My NAS of choice is an old Mac. In my case, I had an old MacBook that wouldn't hold a charge anymore so I rigged up an eSATA connection to my 2TB external drive. The advantages to using an actual Mac over a true NAS system. Uses first-party AFP on HFS for optimal compatibility. Network-attached storage options are more abundant than ever, but jumping into the copious bush of NAS can be quite a task, especially if you want a system that plays nice with both PC and Mac.
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Please share your experiences and reviews about NAS (Network-Attached Storage) below. In particular, rate their compatibility with Macs, OS X, iTunes, Time Machine, AppleTV, and other Apple-specific tools. The goal is for future users to be able to easily find the best Mac-compatible NAS appliance.
Rules: Download smart draw free mac.
Also welcome: useful reference links, such as this one from xlr8yourmac.com.
14 AnswersSynology DiskStation
The Synology DSM software has built-in support for Macs including Apple Fileshare Protocol (afp) and Time Machine support. It has an iTunes server in addition to a regular DLNA Media server. As it is Linux based it is easy to configure the NAS to do rsync backups (ssh login).
It has a great web-based desktop-style interface that is very easy to understand and use. The DSM software is constantly being updated and improved.
They have solutions from 2-disk on up to 15-disk. You can find the 4-disk DS411j without drives for less than $400.
A Mac
My NAS of choice is an old Mac. In my case, I had an old MacBook that wouldn't hold a charge anymore so I rigged up an eSATA connection to my 2TB external drive.
The advantages to using an actual Mac over a true NAS system:
Further features to consider:
Drobo FS
The Drobo FS is my new favourite NAS. I've run a Netgear ReadyNAS and a PC-based NAS in the past and neither touch the Drobo FS for simplicity, speed and reliability. The ReadyNAS suffered from poor RAID performance, especially on reboots when volumes needed to be scanned. And the power supply in it was really lame. And the PC-based NAS was just a pain to maintain and costly to keep up.
The Drobo FS is super simple to set up. Has very, very good volume build and scanning speeds on startup. Has what has to be the best hot-swapping of any multi-disk unit I've ever seen that was in the sub-$10k range. And performs like a champ while drawing very little power.
I now run an FS for home sharing and an old Drobo hangs off my iMac for audio project data. They are teh awesome.
The Time Capsule can be used as a shared drive.
It is also a Wi-Fi router, and is automatically recognized as a backup device for Time Machine.
Freenas using generic hardware
I love the ability to grab an old computer, fill it full of cheap hard drives, and install Freenas on a CF card or USB drive. Software RAID is reliable.
A key point, if any of the hardware dies, the RAID array can be rebuilt when the software is installed on new hardware, unlike some proprietary solutions (NAS or RAID cards) where you may be tied to a particular vendor and/or model, which, after time, may not be sold/available.
Works fine with Macs and PCs -- and for this reason i use SMB shares rather than AFP. Performance is fine.
I use the SMB shares to stream to all the computers in the house, and there is no problem.
Time Machine backups are a little more complex, involving creating a Sparse Bundle (which is not the official method). For this reason, i don't do this, i use Carbon Copy Cloner to run to a disk image (dmg) every night.
I use MediaRover to sync iTunes libraries, and this works fine. Other iTunes support is available (an iTunes/DAAP server called Firefly), but i haven't used it.
It has a BitTorrent server built in, but again, i haven't used it.
Administration is very easy (web based), setup is not difficult, but there are several steps to add disks, format them, create a RAID array, create a mount point, enable the services (AFP or SMB) to access. Documentation and community support are satisfactory.
Don't want start any flamewar, but today here is only NAS solution - the ZFS based NAS.
ZFS is a filesystem, what has 'copy on write' feature, so you will get a backup in every save - fully transparently. Civilation 6 mac free download. ZFS has million really cool features like raid management, snapshots etc. too much for one post. If you interested can duckduck for ZFS.
ZFS is implemented in Solaris and in the FreeBSD. So, you can:
You should definitely check theese:
Netgear ReadyNAS
We recently joined the crowd getting their first NAS, and after taking a close look at several, settled on the Netgear ReadyNAS NV+.
The Drobo, previously mentioned, was tempting—but just way too expensive for use on a home network.
We've only had it a month or two, but so far, so good. Like most Netgear products, it works well with Macs. There's also a solid community & support site.
Western Digital MyBook World Edition
Yesterday I installed a Western Digital MyBook World Edition, 1 TeraByte, single disk.
Pros: very simple to install and work with, includes a Media Server and a iTunes server that can be used to share music and videos across the network. It's pre configured with the common shares and if you copy the files in the proper folders it's very, very simple to use. Quite cheap compared to a similar solution from QNap or Sinology. I did not perform any single task 'mac related' on it and it worked from start with my Mac.
Cons: old firmware from 2009 and no update available, the single 1 TB disk inside obviously do not support any kind of Raid, no serviceable by changing disk if needed (unless you broke your warranty), the control panel do not give you a lot of control also if you use the so called advanced version.
