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**ST-EOS** · 14-07-2016, 09:28

Re: Going Extremal

Can't help you with this Ian as I still use a windows PC. I have my images on internal drives with USB external drives as my back up solution. However I shall watch this thread as I too am considering going for a NAS replacement sometime.
From memory Drobo used to be the name to watch/go to for Mac users. Though as with most technology solutions you will read good and bad about the same products/manufacturer.

**ColytonJohn** · 14-07-2016, 09:32

Re: Going Extremal

I used to use a QNAP NAS with 2x2TB drives in a RAID but, when one of the drives failed I simply replaced the lot with 1x4tb Seagate USB 3 drive and use that for photography. The QNAP had been good when I bought it but its spec had become less able to handle the demands placed on it so I'd have not only needed to replace the drives but the QNAP package too making it uneconomic considering the low price of USB 3 drives.

This happened before I went to LR so I didn't have a catalog to transfer but the USB 3 drive is both quick and (touching wood as I type!) reliable (of course, everything is backed up on other drives).

NAS has its place but, unless you want to take advantage of the sharing, streaming, etc. capabilities, then a USB 3 drive is perfectly adequate - and a lot cheaper too

Cheers,
John

**Tigger** · 14-07-2016, 18:06

Re: Going Extremal

I do use a external drive for b/u but I've never looked at storing and working from a external drive, hence the reason I was looking for a very fast drive, and large so it will hopefully last a while

Yeah I've seen the price difference John between using USB3 drives over thunderbolt and its quite a lot, but my concern is I don't want to be sitting around waiting for images to load between programs and considering that sometimes I'm moving anywhere from 5-7 images thats quite a chunk of data to move around

Although TBH I'm only taking advice from a Mac guy as I'm a user and clueless about whats best or not

**antoeknee** · 14-07-2016, 19:46

Re: Going Extremal

I use external drives for storage. IIRC the advice from Adobe is to keep the catalogue on a fast drive, it's not necessary for it to be on the same drive as the images.

If you do a Google search for performance optimisation lightroom you should find the Adobe article. It mentions quite a few things including creating 1.1 previews which prevents those delays whilst switching images or zooming in when you can get loading message.

**tesarver** · 15-07-2016, 00:52

Re: Going Extremal

I have been using a buffalo 2TB external for storage and edit, using LR. It was working well until I had a power outage in the neighborhood last week that blew the transformer that was in front of the house. Since It was only a 2 TB server, I took the risk of not doing a RAID because I had the drive on a surge protector that was also a 3 hour battery backup. Well the end story is that one of the drives failed because of the power hit and I lost 15,000 images. So today I ordered a 2 bay WD 8 TB MyCloud Storage system that will mirror my data over the 2 bays 4 TB each. I ordered that over the Buffalo due to the recommendations on PC mag.

Tom

**Tigger** · 15-07-2016, 05:52

Re: Going Extremal

Originally posted by antoeknee View Post

I use external drives for storage. IIRC the advice from Adobe is to keep the catalogue on a fast drive, it's not necessary for it to be on the same drive as the images.

If you do a Google search for performance optimisation lightroom you should find the Adobe article. It mentions quite a few things including creating 1.1 previews which prevents those delays whilst switching images or zooming in when you can get loading message.

Cheers Ant I'll look for that - nice to know your using external with no isssues

Originally posted by tesarver View Post

I have been using a buffalo 2TB external for storage and edit, using LR. It was working well until I had a power outage in the neighborhood last week that blew the transformer that was in front of the house. Since It was only a 2 TB server, I took the risk of not doing a RAID because I had the drive on a surge protector that was also a 3 hour battery backup. Well the end story is that one of the drives failed because of the power hit and I lost 15,000 images. So today I ordered a 2 bay WD 8 TB MyCloud Storage system that will mirror my data over the 2 bays 4 TB each. I ordered that over the Buffalo due to the recommendations on PC mag.

Tom

ouch!! that would be my worry, hence going for the larger unit and splitting 50/50 least I'll always have a mirror drive

I did consider the 8tb but knew it wouldn't last me long. Once I fill 6tb I'll either start month balling years probably by then upgrade to some new faster system that will be around

Sorry to read you lost all those images, hopefully none were special ones

**antoeknee** · 15-07-2016, 05:58

Re: Going Extremal

I use 2 external drives and run some software that copies the content of one to the other, set to do this automatically each day but could be more frequent.This is an incremental backup so only new/modified files are copied.

The drives are USB3 and speed doesn't seem to be an issue.

**Tigger** · 15-07-2016, 06:01

Re: Going Extremal

I think the only safe way to work like that Ant and the unit I'm getting is 2x6tb so will mirror automatically

**antoeknee** · 15-07-2016, 06:34

Re: Going Extremal

Never really had much success with NAS boxes, one kept corrupting drives and another the power supply was flakey.

A couple of external drives and software was also somewhat less expensive.

**Parsen66** · 15-07-2016, 07:13

Re: Going Extremal

Interesting thread Ian.

I've got a 1TB external USB drive connected to the iMac for the LR images, catalogue located on the iMac. Also got a 3TB external USB drive for Time machine back ups, this also backs up the 1TB drive as well.

Having tried two different NAS drives and not getting on with either of them I went for plain hard drives

In time I plan to swap the 1TB and 3TB over and then add another bigger drive for back ups, probably using Thunderbolt as a connection

**Tigger** · 15-07-2016, 07:27

Re: Going Extremal

I've used NAS before when I was on PC and didn't have any problems, although that system is old and slow hence looking at the WD Pro Desktop RAID, seems from the reviews all say it works well and a lot of togs singing its praise - plus using Thunderbolt should make it very quick

Storage is certinally becoming a bigger problem than I though it would

**Parsen66** · 15-07-2016, 07:42

Re: Going Extremal

Originally posted by Tigger View Post

I've used NAS before when I was on PC and didn't have any problems, although that system is old and slow hence looking at the WD Pro Desktop RAID, seems from the reviews all say it works well and a lot of togs singing its praise - plus using Thunderbolt should make it very quick

Storage is certinally becoming a bigger problem than I though it would

I've a lot less images than you I'd say, so at the moment storage is fine for me

PS Is extremal a new 'street word' the 'kids' are using

**Tigger** · 15-07-2016, 07:45

Re: Going Extremal

Originally posted by Parsen66 View Post

I've a lot less images than you I'd say, so at the moment storage is fine for me

PS Is extremal a new 'street word' the 'kids' are using

currently 2tb but I'm starting to look at folders and deleting images that are either duplicates or images that will never get processed

**Parsen66** · 15-07-2016, 07:53

Re: Going Extremal

Originally posted by Tigger View Post

currently 2tb but I'm starting to look at folders and deleting images that are either duplicates or images that will never get processed

Yes I've found that too. With images being exported to Aurora and Efex etc, it leaves a duplicate in LR, well if you say export with adjustments anyway

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