[KLUG Members] product review: Iomega home network hard drive

[Peter Bart]

On Fri, 2008-04-11 at 08:50 -0400, Eric Beversluis wrote:
> On Fri, 2008-04-11 at 06:30 -0400, Peter Bart wrote:
<snip>
> 
> > 	What did you use to write? I've used rsync to transfer from one
> > notebook to another but that needs server and client so it's out for an
> > NAS? I'm looking at documentation for NFS as well.
> To make the iBook (OS X 10.4) image I used the Mac Disk Utility (with
> the Iomega in USB/HDD mode). To write your Linux stuff in the USB/HDD
> mode you can use rsync. Remember, tho, the problems with syncing--each
> time you sync, your changes overwrite the original, so if you sync from
> a corrupted version on your primary, you've corrupted your backup. (See
> discussion in Ch 7 of Preston, _Backup & Recovery_, O'Reilly.)

	Of course! I can use rsync to sync directories as well as machines.
Doh!
	

> 
> My sense (based on my experience and stuff I've seen rather than on a
> full understanding of the situation) is that the problem with cheap NAS
> lies in the number of "translations" and "untranslations" the data must
> go through in getting from your HDD to a stored state on the NAS. Your
> computer has to convert the material to ethernet packets. They must
> travel while competing with all the other packets on the LAN, the NAS
> box must convert them back (which for many NAS's includes converting to
> FAT32 format) and then write to the HDD. With low-end processors and a
> stripped-down Linux OS such as the Iomega has, this is a slow process.
> Probably fine for file-sharing, where someone in the house just wants to
> view something on the NAS or download one file to her box. But not
> optimal for the large amount of reading and writing necessary for
> backups. 
> 
> When used in the USB/HDD mode, this translation does not have to happen,
> especially if you're saving to a partition you formatted to match what
> you're saving. 
> 
> So maybe your best bet is to continue backing up to DVDs, especially if
> the total size makes that not too onerous. Then build your dream desktop
> as you have time and $$.  Another possibility: buy a good HDD that will
> eventually go into your dream desktop (possibly with a second or even
> third HDD) and put it in one of those $40 external HDD holders that
> connects via USB or Firewire. Use it that way till you get the dream
> machine built.
> 

	Hmmmmmmmm. Sounds like I'll take your suggestion about the hard drive
in an enclosure to be later used in my desktop. It's far from a dream
machine, I have that. I'm lucky to have stumbled on a factory refurb
Thinkpad. I'm looking for more of a workhorse to hide away in the closet
that will handle backups and more as I learn about networking. Thanks
for illuminating the subject!

Best Regards
-- 
Peter Bart <peter at petertheplumber.net>
http://petertheplumber.net