IT questions: Synology NAS, backup for remote use, WD My Passport - naive questions

[TheFlash]

This should be within my capability given that I've spent a lifetime in "IT", but I haven't been at the technology end of it.

Here at home in Leicestershire, I have a Synology DS12+ NAS with 2x WD Red 3TB drives in RAID 1. It is connected to my BT router and thence to my Bluesound Node 2i. I Use the NAS for lossless music storage but also for photos etc and for Time Machine backups for the iMac.

Backups

I want to take backups for two reasons:

1. the usual backup reasons. I don't want to lose all my music and other data
   
2. I have a man-cave in my home town of Kendal where I would like to be able to play all my ripped music
   

The Kendal pad obviously gives me the ability to have a crude (carry a drive there every month or two) or more sophisticated (backup over t'internet) offsite backup of everything as well as access there to my music library.

I do NOT want to be renting space in the Apple or Amazon cloud for these purposes.

WD My Passport

I have 1TB WD My Passport drive which I've never managed to crack the formatting of and I don't know how to hook up for the fastest backups of music on the NAS. This would be readily transportable to Kendal, though I would then have separate questions about how to hook it up there.

What's the best way to connect the My Passport drive so I can copy data from my Synology NAS?

Remote backups?

Alternatively, I could leave a similar Synology/WD NAS setup in Kendal and set something running which does incremental backups from Leics to Kendal. Is this feasible? Does anyone do anything similar? Does it consume massive amounts of bandwidth/data allowance?

This would give me both an offsite backup and the ability to listen to my music in Kendal.

Thanks, and be gentle.

 

[Fourlegs]

I now have all my music backed up on a 4TB SSD in a neat little USB case about the size of a small iPhone (the built in drive on my streamer is my primary music library). You could have two SSD in USB housings, one plugged direct into your Node 2i for playing music and one plugged into your iMac which you could use as a backup for your music library and which could be taken to Kendle when visiting there. Connect to the SSD on the 2i over your home network for backing up and transferring music files.

You could keep the raid thingy for iMac Time Machine backup.

As far as I can see your WD My Passport is just a SSD in a small box with a USB connection and some propriety back up software. You could reformat that and just use it as a simple USB drive to fit in somewhere in the above scenario.

But then I know less than you about 'IT'.

 

[Bolosun]

There are many ways to do what you want. The complicated - assign a DNS name to your NAS and stream from it, or the simple way - copy the data you want from your NAS to the passport drive using copy and paste.

 

[jamesrfisher]

I have a Synology NAS. I have a portable Seagate backup plus connected via USB and use a package called USB copy, nice and easy, just schedule a back up for once a week and it does an incremental backup of the fiels chosen

 

[Chumpchops]

Check to see if you NAS model supports the Synology usbcopy function:

https://www.synology.com/en-global/knowledgebase/DSM/help/USBCopy/usbcopy_general

Format your external always drive to FAT32.

Then select folders/files and do a copy.   subsequent updates can be mirrored or incrementally appended to.    You can take the drive anywhere.

I would personally get 2 USB drives then mirror them once updated primary drive from the NAS.

If you dont have USB copy function there are other ways of achieving the same end.

 

[TheFlash]

I now have all my music backed up on a 4TB SSD in a neat little USB case about the size of a small iPhone (the built in drive on my streamer is my primary music library). You could have two SSD in USB housings, one plugged direct into your Node 2i for playing music and one plugged into your iMac which you could use as a backup for your music library and which could be taken to Kendle when visiting there. Connect to the SSD on the 2i over your home network for backing up and transferring music files.

You could keep the raid thingy for iMac Time Machine backup.

As far as I can see your WD My Passport is just a SSD in a small box with a USB connection and some propriety back up software. You could reformat that and just use it as a simple USB drive to fit in somewhere in the above scenario.

But then I know less than you about 'IT'.

Let's discuss, in particular how I would get music onto my Node-attached SSD. I do not want to be plugging and unplugging it. Having a NAS on my network allows me to access my music and other files from any wifi-attached device.

Plan A is to retain the NAS and work out how to back it up and either take the copy to Kendal (note spelling) or access it remotely.

