Using New Mac Mini To Replace NAS

[phrehdd]

Primarily because I want to externalise all my storage from my workstation, so multiple machines (iPads, laptops etc) can work with the same files. That's why I'm wondering about Thunderbolt networking - if it gives me a speed equivalent to directly attached, but keeps the storage networked.



I imagine that's a combination of drives and enclosures that don't work out quite right.



Yeah, I don't need an all SSD solution - ssd caching, certainly, but I'm fine with spinning storage. The real issue is that the NAS doesn't store files in a format that is perfectly compatible with Mac clients - hence the palava with HFS disk images etc.

I apologize as I must be missing something here. If your devices are going through your network to the NAS, permissions are set up correctly, then what issue do clients have accessing files or downloading them onto a Mac?

 

[mattspace]

I apologize as I must be missing something here. If your devices are going through your network to the NAS, permissions are set up correctly, then what issue do clients have accessing files or downloading them onto a Mac?

I don’t want to download anything, I want to edit in place on the network storage. I’m using my computers as much as possible with only the OS, applications, and basic user account on each machine. No content or work resides on them.

The problem is some types of file formats, like photo library databases for Aperture / Photos have to be hosted on an HFS / APFS formatted drive. I don’t want those residing on an individual Mac’s internal storage.

Now, I could keep them in sparse disk images on a BTRFS NAS, which adds a mounting step to using them, and requires a Time Machine backup, possibly hosted on the NAS itself, to provide versioned backup of those files. It also requires i set up a dedicated non-snapshot volume for them, because the Synology snapshot utility lacks the granularity of Time Machine’s exclusions list.

 

[macguru9999]

I don’t want to download anything, I want to edit in place on the network storage. I’m using my computers as much as possible with only the OS, applications, and basic user account on each machine. No content or work resides on them.

The problem is some types of file formats, like photo library databases for Aperture / Photos have to be hosted on an HFS / APFS formatted drive. I don’t want those residing on an individual Mac’s internal storage.

Now, I could keep them in sparse disk images on a BTRFS NAS, which adds a mounting step to using them, and requires a Time Machine backup, possibly hosted on the NAS itself, to provide versioned backup of those files. It also requires i set up a dedicated non-snapshot volume for them, because the Synology snapshot utility lacks the granularity of Time Machine’s exclusions list.

I dont particularly like NAS either, although I have an old airport on the network, with an 8tb drive. Sometimes its ok , sometimes from the newer macs a bit slow. If I wanted to edit from it, i'd try an apple mac with 10g ethernet and suitable hub/switch and see how that goes, set to never sleep etc, you dont need mac server software anymore. but.. the one I have setup is older and does use macos server so i am assuming that a mac mini m1/2 would work fine, but i have not tried it...

 

[phrehdd]

I don’t want to download anything, I want to edit in place on the network storage. I’m using my computers as much as possible with only the OS, applications, and basic user account on each machine. No content or work resides on them.

The problem is some types of file formats, like photo library databases for Aperture / Photos have to be hosted on an HFS / APFS formatted drive. I don’t want those residing on an individual Mac’s internal storage.

Now, I could keep them in sparse disk images on a BTRFS NAS, which adds a mounting step to using them, and requires a Time Machine backup, possibly hosted on the NAS itself, to provide versioned backup of those files. It also requires i set up a dedicated non-snapshot volume for them, because the Synology snapshot utility lacks the granularity of Time Machine’s exclusions list.

Thanks for your response.

I don't know if these are that available these days but perhaps something here is of interest.

ARC-8050T3U | Thunderbolt | USB 3.2 | Areca Technology

ARC-8050T3U is the most complete 4/6(M)/8/12-bay Thunderbolt 3/USB 3.2 Gen 2 desktop SAS/SATA RAID storage with RAID control capabilities solution for both PC and Mac.

areca.us

 

[mattspace]

Thanks for your response.

I don't know if these are that available these days but perhaps something here is of interest.

ARC-8050T3U | Thunderbolt | USB 3.2 | Areca Technology

ARC-8050T3U is the most complete 4/6(M)/8/12-bay Thunderbolt 3/USB 3.2 Gen 2 desktop SAS/SATA RAID storage with RAID control capabilities solution for both PC and Mac.

areca.us

I've been looking at DAS systems, like OWC or Terramaster (which has hardware RAID) as an option for a mac-based NAS, but where things are looking right now is the whole lack of network trash in macOS might make the entire thing moot.

Maybe a better solution is just attaching a RAID DAS directly.