find Any File" with all the NAS systems (I already have an WD NAS in access for testing as well).

So I thought QNAP.

Next, I also want more speed over the network, i.e. 10Gb. Currently, all my Macs and PCs are connected with 1Gb Ethernet.

Initially, I thought to get the TS-431X3, or even the TS-332X, but then I realized that if I want to connect my several Macs that have only TB2/TB3 connectors, I'd have to purchase several of the rather expensive TB-to-10G adapters. So, in the end, I figured I should go with the TS-453BT3-8G, which provides two TB3 connections, so I only have to spend a few bucks on the TB3 cables. Plus, I get a more powerful system with hardware-supported encryption.

I don't need most of the fancy features, though. I mainly want the NAS to act as an external file server that keeps all my files well encrypted.

Now I am trying to figure out how to set up the network, cabling etc. I could use some help with that.

My computers are: One PC running Windows 10, one PC running as a Hackintosh with High Sierra (10.13.6). The latter has a working TB3 port, even. Then there's a Mac Mini 2018 (TB3) and a few portables (MB Air 2015, MB Pro 2011) with TB2, and I plan to buy an M1 Mac with TB3 soon.

So the 3 ports (2x TB3, 1x 10Gbe) on the NAS won't be able to provide a connection for all computers at the same time. Hence I figure I'll get a 10G switch, e.g. the MikroTik CRS305-1G-4S+IN, which has one 1Gb and 4 SFP+ ports.

I would then equip the two PCs each with a QNAP QXG-10G1T PCI card. Should work on both Win10 and Mac 10.13.6, after all (I know, Hackintoshes are finicky, but I read forum posts that confirm this setup working, and I have ppl who can help me out here, just in case). Which mean I won't even use the TB3 port on the Hackintosh.

Then I make 3 connections from the Switch: Two to the PCS and one to the 10Gbe port on the NAS. I figure I'll need to buy three SFP-RJ45 Transceivers for this, plus 3 Cat 6 cables, right?

Also, as the Switch has an extra 1Gb port, I can connect that to my 1G network, which in turn gives all my other computers (and routers) access to the NAS, and the NAS can go online to fetch updates, for instance.

That leaves the two TB3 on the NAS available - one for a constant connection to my Mini18 and one that I rotate to connect with my portables as needed.

Does that setup make sense?

BTW, I wish there was a PCI SFP+ card that came with an empty SFP+ slot so that I could then connect them to the switch without transceivers but with the much cheaper DAC cables, but there doesn't seem to be any such available.
I have two TS-453BT3-8G's that I connect to directly using Thunderbolt 3 cables from a single MacBook Pro. I also have a 10G unmanaged switch that I then connect both NAS's to so that direct transfer speeds between each NAS is fast - I use one NAS as my primary editing storage and the second on for backups of projects I'm working on. I use HBS 3 to sync between the two NAS's to manage the process of transfer the large files between the two NAS's and keep them in sync.
Post Reply

Return to “Mac OS”