NAS backup

[jamesmartin]

I bought a AS6004U to back up my photos. Couldn't set it up myself so got a computer guy around & after ages says it's a expansion unit not a actual NAS, so I'll have to buy a NAS. Does anyone have this unit & can confirm? I was recommended this unit. Is there a way I can save my photos to this device without buying a 1K NAS?
Cheers

[ameerat42]

James - preliminary... NAS as backup is probably not for everyone. I've read a lot of -ves about using them as such.

Looking up your unit...

- - - Updated - - -

No, it is apparently NOT a NAS, and that's probably a useful thing.
Here's a link I found with a video to help explain things:
https://www.asustor.com/en/product/AS6004U

They don't call it a NAS, but it looks like a bunch of external backup
drives (with silly music playing). Did you particularly want a Network
Attached Storage System?

If not, then I'm sure it comes with have handy backup software...

[Tannin]

When it comes to backup, you need two things, and ONLY those two things.

1: brute force
2: redundancy

By far the safest, easiest, cheapest way to back up photographs (and other work) is a collection of external drives. Plain, ordinary, cheap-as-chips external hard drives. 5TB drives are in the sweet spot at present.

When you take some photographs, simply copy the whole lot onto an external drive. Then unplug the drive. Store it somewhere the computer isn't.

Next time you take photographs, copy to a DIFFERENT external drive. Copy both folders (today's and yesterday's). And so on. From time to time, drop a worst-case-scenario copy in somewhere where you aren't - you brother's house, say, or the office. Anywhere that isn't in the same building subject to the same flood, fire and nuclear weapon risks. (Well, flood and fire anyway.) Use the same principles for other data.

Remember that any backup device connected to your computer isn't really a backup at all. One single power surge, one single virus infection, one single user brainfade can delete the whole lot, instantly. The only worthwhile backup is offline. And one spare copy isn't good enough. You need at least three. (More is better - and why not given it is so cheap and easy?)

Don't frig about with fancy software, compression, NAS, do-it-for-you stull that never works properly - in backup, brute force rUlEz. It is faster, simpler, cheaper, easier, and above all safer. Send that other thing back, it's pointless.

[jamesmartin]

James - preliminary... NAS as backup is probably not for everyone. I've read a lot of -ves about using them as such.

Looking up your unit...

- - - Updated - - -

No, it is apparently NOT a NAS, and that's probably a useful thing.
Here's a link I found with a video to help explain things:
https://www.asustor.com/en/product/AS6004U

They don't call it a NAS, but it looks like a bunch of external backup
drives (with silly music playing). Did you particularly want a Network
Attached Storage System?

If not, then I'm sure it comes with have handy backup software...

Thanks Ameerat, I'll watch it when I get a chance. I was basically just hoping I could save my raw files straight to the discs then have one at my brothers & parents place with 3 permanently in the unit. I liked the idea that you can just take out a disc when full & replace it.
Computer guy says it can't be installed without a NAS

- - - Updated - - -

When it comes to backup, you need two things, and ONLY those two things.

1: brute force
2: redundancy

By far the safest, easiest, cheapest way to back up photographs (and other work) is a collection of external drives. Plain, ordinary, cheap-as-chips external hard drives. 5TB drives are in the sweet spot at present.

When you take some photographs, simply copy the whole lot onto an external drive. Then unplug the drive. Store it somewhere the computer isn't.

Next time you take photographs, copy to a DIFFERENT external drive. Copy both folders (today's and yesterday's). And so on. From time to time, drop a worst-case-scenario copy in somewhere where you aren't - you brother's house, say, or the office. Anywhere that isn't in the same building subject to the same flood, fire and nuclear weapon risks. (Well, flood and fire anyway.) Use the same principles for other data.

Remember that any backup device connected to your computer isn't really a backup at all. One single power surge, one single virus infection, one single user brainfade can delete the whole lot, instantly. The only worthwhile backup is offline. And one spare copy isn't good enough. You need at least three. (More is better - and why not given it is so cheap and easy?)

Don't frig about with fancy software, compression, NAS, do-it-for-you stull that never works properly - in backup, brute force rUlEz. It is faster, simpler, cheaper, easier, and above all safer. Send that other thing back, it's pointless.

Thanks Tony, I did think about that & sounds like it would be simple enough for me to do

[ameerat42]

...Computer guy says it can't be installed without a NAS...

Ohhhh, I see now...! I had another look through that link. It's an expansion module for a NAS.

Is it the thing you wanted in the first place? If not, maybe you can return it and get something alse?

[jamesmartin]

I was thinking this is all id need to backup. I'll have a look around & do a bit more research