 

[TheFlash]

I have a Synology NAS. I have a portable Seagate backup plus connected via USB and use a package called USB copy, nice and easy, just schedule a back up for once a week and it does an incremental backup of the fiels chosen

I may need to pick your brains further on how to hook up and make this happen. What fomat is your Seagate drive?

 

[TheFlash]

Check to see if you NAS model supports the Synology usbcopy function:

https://www.synology.com/en-global/knowledgebase/DSM/help/USBCopy/usbcopy_general

Format your external always drive to FAT32.

Then select folders/files and do a copy.   subsequent updates can be mirrored or incrementally appended to.    You can take the drive anywhere.

I would personally get 2 USB drives then mirror them once updated primary drive from the NAS.

If you dont have USB copy function there are other ways of achieving the same end.

I'll need to do this one step at a time...

I don't appear to have the option on my Macbook to configure to FAT32, have done so to exFAT as I recall being advised elsewhere some time ago. Tell me if this is a showstopper.

 

[Fourlegs]

Let's discuss, in particular how I would get music onto my Node-attached SSD. I do not want to be plugging and unplugging it. Having a NAS on my network allows me to access my music and other files from any wifi-attached device.

Plan A is to retain the NAS and work out how to back it up and either take the copy to Kendal (note spelling) or access it remotely.

I thought maybe the drive attached to the node 2i would be accessible on your home network and if so you could add or delete files without unplugging it.

 

[jamesrfisher]

I'll need to do this one step at a time...

I don't appear to have the option on my Macbook to configure to FAT32, have done so to exFAT as I recall being advised elsewhere some time ago. Tell me if this is a showstopper.

This may be helpful

https://www.synology.com/en-global/knowledgebase/DSM/help/DSM/AdminCenter/system_externaldevice_devicelist

I don't have 'exFAT access' so not formatted in that (there is a small fee for it)

Looks like my disk is formatted as ntfs, I initially had this as a backup to a Vortexbox (a Linux based ripper and storer), when I moved over to the Synology I just unplugged it from the Vortexbox, plugged it into the Synology, dragged and dropped all the files onto the Synology then set it up to backup and it has done so. I have just unplugged it and attached it to my imac, the FLAC files play without a problem through VLC.

You can format the usb drive as FAT32 from the Synology, steps are in the above link

USB copy info

https://www.synology.com/en-global/knowledgebase/DSM/help/USBCopy/usbcopy_general

 

[Chumpchops]

I'll need to do this one step at a time...

I don't appear to have the option on my Macbook to configure to FAT32, have done so to exFAT as I recall being advised elsewhere some time ago. Tell me if this is a showstopper.

Ex FAT should be fine. Or ntfs. 

 

[tuga]

Personally I would never use the same NAS or external drive for the dual purpose of music storage and Time Machine back up.

Storage is cheap nowadays, you can easily get a single-bay NAS for your Mac back ups.

.

Also I prefer to manage my music back ups manually.

I keep two back up USB HDDs and the main library is in a single-bay NAS. Because I tag for every new rip or download with iTunes, I do it from the computer into one of the USB HDDs, then copy/add/import the final files into the NAS by opening the iTunes Library located there.

 

[Chumpchops]

I thought maybe the drive attached to the node 2i would be accessible on your home network and if so you could add or delete files without unplugging it.

I wouldn’t have thought that the node 2 embedded OS/DW would offer the file services and network protocols in order to be able to mount a share for your ssd fir other network users.  

 

[Chumpchops]

^^this.  Having same target Device for your primary storage and backup doesn’t make sense.
 

 I have a dedicated NAS to serve household files, then a secondary NAS as back up target from the first.  I then take off-site copies to portable drives  from the back up NAS.  

 

[jamesrfisher]

For clarity re backups.

My NAS just has my music collection for streamign and some movies. I have a separate HDD attached to my imac for TimeMachine backups anda further portable HDD that i keep in the office and once a month take home and do a time machine backup.

The USB HDD attached to my NAS just backs up the music on that.

 

[tuga]

For clarity re backups.

My NAS just has my music collection for streamign and some movies. I have a separate HDD attached to my imac for TimeMachine backups anda further portable HDD that i keep in the office and once a month take home and do a time machine backup.

