Hi all As my signature shows, I have a Z1000 Pro and 2 x NAS. I store my HD Films on one of the NAS's and Music (not Hi Res) on the other smaller one - both are RAID enabled. In my Zidoo I run a 10TB drive for 4k Films and a 8TB drive for my Hi Res Music, which I swap as and when. My NAS's are in my Study nearby my PC but the rest of my Home Entertainment kit is in my Lounge, ethernet connected to my router, again which is situated in my Study. I'm thinking of getting a 4 or possibly 5 Drive External Drive enclosure, initially not to be RAID configured but rather JBOD. Importantly though it will be adjacent to my Zidoo and USB connected. May I ask if something like this would work please? https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B088R8KJ4N/ref=emc_b_5_i?th=1 I have quite a few SATA HDD's lying around which I could use. Thanks
But why using a RAID drive running in JBOD ? Still is a RAID drive making it flexible like a lead door. Running a similar USB3 housing with individual quick loading HDD's is really Plug & Play and far less expensive. Using Eject with Zidoo allows swapping any HDD while in active use. I use Volume Labels to indicate which drive contains what. The whole remains accessible via enabling SMB Server too. Some more expensive models (e.g. ICY Box) allow each HDD to be powered on/off individually for lifespan extension and noise reduction. Do this since many years (5/10-slot) and recently added an USB Switch (unpowered) to it. Now all my media players with attach the housing automatically provided just one is powered on concurrently (but it also has a manual select switch).
Nice one, thank you - I thought I was on the right path. Primary reason behind purchase is to use up some of older HDDs. They'll in effect expand my 10TB Film HDD. Might configure to RAID later on but initially JBOD will do to maximise storage space.
@Nice Monkey - gone ahead and bought the External Drive Enclosure in my first post, hopefully it will arrive later today. The 4 HDDs I hope to use are 3 x 1TB and 1 x 4TB. Just wish I could create 2 volumes: 1 spanning the 3 1TB HDDs and the other on the 4TB one. I don't think I can do it using a JBOD configuration. Is there any way to achieve what I want using RAID do you know?
With RAID normally all HDD's must be even the same specifications not only size. A basic reason I don't like RAID.
Yes but as I've mentioned the enclosure will not be operated in "RAID Mode" but rather JBOD - it can do both. I am aware of a RAID's requirements but not JBOD, which is why I'm asking if I can do what I'm looking to do in "JBOD Mode". Hope you can help
JBOD implementations may vary per NAS type/brand and can't answer without looking at its documentation. For most JBOD implementations different sizes is OK and they always may have mixed performances as they are accessed one by one unlike RAID-0. My guess is it will work for you.
Thanks @Nice Monkey much appreciated. It's just this minute arrived so I shall take a look at the hopefully enclosed USER Manual and I'll post again when I know for sure