Definitively a good choice for a 'first' NAS to work and experience with, if you need to go on a cheap model or if you do not have a lot of IT experience, suggested for simple home environment where no redundancy it's needed, I would avoid it if you need redundancy or if you like to fine tune and experiment with every possible option.
There is also a public wiki about hacking it but I've not tested any of the stuff described (yet!).
UPDATE: after some time I've found more problems, all related to the time machine interface:1) The quota option do not work with time machine2) The Lion update completely stopped the Time Machine usage
NOT RECOMMENDED ANYMORE!!!!
UPDATE: https://perfectlywaywardpuppy.tumblr.com/post/631916405856583680/movie-maker-download-mac-osx. The Lion/Time Machine problem will hopefully be fixed soon. Apple changed some things and Western Digital is working on an update. This affects the MyBook Live and MyBook World Edition II. Read more: Error: 'The network backup disk does not support the required AFP features' is displayed using Time Machine on Mac OSX 10.7.x (Lion) to backup to a WD NAS drive
The Qnap TS259Pro+ which uses a 1.8Ghz Dual Core Atom CPU,would be the perfect setup for Sickbeard, and streaming to more than one TV in the house. Take the firmware for a spin with this 'Live Demo'
Seagate Blackarmor NAS220
At the moment of buying, the features listed sounded great, and Mac compatible.
Once in the studio, and after 4 weeks, it is just a hard drive on the network.
These are some of the issues:
Stay away, not only mac users, but everybody who wants a NAS, this is not an option.
D-Link DNS-323
The D-Link DNS-323 is quite customizable, but should do everything you need out of the box.
It has a very activecommunity behind it
QNAP is surprisingly perfect actually ;o)I use TS-419 for my home use and pretty happy with it.
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I put together a comparison here: http://forum.railsonmaui.com/t/best-way-to-backup-large-external-hard-drives/305.
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Based on reading many of the numerous reviews, the WD gets the job done at a very competitive price point with few disadvantages.
I'm ordering one this week and will plan to update my answer. I'll be using it for other network backup and shared network files.
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Feature
By AppleInsider Staff
Thursday, May 10, 2018, 12:22 pm PT (03:22 pm ET) Best Nas For Mac UsersA Network Attached Storage device can provide shared storage, a Time Machine backup target, and additional useful features for Mac, iPhone, and iPad users on a local area network —and beyond. Here are the best Apple-friendly NAS units to meet and exceed the now discontinued Time Capsule's features.Network Attached Storage, or NAS, devices are very handy for a variety of reasons. Beyond just acting as shared file storage for multiple users locally, most can be configured to provide that access to you while on-the-go. Additionally, hosting some form of media server, storing images, mirroring to another unit, and more are all other reasons to get one. Many also natively support Apple's Time Machine backup tool for Macs. Using Time Machine, if a file is ever deleted, you can browse back through different states of your computer through time to recover the file, or even grab a previous version. If a Mac starts acting up, you can completely restore from any point in the past as well. Apple's Time Capsule was a great option as both a destination for Time Machine backups and as a wireless router. Now that Apple has officially discontinued them, many are on the market for a new NAS device, so we rounded up the best consumer-grade options for anyone with a Mac or iOS device. WD My CloudThere are a variety of My Cloud variants out there, but the most basic and widely appealing option is the My Cloud Home model. Time Machine support is included as well as media streaming with DLNA, remote file access, and even an iTunes server. We particularly liked the ability to right-click a folder on our Mac and choose sync to copy all the files to the My Cloud. Mobile apps for iOS and Android make it easy to access on the go, though they aren't the best-designed ones out there. There is also a web interface available if you don't happen to have one of your devices around. Using the USB port on the back, you can attach USB flash drives or hard drives to import files easily. Aside from the My Cloud Home, My Cloud Home Duo ups the storage capacity up to 16TB in total. If you need additional RAID options, the My Cloud Expert or My Cloud Pro models are a better bet. You can pick up the basic My Cloud Home 2TB model on Amazon or at B&H for $139.00. B&H will not collect sales tax on orders shipped outside New York and New Jersey (Colorado and Vermont residents, see here). Seagate Personal CloudAlongside Western Digital, Seagate is another common brand when it comes to storage solutions. Seagate Personal Cloud is an excellent NAS device with 4 TB of storage. It has a modern design, with a sleek black body and a horizontal layout, compared to the vertical orientation of the My Cloud. Family and friends can be invited to join with secure file sharing through private emails. It also supports Time Machine, with it working as a local drive when connected through USB or across the network with Ethernet. Using the Seagate Media app, files can be accessed remotely on an iOS or Android device. Alternatively, media can be streamed to a variety of devices, including Apple TV, Chromecast, and Roku. Many TVs from LG and Samsung also work via DLNA. Not to mention Playstation and Xbox. The Seagate Personal Cloud with 4TB of storage can be found on Amazon for $179.00. Promise