The USB HDD attached to my NAS just backs up the music on that.

Sorry, I should have quoted the OP in my message.

My comment was a reply to @TheFlash’s questions.

 

[TheFlash]

Personally I would never use the same NAS or external drive for the dual purpose of music storage and Time Machine back up.

Storage is cheap nowadays, you can easily get a single-bay NAS for your Mac back ups.

.

Also I prefer to manage my music back ups manually.

I keep two back up USB HDDs and the main library is in a single-bay NAS. Because I tag for every new rip or download with iTunes, I do it from the computer into one of the USB HDDs, then copy/add/import the final files into the NAS by opening the iTunes Library located there.

On reflection, I agree it's not optimal. You prompt me to rethink what I use for what and what I store where. I've just realised that the WD My Passport I have been sitting on (metaphorically)  for a while is 3TB not 1TB, so the same capacity as my 2x 3TB Synology (in RAID 1).

I also use iTunes for my rips and album art, I just enjoy the interface. And I'm as happy with ALAC as FLAC. Will re-read your modus operandi and have a poke around.

Refocusing

Let's set aside for now the Kendal access and remote backup aspects and look at connectivity here and now. If this changes, the other aspects may need to change too.

Right now my Synology NAS is CAT6 wired into my BT router and that is CAT6 wired to my Bluesound Node 2i. I use the BluOS app on my iPad to control playback of streaming and of albums on my NAS. I do not want to change the way I control playback eg. using a dsktop or laptop computer instead of laptop or using some software other than BluOS.

There is one USB socket on my BT router but I've never used it. I presume I could plug my WD My Passport drive into this and would be able to access my music in exactly the same way as today. Does anyone else do this?

I'll happily give it a shot but if any of you've been there and have hints and tips then let me know please. Thanks.

 

[Chumpchops]

There is one USB socket on my BT router but I've never used it. I presume I could plug my WD My Passport drive into this and would be able to access my music in exactly the same way as today. Does anyone else do this?

For BT Hub6 you can mount USB2 storage:


Setting up a NAS


There’s a quick and easy way to add  network associated storage (NAS) to your BT Home Hub 6. This can be achieved by plugging some storage into the USB socket on the back of the router. Either with a USB stick or a USB drive. The home hub only uses USB 2.0 and this may affect data transfer times. What you end up using for your NAS drive will largely depend on how much centralised storage you want. A USB stick is pretty low cost and convenient, especially if you want to move pics and videos from one device to the next. Or perhaps create a low cost media server.

Procedure

1. Attach your USB device to the hub
   
2. Open your browser and enter the IP address of your router in the address bar. Probably 192.168.1.254
   
3. Click the My Devices blue panel followed by the USB Panel
   
4. Make a note of the name given to your attached USB Storage
   
5. On your PC make sure Network Discovery is switched on via the advanced Sharing settings found in the Network Sharing Centre accessed through the control panel. - (Windows key + I / Network Sharing Centre / Change Advanced Sharing Options / Turn on network discovery.
   
6. Return to your PC and call up file explorer (Windows Key + E)
   
7. Navigate to my PC on the left, right click and choose "add a network location" then choose Next
   
8. In the dialogue box enter the IP address of your router and the name of the USB device you noted down e.g. (\\192.168.1.254\”name”) 
   
9. When requested give it a name that is useful to you
   
10. Hit next and open your new NAS
    

 

[TheFlash]

^^this.  Having same target Device for your primary storage and backup doesn’t make sense.
 

 I have a dedicated NAS to serve household files, then a secondary NAS as back up target from the first.  I then take off-site copies to portable drives  from the back up NAS.  

To be clear, for future reference etc, I have never used any target device for both primary storage an backup of the same material. My NAS is a backup from iMac of everything except music and is THE only storage for my music - no current music backups in place, hence the need to address this.

For clarity re backups.

My NAS just has my music collection for streamign and some movies. I have a separate HDD attached to my imac for TimeMachine backups anda further portable HDD that i keep in the office and once a month take home and do a time machine backup.

The USB HDD attached to my NAS just backs up the music on that.

This is probably where I will end up. I may have questions...