Apollo Cloud 2The Apollo Cloud 2 from Promise has one of the easiest setups around, all of which can be done from your iPhone. As a bonus, the device supports Apple's Files app on the iPhone and iPad directly, allowing for easy file migration to and from your mobile device. Connectivity wise, this NAS device has a USB 3.0 port for backups and file transfers, and an Ethernet port for connecting to the router. The unit is powered by a dual-core processor and dual 4TB 'surveillance-class' drives which can be configured as RAID 0 or 1. We took a look at it in February, and found it to be a great 'set and forget' device with Time Machine compatibility, but lacking niceties found in other devices like media library streaming. The Promise Apollo Cloud 2 is available on Amazon and B&H for $379.00. Synology Diskstation DS218jSynology is known for their high-end network storage solutions. The DS218j is an upgraded version of their popular DS216 model from a couple years ago. Unlike some of the others, the DS218j is sold diskless, and it is up to you insert your own pair of drives. Those drives can be set up in Synology Hybrid RAID, Basic, JBOD, RAID 0, and RAID 1 configurations. Synology offers myriad applications to add capabilities to the unit. Apps like DS File, DS Photo, DS Video, DS Cloud, and others really offer a ton of features for the Diskstation. Like the others, it supports Time Machine, but so much more. To connect, there is an Ethernet port along the back, with three USB ports available for one-time transfers or expanding the unit with external drives. Given the app-centric nature of the device, streaming options are effectively endless with the Diskstation. After software expansion, the device is able to send audio and video to Samsung TVs, Roku players, Apple TV, Google Chromecast, DLNA devices, and more. You can find the Synology DS218j Diskstation on Amazon or B&H for $169.99. TerraMaster F2-220TerraMaster makes some great devices, and the aptly named F2-220 is no different. It has an aluminum alloy body with easily swappable drives. Like others, it comes empty, relying on the user to install any set of drives they'd like. This device also has an Intel Celeron 2.41GHz dual-core CPU and 2GB of RAM inside to help power it, which is great if you have many users or using it as a streaming media server. There is also support out-of-the-box for Time Machine, plus a wide array of apps including a file server, mail server, web server, media server, Rsync remote server, FTP server, MySQL server and others It also supports DLNA streaming, and can act as an iTunes media server. The TerraMaster F2-220, without drives, can be found on Amazon and Newegg for $199.99. Buffalo TeraStation 1200DBuffalo makes one of the best looking NAS devices on our list, fitting well within any home or office. It has two internal drive bays, with configurations ranging from 2TB to 8TB of storage. Time Machine is supported, as well as multiple user access with remote support. It is DLNA-certified in addition to iTunes support for media server duties, although reviews suggest it may not be as robust from a file format support standpoint as some of the others. The Buffalo TeraStation 1200D starts at $227.99 at both B&H Photo and Amazon.com. Drobo 5N2Drobo happens to be the most expensive on the list, running nearly $500 without the drives. It is, however, one of the most lauded NAS devices out there, perfect for offices as well as personal use. This is capable of handling up to 64TB of storage when the drives are installed —which is a fairly easy task. It has enough internal slots for five 3.5-inch drives. One of the best features is the internal battery. Should power ever fail, the internal battery will keep your data safe until you can get it going again. Dual Ethernet ports also make it easy to connect. One can connect to the router, the other to your Mac or the rest of the network, possibly offering increased performance, depending on network architecture. Beyond file sharing, and Time Machine support, a variety of apps are available that work with Drobo, similar to the Synology NAS. Some allow the setup of a Plex media server, others enable remote access or cloud backup, and one is even available to automatically and securely backup all photos from your iOS device. You can find the Drobo 5N2 on Amazon or B&H for $499.99. Best Nas For Mac NetworkA deep rabbit hole![]() Our list is just of the ones we've used and like, with a limitation we've applied on initial setup ease and a reasonable budget. Many of them have super in-depth options, with large app stores hosting services that can be added that we've only alluded to. Many more can take a pile of drives for truly epic amounts of storage and a similarly profound cost —but for this, we've eliminated those as well. Take a look at the tech specs of each unit before you buy. And, don't be caught without a backupBest Nas For SonosWe've said it before, and we'll say it again: backups are key. While a single NAS in your own home isn't the only source of backup you should rely on, it is a crucial start to a good backup regimen. Instead of relying on yourself to consistently connect a wired hard drive and manually backup, a NAS can offer convenience and automation, as well as a variety of other features. Nas For Mac And PcYou can extend this with off-site backup options, which is basically installing a compatible NAS in another location such as a trusted friend's house, and automatically syncing the two —but this is a topic for another day.Best Nas For HomeBe sure to check outBest Nas For PlexAppleInsider'sBest Nas For Music Storagerecommendations for alternatives to Apple's discontinued AirPort routers.Comments are closed.
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